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      Hugo Sotil dead at 75: Barcelona legend who formed legendary partnership with Johan Cruyff dies after ‘health problem’

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      BARCELONA hero Hugo Sotil has passed away 75. The Peruvian was hospitalised earlier this month after experiencing a “health issue”.Barcelona legend Hugo Sotil has passed away aged 75Credit: Barcelona FCThe Peru international was hospitalised earlier this month but never recovered from his health issueCredit: AFPDoctors placed Sotil in intensive care and did their best to improve his condition.But the former striker was sadly unable to recover and passed away on Monday.Barcelona announced his passing an emotional statement, an excerpt of which read: “On Monday 30 December Hugo Sotil passed away.”Born in Ica in Peru on 18 May 1949, ‘Cholo’ as he was known, was considered one of the best South American players of his generation, and was a from fan favourites at Baraa during his time at the club.READ MORE ON BARCELONA”The striker came to Barça for the 1973/74 season from Peruvian club Municipal de Lima.”Sotil was a vital part of a team that included legends such as Johan Cruyff, [Juan Manuel] Asensi, [Carlos] Rexach and Marcial [Pina].”He became a favourite of the Camp Nou crowd who would chant “Cholooo, Cholooo” in his honour.”A social media post from the club read: “FC Barcelona mourns the passing of Hugo Sotil, who played for Barca from 1973 to 1976, and offers its condolences to his family and friends. Most read in FootballHugo Sotil was part of Barcelona’s successful team of the early 1970sCredit: GETTYHe formed an incredible partnership with the late Johan CruyffCredit: AFP”Rest in peace, Cholo.”Scores of Barca fans responded to the X post to pay tribute to the late Sotil. Ronaldinho scores stunning free-kick aged 44 as Barcelona legend proves he’s still got it in El Clasico Legends game One wrote: “Rest in peace, legend.”Another said: “”He wasn’t just talented on the field with his amazing dribbling and assists, loved by so many. “Rest in peace, Cholo.”Sotil joined Barcelona in 1973 from Peruvian side Deportivo Municipal and won a slew of trophies with the Catalan club. He scored 29 goals in 96 appearances during his four years at the Nou Camp. He formed an incredible partnership with the late Johan Cruyff, which is still talked about to this day.Sotil had incredibly fond memories of his time with the club and the love he received from the Nou Camp faithful. He said: “The love of the people of Barca is unforgettable. READ MORE SUN STORIES”The day I die I hope they bury me in a Barca shirt.”Barcelona will likely pay tribute to the late Sotil when they welcome Valencia to the Nou Camp on January 26. More

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      Barcelona ‘ready to SUE LaLiga’ as attempt to re-register Dani Olmo blocked and Spain ace can walk out for free

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      BARCELONA are reportedly ready to sue LaLiga after the Spanish league blocked Dani Olmo’s re-registration.Olmo joined from RB Leipzig for £50m in the summer but could only be registered on a temporary basis until the end of the calendar year.Barcelona are reportedly ready to sue LaLiga, who blocked Dani Olmo’s re-registrationA court inBarcelona has announced that it would not be allowing the Blaugrana to register the midfielderLaLiga approved the registration of Olmo and Pau Victor for the first half of the season only, giving Barca a temporary permit to use the players while they kept looking for fresh revenue streams before January. Their four-month allowances will expire on December 31 and major changes are yet to happen.And now the Commercial Court 10 of Barcelona has announced that they would not be allowing the Blaugrana to register the midfielder.The Spanish giants wanted to make the Euro 2024 winner’s registration permanent by the start of the New Year.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSLaLiga are pushing for the Catalan giants to make more cuts, find more revenue and comply with their financial guidelines.In response, Barca are expected to present a new lawsuit against LaLiga in a last-ditch attempt to register Olmo, according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.They will likely argue that the registration rules are invalid because they are regulated by a body that they consider incompetent.It means Olmo, 26, can leave as a free agent if he cannot be registered for the remainder of the season.Most read in FootballThe Spanish star included the clause in his contract that would allow him to leave Camp Nou on a free transfer if the club were unable to register him due to financial restraints.FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSIn a statement welcoming Friday’s verdict, La Liga said the outcome is based on the league’s “established budgetary balance rules implementing the powers conferred upon it by law”.The league stressed the importance of the rules being “applied in the same way to all clubs and thus avoiding potentially seriously altering the equal conditions of the competition rules”.Barcelona star Alejandro Balde vomits blood and is stretchered offA contract for the sale of VIP seats was put on the table during a meeting on Monday in order to raise funds.Barca hope the package can be sold for about £166m – in a desperate bid to raise funds and register Olmo and defender Victor.Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal are all closely monitoring Olmo’s dilemma.Olmo’s wanted to stay with Barcelona, his boyhood club, but the drawn out process is understood to have forced his agent Andy Bara to begin exploring potential moves.Croatian Bara, 42, is owner of Niagara Sports Company, one of the biggest agencies in the worldBara also played a role in Manchester City’s £77m deal to land Josko Gvardiol from Leipzig in 2023.Bara flew to Manchester by private jet ahead of City’s game with Everton and was due to be attending the game.READ MORE SUN STORIESOlmo missed Barcelona’s first two months of the season after picking up a hamstring injury in preseason.He has since scored five goals in 11 games this term. More

