SportsNews

Di Giannantonio will try to “annoy” Marquez and Bagnaia on Ducati GP25

Published

12 months ago

December 29, 2024

Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team © Motorsport.com

Fabio di Giannantonio says he will try to “annoy” Marc Marquez and Francesco Bagnaia when he is on the same equipment as the factory Ducati riders in MotoGP next year.

On the back of his impressive form astride a year-old bike in 2024, di Giannantonio has landed a contract directly with Ducati to ride its latest GP25 at VR46 next year.

The terms of the deal give him the same status that allowed Jorge Martin to win the 2024 MotoGP title with Pramac. However, while Franco Morbidelli also enjoyed the same privilege at Pramac this year, di Giannantonio will now be the only rider outside the official team to get a factory-spec bike and full technical support from the Borgo Panigale marque.

The Italian is hoping this will allow him to mix with former champions Marquez and Bagnaia in MotoGP next year, but thinks there won’t be so much pressure on him to perform at the top level.

“It’s a beautiful opportunity, that’s how it is,” he told GPOne. “This season on the GP25 will be a beautiful opportunity to become an even better rider.

“It’s a responsibility, it’s something I’ve been looking for all my life, but at the same time we are not the ‘reds’ today, so in reality we can still ‘play’. The responsibility of being in an official team is different, there you have to win, so I think that kind of responsibility will be especially felt by Pecco and Marc”.

“We can have a lot of fun, try to be the outsiders, we can try to annoy them, and this will also give me the opportunity to learn a lot from them by working on their same level. So I don’t see any negative aspects, but only a great opportunity. I’m sorry I didn’t get podiums this year, for the team, I would really like to do well to see them celebrate.

Fabio Di Giannantonio, VR46 Racing Team

Photo by: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images

“As I often say, however, I don’t want to think about the results already, the goal must be to grow and enjoy the experience: enjoy the GP25, go fast, enjoy this moment for which we have sweated, enjoy the privileged relationship with Ducati, and in the end we will draw a line and see how it went!”

Di Giannantonio’s MotoGP career was seemingly coming to an end after 2023 as six-time premier class champion Marquez broke his contract at Honda to take the Italian’s spot at Gresini.

But that announcement coincided with an upturn in form for the Italian, leading to his maiden grand prix victory at the Qatar Grand Prix.

Finding a reprieve at VR46 this year, he outperformed his more experienced team-mate Marco Bezzecchi, finishing in 10th place in the riders’ championship.

But having picked up an injury on his left shoulder in Austria, he was forced to skip the last two races of the year in order to undergo a surgery.

The long recovery period meant he was also absent from the post-season test at Barcelona last month – and thus missed out on the opportunity to ride the new GP25 prototype.

However, having received positive feedback on the new bike from Ducati test rider Michele Pirro, who was able to draw a direct comparison between the two versions of the Desmosedici after racing the GP23 in Barcelona, the 26-year-old is eager to start the next chapter of his career in the Sepang test in February.

“I can’t wait to try it to personally understand what feeling it will give me,” he said. “From the amazed comments of those who tried the GP23 again [Pirro], to then get on the GP25 [in the test], I was surprised.

“Above all, I expect not to struggle so much in riding at the pace we have been used to this year. This in itself would already be a significant step forward. It would allow me to optimize my riding style, not having to focus on optimizing the package.

“Obviously I don’t take anything for granted, it is still a new bike and there will be a period of adaptation, but I certainly expect to start from an excellent base.”

SportsNews

EPL: Full list of players leaving for 2025 AFCON

Published

1 day 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

1 day 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

6 days 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.