SportsNews

Martin will “definitely” race in MotoGP’s Thailand GP

Published

10 months ago

February 16, 2025

Reigning MotoGP champion Jorge Martin is set to return to action in the Thailand Grand Prix after missing almost all of pre-season testing, Motorsport.com understands.

This Saturday marks one week since Aprilia’s new star rider was discharged by doctors following surgery on the right hand he broke at the start of the Sepang test.

Over the past week, the Spaniard has been resting at home, waiting for the fractures on his right hand and left foot (which did not require an operation) to heal.

Martin is expected to travel to Buriram later this month to contest the opening round of the season, scheduled on 28 February – 2 March.

“Jorge is doing well, progressing, and is planning to start training next week to be in better physical shape for Thailand,” said a person closer to the rider.

“He will definitely be at the first race, confirmed. Let’s see if he can prepare a little better physically before travelling. He has a medical appointment this [coming] week to check the progress of the fractures and determine if he can start training.”

Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing
© Autosport.com

Jorge Martin, Aprilia Racing

Photo by: Aprilia Racing

With less than two weeks remaining until the Thai race, and his medical check-up expected on Monday or Tuesday, Martin will have only six-seven days remaining to get physically ready for the new season.

Apart from his own progress, Martin is believed to be excited about Aprilia’s results in the Buriram test, where team-mate Marco Bezzecchi set the third-quickest time and also showed strong pace on long runs.

“The best thing about Jorge is that he wants to know everything. Obviously, he regrets not being able to attend the tests, but we’ve been in constant contact minute-by-minute,” said Pablo Bonora, Aprilia’s technical director.

“Most of all, he wants to know our feedback on the parts we’ve tested, and it’s very interesting to listen to him because he has incredible energy.

“What we’ve focused on most is making a more manageable bike, and a lot of the improvement comes from the new 2025 engine, which has given us great feedback.”

When asked whether Aprilia was closing in on Ducati, Bonora said: “No, no, I don’t talk about others. Let’s skip that question [laughs].”

In the absence of Martin, Aprilia turned to its test rider Lorenzo Savadori to grab valuable mileage it would have otherwise lost.

“We’re happy with the test; we were clearly working for Jorge, with whom we’ve been in constant contact,” explained Savadori. “He wants to know everything, he asks about everything, everything.

“We’ve been working on a set-up that will allow Jorge to quickly get on the bike when he’s back here, at this same Thai track.”

While Aprilia is pleased with Bezzecchi’s work in pre-season testing, it is eager for Martin to get back at work.

“We’re waiting for Jorge because we need his confirmation, that’s for sure. For the first races, we will give him the base set-up we found during the winter,” Bonora said.

“Right now, his medical recovery plan is completely under control, and his sensations are improving day by day, so we can’t wait to have him with us as soon as possible.

“We hope that in these first races, he’ll quickly find confidence with the bike.

“To be honest, we’ll consider the first four races (Thailand, Argentina, Austin, and Qatar) as a test for Jorge. He lost the opportunity to test in Sepang and Buriram, and in MotoGP, when you switch from one bike [Ducati] to another [Aprilia], you need to find confidence.

“It won’t be easy, but we’ll do everything we can to help him. We saw that Marco quickly found confidence in Buriram, and that gives us confidence that we can provide Jorge with a good bike.”

SportsNews

EPL: Full list of players leaving for 2025 AFCON

Published

3 days ago

December 13, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

At least 25 players in the Premier League are set to travel for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

The tournament is scheduled to take place from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

Nigeria, Ivory Coast, DR Congo lead the way in terms of players based in the English topflight, with four selected from each club for the AFCON.

FIFA has directed clubs to release the eligible players from Monday, December 15.

Full list of players confirmed

Sunderland (5):
Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco), Reinildo (Mozambique), Bertrand Traoré (Burkina Faso), Arthur Masuaku (DR Congo), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo).

Manchester United (3):
Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Amad Diallo (Ivory Coast), Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco).

Fulham (3):
Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Calvin Bassey (Nigeria), Samuel Chukwueze (Nigeria).

Burnley (3):
Axel Tuanzebe (DR Congo), Lyle Foster (South Africa), Hannibal Mejbri (Tunisia).

Nottingham Forest (2):
Ibrahim Sangaré (Ivory Coast), Willy Boly (Ivory Coast).

Brentford (2):
Dango Ouattara (Burkina Faso), Frank Onyeka (Nigeria).

Manchester City (1):
Omar Marmoush (Egypt),

West Ham United (1):
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (DR Congo)

Wolves (2):
Tawanda Chirewa (Zimbabwe), Emmanuel Agbadou (Ivory Coast).

Brighton & Hove Albion (1):
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon).

Crystal Palace (2):
Ismaïla Sarr (Senegal), Cheick Doucouré (Mali)

Liverpool (1):
Mohammed Salah (Egypt)

SportsNews

NNL bars fans from Ranchers Bees vs Adamawa United

Published

3 days ago

December 13, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

The Nigeria National League, NNL, has announced that matchday six fixture between Ranchers Bees and Adamawa United will be played behind closed doors.

The announcement was made in a statement by the league body.

Only the State Football Association representatives, staff of both teams, kit managers and medical personnel will be allowed into the stadium.

Others are the match officials, security personnel and camera men.

The reason for the decision to play the game without club supporters wasn’t stated by the league body.

The encounter will take place at the Bako Kontagora Stadium in Minna on Saturday (today).

SportsNews

Nigeria vs Egypt Friendly Gets New Date

Published

1 week ago

December 8, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Nigeria’s preparations for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations have taken a fresh hit, with Egypt confirming that the highly anticipated friendly between both nations has been shifted from 14 to 16 December.

The Egyptian Football Association (EFA) announced the adjustment late Friday, noting that FIFA’s updated international release directive, which allows clubs keep African players until 15 December, made the original date unworkable.

EFA Vice President Khaled El-Darandaly explained that the new rule left both Egypt and Nigeria without full squads for the initial date.

Key Pharaohs players, including Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, are now expected to arrive only after the new release window.

Egypt had already named its 28-man provisional squad and opened camp in Cairo, with head coach Hossam Hassan accelerating final preparations for a Group B campaign that includes South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe.

Nigeria’s disruption is more extensive. The Super Eagles were originally scheduled to open camp on 10 December and progress through a streamlined friendly schedule before departing for Morocco. That entire framework has now been dismantled.

Under the revised timeline, camp will open on 14 December, leaving Eric Chelle with barely a week to prepare before AFCON kicks off.

The venue for the friendly is also now uncertain, with Cairo no longer feasible and both federations considering shifting the match to Morocco.

Nigeria’s build-up has been further destabilised by injuries to Ola Aina, Taiwo Awoniyi, Benjamin Fredrick and Felix Agu.

The shock retirement of captain William Troost-Ekong, winner of the 2023 AFCON Player of the Tournament award, creates an additional leadership vacuum in defence.

Chelle, who released a 55-man provisional list, must now trim his squad to 28 within a compressed window. Nigeria will compete in Group C alongside Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania as they chase a fourth continental title.