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      Dani Olmo’s ‘agent arrives in Manchester’ with Spain Euros winner available for FREE despite joining Barcelona for £50m

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      BARCELONA star Dani Olmo’s agent is in Manchester amid Premier League interest in his client, who could be available for free in January.Olmo, 26, completed an emotional comeback to boyhood club Barca following a £50million deal with RB Leipzig in August shortly after he helped Spain win Euro 2024 by beating England in the final.Barcelona star Dani Olmo’s agent flew to the UK amid interest from Man Utd, Man City and ArsenalCredit: RexBarcelona have been unable to register Olmo and he could be available for free in JanuaryCredit: RexHowever, the Blaugrana were unable to register the playmaker due to their ongoing financial struggles.That was until Hansi Flick’s side lost Andreas Christensen to a long-term injury and that allowed them to register the Spain international as an emergency player.However, this short-term arrangement runs out at the end of the year, which means the LaLiga leaders need to find another way to officially get Olmo in their books by December 31.The Spanish football federation will require Barcelona to make more cuts, find more revenue and comply with their financial guidelines.Read More on FootballThat Catalan giants have launched legal proceedings against LaLiga and were initially hopeful of reaching a solution before next week.If a resolution is not found then Olmo, who theoretically has a contract until 2030, will effectively be banned from playing for his boyhood club.This unusually chaotic situation has led to interest from the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Arsenal, who are all looking for attacking reinforcement ahead of the January transfer window.The Premier League giants could face competition from Bayern Munich in the winter market.Most read in FootballBEST FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERS FOR UK BOOKMAKERSThe Spaniard’s priority has always been to stay at the Nou Camp but the drawn-out process has forced his agent Andy Bara to explore potential moves.According to The Mail, Bara flew to Manchester via private jet to attend the Premier League match between Manchester City and Everton at the Etihad.Ian Wright convinced Spain star Dani Olmo is ‘taking the micky out of us’ with pre-Euro 2024 final gestureThe agent told the same source that he was visiting the UK “on holidays”.Olmo has managed six goals and one assist in 15 appearances across all competitions with Barcelona.This comes after 29 goals and 34 appearances in 148 matches with RB Leipzig. More

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      Arsenal and Man City ‘ready to battle Bayern Munich’ for Dani Olmo transfer and could sign Barcelona star for free

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      ARSENAL and Manchester City are set to battle Bayern Munich to sign Barcelona star Dani Olmo in January, according to reports.Olmo, 26, was one of the standout stars of Euro 2024 and signed for Barcelona in a £52m move this summer.Arsenal and Man City are reportedly battling for the signature of Dani Olmo from BarcelonaCredit: GettyHowever, the Spaniard could already be on his way to the Premier League next month – and it may be in a free transfer.Barcelona’s dire financial situation has meant that the attacking midfielder is only registered until December 31st and looks unlikely to be able to play for the Catalan club in the new year.Reports in Spain have claimed that a clause in Olmo’s contract means that he can leave Barca for free next month if the issue isn’t resolved.El Nacional report that both Arsenal and Man City have already put down attractive offers to the player in the hopes of convincing him to jump ship to the Prem.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLWhile German giants Bayern Munich are also said to be keen on making a move for the former RB Leipzig man.Barcelona execs Joan Laporta and Deco are understood to be scrambling to try and resolve the situation, but face a battle against the clock.Laporta recently spoke out about his optimism in registering Olmo in time for the new year.The club president said: “We have temporarily registered him and hope to do so definitively. Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS”There are always doubts about registrations, but in the end, we always manage to register them,Barcelona manager, Hansi Flick, has been keen to keep hold of Olmo and views him of part of his plans.Ian Wright convinced Spain star Dani Olmo is ‘taking the micky out of us’ with pre-Euro 2024 final gestureOlmo has excelled during his time with Barcelona, scoring five goals in 10 league appearances this term.The star’s team have begun listening to offers from other teams and could More

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      Barcelona will not be in new 105,000-capacity stadium on time ‘unless miracle occurs’ with Nou Camp still building site

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      BARCELONA will need a MIRACLE if they plan on returning to the Nou Camp on time this season, according to reports.The LaLiga giants had initially hoped to be opening their revamped ground THIS WEEKEND against Atletico Madrid.Barcelona’s chances of returning to the Nou Camp in March are practically zeroCredit: RexNew images of the redeveloped Nou Camp were revealed last monthThe construction plans are reportedly behind scheduleThe return could be as late as next SeptemberThat was pushed back to March 2025 as building work dragged on.But reports in Spain suggest Barcelona’s return to their £1.3billion renovated stadium could be delayed further.It is claimed the LaLiga leaders’ chances of returning to the Nou Camp in three months time are practically zero.And the stadium might not even be ready for the start of NEXT SEASON.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSSpanish outlet Marca say Barca’s board of directors have accepted the delay is inevitable. Construction work isn’t going at the desired pace, with the emergency exits plans and turf laying behind schedule.Barca have been careful not to give a definitive date, with Uefa rules stating that participants in the Champions League cannot play at different home grounds during a phase of the competition.Barcelona are second in the 36-team league phase with two games remaining, meaning it’s likely they won’t be in knockout action until March.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSIf they were to finish ninth or lower, then that would mean a February play-off.However, both dates currently seem unrealistic with large parts of the ground still needing work.Legendary stadium looks unrecognisable as club reveal ‘insane’ CGI footage of the renovation plansThe Spanish giants moved out of the Nou Camp in May 2023, beginning the process of a major overhaul of the 67-year-old arena.The 99,000-seater was gutted and stripped back to its raw concrete form, before countless hours of hard work started to build it back up. Barca have been temporarily housed in the Lluis Companys Olympic Stadium during the renovation.The club have taken off the entire top tier of the stadium as they rebuild the third tier to increase the capacity of the iconic ground.When fully completed, the stadium will house an impressive 105,000 fans – some 6,000 more than it was able to hold prior to the building work.They had been planning on returning to stadium halfway through the 2024-25 season, but they now looks unlikely.Barca intend to operate with just over 60 per cent capacity when they move back in.Work began in May 2023The new stadium will be sponsored by SpotifyThe Nou Camp look incredible when the work is completeOver £1.3bn has been splashed on the stadium and the surrounding areaInitially, it was hoped that Hansi Flick’s men could sport the pitch in November for the club’s 125th anniversary.But the return could now be as late as next September – which would be the third push back.It will be the largest and most innovative sports complex in the heart of a European city.The modernised Nou Camp – which will be sponsored by Spotify – is set to have a number of new bars and VIP areas.READ MORE SUN STORIESIt will also have the largest roof of any stadium in Europe, with new images showing three huge screens hanging over the pitch.The concourse and the press facilities are among the other areas to be renovated. More

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      Barcelona’s £50million signing Dani Olmo could be BANNED from playing for club and forced to leave in free transfer

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      DANI OLMO is set to be banned from playing for Barcelona — which could see him leave on a free transfer.Olmo, 26, only joined the Spanish giants in August in a £50million deal from RB Leipzig.Dani Olmo could be banned from playing for Barcelona, which would see him leave on a free transferCredit: RexThe La Masia graduate was seen as a major coup for Barcelona following his star turn for winners Spain at Euro 2024.However, Olmo was unable to be registered by his new club due to their ongoing financial issues.And the playmaker was forced to miss Barcelona’s first two matches of the season before getting an unlikely reprieve.A long-term injury to defender Andreas Christensen allowed Hansi Flick’s side to register Olmo as an emergency player.READ MORE IN FOOTBALLAnd he has since gone on to score six goals and provide one assist in 14 matches, helping his side top the LaLiga table.However, Olmo’s temporary registration expires at the end of the year.It means Barcelona have to find a way to get him in their squad officially.And if they cannot find a solution, Olmo will effectively be banned from playing for his boyhood club.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAccording to the Athletic, that then opens the door for the midfielder to sensationally quit Barcelona on a free transfer.It’s reckoned Olmo was aware of the registration issue when he returned to Catalonia.Ian Wright convinced Spain star Dani Olmo is ‘taking the micky out of us’ with pre-Euro 2024 final gestureAnd as part of the deal, a clause was inserted in his contract allowing Olmo to leave Barcelona for free in January should he be unable to play.The title hopefuls now have until December 31 to either make some sales or drastically increase their revenue, as they are not allowed to re-register Olmo for a second time.But sporting director Deco is confident the superstar will still be a Barca player come the end of the month.He said: “Yes of course (we will register Olmo properly). We’re working on it and everyone is calm.“There are internal issues at the club. Don’t worry, we’ll fix it. The player is calm, don’t worry.”Barcelona reportedly hope to solve the issue imminently after agreeing a new kit deal with Nike.However, it must first be approved through a members’ vote, due to go ahead on December 21.READ MORE SUN STORIESShould that fall through, Barcelona are also reportedly looking to sell the rights to their VIP boxes at the Nou Camp.And the final option is for a board member to “put up a personal guarantee”, with neither Barcelona or Olmo even thinking about a potential exit in January. More

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      I wanted to quit football to be a FARMER after Barcelona transfer turned into a nightmare

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      BARCELONA ace Vitor Roque considered quitting football at the age of 19 and becoming a farmer due to the pressures he encountered at the Nou Camp.Barca signed Roque, 19, from Athletico Paranaense in January for an initial £30million fee but struggled to impress in Catalonia and that led to a loan move to Real Betis.Barcelona ace Vitor Roque considered early retirement due to the pressures at the Nou CampCredit: GettyRoque considered quitting football and moving back to his farm in BrazilCredit: GettyThe striker only managed a mere two goals in 16 appearances with the Blaugrana and played second fiddle to star man Robert Lewandowski.The Brazil international has claimed the fee Barcelona paid, plus his whopping €500m (£414m) release clause, led to some significant pressure and anxiety.So much so, that Roque even considered early retirement to find peace in his farm in Brazil.However, the talented forward found a way to regroup and is impressing at Betis with five goals and one assist in 19 appearances.Read More on FootballRoque told ESPN: “Yes. I thought I want to go to the farm there [in Brazil] and be calm, without anyone worrying me, because sometimes it’s difficult… a lot of pressure. “But it’s just about moving forward, having mental strength, continuing to work with great humility and things turning out well. “Little by little, I am regaining my complete happiness and confidence, too.”I already had a lot of anxiety about making things work out. I think what created the pressure was the price they paid for me, which was a very expensive investment in recent years. Most read in Football”I wasn’t completely ready to resolve the situation or to help the team in the way I wanted, I would have liked to. “I would have to have time to adapt, have time to get used to the players, and the club, and it didn’t turn out the way I liked. Man City manager Pep Guardiola sings song for Barcelona’s 125th birthday”And it serves as a learning experience for the next season.” More

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      LaLiga star HEADBUTTS and punches team-mate in bizarre scenes during capitulation against Barcelona

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      MALLORCA star Johan Mojica bizarrely headbutted and punched team-mate Manu Morlanes during their LaLiga defeat by Barcelona.Mojica endured a moment of madness after conceding a penalty, before Mallorca would go on to lose 5-1 at home to LaLiga leaders Barca.Johan Mojica lashed out at team-mate Manu Morlanes after Barca went 2-1 upIt came after the aggressor, Mojica, conceded a penalty after fouling Lamine YamalHe also turned to punch Morlanes during his moment of madnessMojica escaped without any punishment but was booked for the penalty incidentIt had been looking up for the hosts when Vedat Muriqi cancelled out Ferran Torres’ opener on the stroke of half-time. But things quickly turned ugly when Mojica felled Lamine Yamal in the area to concede a penalty inside 56 minutes.And the Colombian left-back, who was booked for his clumsy foul on Yamal, was left fuming.Seconds after Raphinha scored the spot-kick, Mojica, 32, saw the red mist and remarkably lashed out at team-mate Morlanes.READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWSThe pair exchanged a war of words, before Mojica HEADBUTTED Morlanes in extraordinary scenes.A shocked and frowning Morlanes verbally responded while covering his mouth.But Mojica’s thuggery continued as punched the 25-year-old midfielder on the arm after screaming in his face.Ref Jesus Gil Manzano had his back turned to the incident as Mojica escaped without any form of punishment.Most read in FootballFOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALSAnd fans were in a frenzy after the confrontation between the pals who played together at Villarreal.One wrote: “This is unacceptable 😡.”Man City manager Pep Guardiola sings song for Barcelona’s 125th birthdayA second said: “He’s got to apologise. Why he is lashing out like that?”Before another added: “He shouldn’t get away with this. Manager should drop him.”Mojica’s outburst capped a disastrous night for the Colombian, who struggled throughout against Yamal.He made a costly error for Torres’ opener and was regularly beaten by the 17-year-old Golden Boy.Former Leeds star Raphinha scored again in the 74th minute to extend Barca’s lead to 3-1.Ex-Man Utd target Frenkie de Jong and Pau Victor also got on the scoresheet to leave Barca four points clear of Real Madrid.READ MORE SUN STORIESFormer Prem winger Raphinha, who Barca flirted with selling this summer, has now scored 11 goals in 16 league games this season.And it was the SIXTH time that Barca have exceeded five goals in a league game this term.Raphinha is in the form of his life in LaLiga this seasonBarca are now four points clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga More