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      Neymar addresses Barcelona transfer in court and reveals he turned down chance to join Real Madrid

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      NEYMAR revealed he snubbed Real Madrid as he took to the stand at his fraud trial in Barcelona on Tuesday.Judge Jose Manuel del Amo Sanchez allowed the 30-year-old Paris Saint-Germain star to leave the courtroom on Monday as he hadn’t got to sleep until the early hours following Sunday’s match.
      Real were interested in signing Neymar before his Barca transferCredit: Reuters
      Neymar was also subject to a post-game doping test after scoring the winner against rivals Marseille.
      Before Neymar began answering questions on Tuesday, the judge said his presence during the trial was a “right” and not an obligation apart from the day when he had to testify.
      He added: “There was no privileged treatment. For those who feel we’re here doing the wave as if we were in the stands, that’s not happening.
      “He’s being treated like any other defendant in the same position as him.”
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      The footballer, who wore a dark blue suit with a matching tie over a white shirt, admitted he snubbed Real before sealing a “dream” move to rivals Barca.
      He said: “I had offers from other clubs but my dream was always Barcelona. Real Madrid was one of the options but my heart was always for Barcelona.”
      Neymar took the stand after Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was called as a witness and told the court the club offered £39million to sign the winger in 2011.
      He insisted: “I don’t know Neymar, I’ve never spoken with him personally. 
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      “We were interested in signing Neymar about 10 years ago. Players go where they want. Neymar wanted to go to Barcelona and that’s why he went to Barcelona.”
      The footballer, who agreed to be questioned in court only by the state prosecutor and his defence lawyer and not by lawyers acting for Brazilian company NIS and was on the stand for less than 15 minutes, spoke mainly in his native Portuguese through a translator.
      He was asked whether he had participated in negotiations for a contract he signed in November 2011 while he was still at Brazilian boyhood club Santos where he agreed to play for Barcelona in 2014.
      Neymar responded: “I don’t remember.”
      The Brazil star then responded to the second question from the state prosecutor about negotiations and contracts: “I didn’t participate. It was always my father who looked after that and was responsible for that.
      “I sign what he tells me to.”
      Neymar is one of nine defendants including his parents and former Barcelona presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu on trial on corruption-related charges.
      State prosecutors are demanding a two-year prison sentence and a £8.6m fine for the footballer if convicted on fraud and corruption charges. 
      Private prosecutors acting for Brazilian company DIS, which owned 40 per cent of the player’s sporting rights when he was at boyhood club Santos, are seeking a five-year prison sentence.
      The trial, which is beginning with the World Cup barely a month away, revolves around alleged irregularities in Neymar’s 2013 transfer to Barcelona.
      The Catalan club said it cost £49.4m but prosecutors believe it was at least £71.8m.
      DIS claims Neymar, Barca and the Brazilian club colluded to mask the true cost of the deal.
      The trial is due to end on October 31.
      The footballer is not expected to attend court for the rest of the week, as PSG play away against Ajaccio on Friday before a Champions League tie against Maccabi Haifa next Tuesday.
      In Spain prison sentences of two years or less for first-time offenders are normally suspended.
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      Neymar’s dad was due to take the stand on Tuesday after the PSG footballer.
      Spain’s state prosecution service is also seeking a two-year prison sentence for the 57-year-old if convicted as charged. More

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      Man Utd transfer target Frenkie de Jong slams ‘lies’ about Barcelona wages and explains why salary ‘looks bigger’

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      BARCELONA midfielder Frenkie de Jong has hit back at critics who claim he is refusing a wage cut.The 25-year-old Dutchman agreed a £400,000-a-week salary when he joined the Catalan giants back in 2019.
      De Jong has hit back at those accusing him of refusing a wage reductionCredit: AP
      He then penned a lucrative two-year extension during ex-president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s spell in charge of the club.
      But Barcelona’s crippling financial crisis resulted in De Jong being forced to take a wage reduction in each of his first three seasons.
      It means they are now required to pay those deferred wages to the player on top of his existing salary.
      As a result, De Jong, who was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer, will earn £16.8million net this season, followed by up to £21m in the following campaign – figures which include £17m worth of deferred payments.
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      And the midfielder has now set the records straight on the controversy surrounding his salary packet.
      Speaking to TV NOS, via Mundo Deportivo, De Jong said: “There have been many lies and falsehoods spread about my salary.
      “In each of the first three years I played here, I cut my salary. Eventually the money comes back, and it comes on top of my normal salary, so it looks bigger.
      “I think a lot of people don’t understand this, but the figures the media are spreading are false.”
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      Barcelona wanted to sell De Jong in the summer to alleviate their economic strain and enable them to register their host of new signings.
      But the former Ajax man made it clear his desire to stay at the Nou Camp, despite strong interest from Man Utd and Chelsea.
      And he recently revealed he felt during the transfer window that the club were trying to force him out the door.
      Last week, De Jong told Ziggo Sport: “I was calm. I decided in May that I wanted to stay. My opinion has never changed during this entire period.
      “I stayed calm. But then you know the pressure would start to come.
      “Yes, from the newspapers, from the president, exactly. From everywhere actually. But I wanted to stay at Barca so it never baffled me.”
      De Jong has started four of Barca’s eight LaLiga matches so far this season – including their 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid in El Clasico on Sunday.
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      But it has been reported that he remains “disgusted” by his role in Xavi’s side, with competition rife alongside the likes of Sergio Busquets, Gavi, and Pedri.
      And that discontent in Spain could finally see him depart in the coming months. More

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      Frenkie de Jong says he knew Barcelona would ‘pressure’ him to leave amid Man Utd transfer interest

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      BARCELONA star Frenkie de Jong has claimed he knew Barcelona were going to “pressure” him into leaving. The club wanted to sell him to Manchester United over the summer but De Jong did not want to go.
      Frenkie de Jong has hit out at Barcelona for trying to make him leaveCredit: AFP
      The central midfielder has spoken out as he has been regularly left out of the starting XI by manager Xavi in big games.
      He has admitted he saw this situation coming after being shown the exit door with Pedri and Gavi ahead of him in the pecking order.
      De Jong told Ziggo Sport: “I was calm. I decided in May that I wanted to stay. My opinion has never changed during this entire period.
      “I stayed calm. But then you know the pressure would start to come.
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      “Yes, from the newspapers, from the president, exactly. From everywhere actually. But I wanted to stay at Barca so it never baffled me.”
      De Jong has not played in crucial Champions League ties against Bayern Munich or Inter Milan.
      Meanwhile in LaLiga he was benched against Sevilla and there are doubts over his place in the side tomorrow for the El Clasico versus bitter rivals Real Madrid.
      He has played 10 times this season, scoring one goal but just four have been starts – most coming versus weaker opponents like Viktoria Plzen, Cadiz and Elche.
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      De Jong continued: “I want to be a starter again. Against Bayern, I was not a starter and I hope to be against Real Madrid.
      “Maybe he [Xavi] has already decided, but normally we don’t know until the day of the game.”
      Spanish outlet Sport claims the Dutchman is “disgusted” at his lack of minutes this season.
      This all comes amid a row over unpaid wages that De Jong is still owed after taking a deferred pay cut to help the club with their financial woes.
      Man Utd chased the signing of De Jong throughout the most recent transfer window and despite sizeable bids they could not get the deal over the line.
      Erik ten Hag appeared desperate to work with the 25-year-old again, as he did at Ajax, but he still chose Barca with United not having Champions League football this season. More

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      Jorginho wants to STAY at Chelsea despite contract expiring and agent seen in Barcelona ahead of potential free transfer

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      CHELSEA midfielder Jorginho could be staying with the Blues after his agent said he is “prioritising” the club.The 30-year-old’s contract expires at the end of the season but his agent, Joao Santos, has hinted that a renewal could already be underway.
      Jorginho’s agent hints the star player could be renewing his contract with ChelseaCredit: EPA
      It comes amid reports Barcelona are interested in the Premier League ace ahead of a possible free transfer next summer when his contract expires.
      Speaking with Italian news outlet Tuttomercatoweb, Santos seemed to dash those hopes, dropping a big hint about the player’s future.
      Santos said: “We prioritise Chelsea and we are moving towards it. Another priority for Jorginho is to do well with the national team.”
      It comes after Chelsea took a step closer to securing their spot in the knockout stages of the Champions League after defeating AC Milan at the San Siro.
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      The opening for Chelsea came after a controversial red card was shown to AC Milan centre-back and former Chelsea defender Fikayo Tomori.
      Jorginho proved his worth by converting the penalty and then helping see the Blues to a 2-0 victory.
      Speaking about the game, Santos said: “For Chelsea, the match against Milan was a great match, it is proof that the team is doing well.
      “Jorginho has played two hundred games with Chelsea, he scored from a penalty. Well, better than that…”
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      Santos was then asked about being spotted in Barcelona following whispers of a deal with the Catalan side.
      Santos added with a smile: “I went to pray.
      “I worked in football, I have been to Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia but also in other parts such as Valencia and Lyon.
      “I’m Jorginho’s agent, I may have talked about him but also others…”
      Chelsea return to Premier League on Sunday when they go head-to-head with Aston Villa. More

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      Fans all say the same thing as Barcelona unveil one-off kit with Drake’s OWL on the front to be worn against Real Madrid

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      BARCELONA will wear a one-off kit with Drake’s OWL logo on the front against rivals Real Madrid on Sunday – and fans are not happy.The unusual move is part of Barca’s new sponsorship deal with music streaming giants Spotify.
      Drake’s OWL logo will feature in El ClasicoCredit: Instagram @spotify
      Barca will wear the one-off shirt as part of their deal with SpotifyCredit: Instagram @spotify
      Fans are concerned the Drake curse will hit and Barca will lose to rivals RealCredit: Instagram @spotify
      Drake was the first to surpass 50billion streams on Spotify and is being honoured as a result.
      Further collaborations with other artists are likely to happen later on in the season.
      The OWL will replace Spotify’s logo on the front of the jersey.
      And some supporters can’t get past the likeness to Sheffield Wednesday’s iconic badge.
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      A statement read: “One of the main ideas behind the alliance between FC Barcelona and Spotify is to bring football and music together in order to connect with new audiences around the world.
      “As both are capable of bringing people together and exciting fans, for the first time, the men’s football team will enter the pitch for Sunday’s Clasico wearing a jersey featuring the logo of an internationally acclaimed artist – rapper and singer Drake, winner of 4 Grammy awards and the first to surpass 50 billion streams on Spotify – rather than their main partner’s logo.
      “Spotify has given this privileged space on the jersey as part of the framework of the partnership with the Club, just one of the actions that both brands are putting into place to offer innovative experiences for football fans, as well as helping to reach new audiences through music.
      “As was announced when the agreement was ratified, this type of exchange on the front of the jersey is scheduled to happen more as the season progresses.”
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      However, fans are all saying the same thing: The Drake curse.
      Barca are currently sat top of LaLiga, edging out last season’s winners Real on goal difference.
      But should history repeat itself, the Drake curse – which has seen sports stars he’s supported immediately lose afterwards – could see Barca fall behind their rivals with defeat at the Bernabeu.
      Supposed victims of the curse include Conor McGregor, Serena Williams and Anthony Joshua.
      And with mood at the Camp Nou already low with the club on the verge of dropping out of the Champions League, fans don’t want superstition working against them.
      One Barca fan said: “Drake curse in full effect. Real Madrid winning 3-1.”
      Another tweeted: “Drake curse on El Clasico… are you for real?”
      On featuring on Barca’s kit, Drake admitted “this doesn’t feel real”.
      While others are just picturing League One side Sheffield Wednesday.
      Replying to the kit, a fan said: “Drake? All I see is Sheffield Wednesday…”
      Another suggested taking Drake “to the cleaners” for copying the badge.
      Drake’s symbol has been likened to Wednesday’s badgeCredit: Getty
      Drake was McGregor’s cheerleader ahead of the Irishman’s bitter meeting with Khabib NurmagomedovCredit: Getty More

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      Man Utd transfer boost with top target Frenkie de Jong set to finally quit Barcelona as he’s left ‘DISGUSTED’ at role

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      MANCHESTER UNITED target Frenkie de Jong is reportedly “disgusted” by his situation at Barcelona and looks set to quit the club.The Dutchman, 25, was at odds with Barca in the summer over millions in wages still owed to him.
      Frenkie de Jong os allegedly ‘disgusted’ with his situation at BarcelonaCredit: Rex
      De Jong was slapped with an ultimatum to either leave or take a major pay cut.
      And that led to a fee between United and Barca, which would have seen the midfielder reunite with old Ajax boss Erik ten Hag, worth £72million being agreed.
      But despite the financial dispute, Barca and De Jong appeared to repair the damage to the relationship – something the player wanted all along – after he refused to leave.
      However, since he turned down the move to United, De Jong has now found himself playing back-up in Xavi’s squad at the Nou Camp.
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      He has only appeared as a substitute in their last two matches and Spanish publication Sport is claiming that the Netherlands international is “disgusted” with his role.
      They face bitter rivals Real Madrid in El Clasico at the Bernabeu on Sunday.
      And this latest report states that he will be “very unhappy” if he is not selected to start.
      De Jong is desperate for more game time before the World Cup gets underway in November but has found himself behind the likes of Sergio Busquets, Gavi, and Pedri in midfield.
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      Now he is allegedly refusing to rule out a January exit from Barcelona should nothing change.
      That will provide some encouragement to United as they continue to chase the star.

      Despite bringing in Casemiro, Ten Hag is still desperate to add his compatriot to his ranks at Old Trafford.
      Now he and United’s transfer chiefs will be watching De Jong’s situation with a keen interest over the coming weeks ahead of the winter window. More

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      Man Utd star Cristiano Ronaldo’s agent Jorge Mendes spotted meeting Barcelona chiefs for talks in restaurant

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      CRISTIANO RONALDO’S agent Jorge Mendes has been spotted meeting Barcelona chiefs at a restaurant in the city.Mendes is the long-time representative of the Manchester United superstar, 37, as well as City midfielder Bernardo Silva.

      Mendes – agent of Ronaldo and Silva – met Barca chiefs at a restaurant on ThursdayCredit: Reuters
      Barcelona club president Joan Laporta and sporting director Mateu Alemany are in charge of negotiating transfers at the Nou Camp.
      Gerard Romero shared footage of the pair separately entering a restaurant.
      Ron’s hot shot agent Mendes is also spotted heading into the eatery.
      The men are said to have chatted about a possible return of Nico Gonzalez – who is on loan at LaLiga rivals Valencia.
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      But it is more than possible, Ronaldo and Silva were topics of conversation too.
      CR7 starred for Real Madrid for nine years but may be considering a January switch to their biggest enemies.
      Laporta already admitted the parties held discussions in the summer.
      At the presentation of Franck Kessie, the Barca boss openly described his meeting with Mendes.
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      He said: “I had dinner with Jorge Mendes and we talked about the market in general.
      “Cristiano? I’m not going to talk about players we discussed at the meeting, but it’s always good to know how some names are on the market.”
      Reports surfaced recently in Spain saying that the Catalan club were planning to relaunch a bid for Silva in January.
      The LaLiga giants failed in an attempt to sign the Man City ace, 28, in the summer transfer window.
      And talks may have already reignited in the restaurant meeting on Thursday.
      Despite their financial woes, La Blaugrana managed to spend almost £150million on new recruits – bringing in Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Frank Kessie, Andrea Christensen, Jules Kounde, Marcos Alonso and Hector Bellerin.
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      Barcelona managed to raise £700million by selling various digital assets, which makes any potential deal for Silva a possibility.
      Although they are set to be plunged into an even deeper financial crisis as they stand on the brink of exiting the Champions League in the group stage. More

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      ‘Traitor’ Messi slated by Barcelona fans after ‘liking’ Martinez post as Inter all-but KO old side from Champions League

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      LIONEL MESSI has been labeled as a “traitor” and a “mercenary” by Barcelona fans.The club icon, 35, liked a post from international team-mate Lautaro Martinez celebrating Inter Milan’s 3-3 draw at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night.
      Martinez shared celebrations on social media after Inter held Barca to a draw at the Nou Camp, which effectively sent the hosts crashing out
      Barcelona legend Messi controversially ‘liked’ the Instagram post from his international running mateCredit: Getty
      The draw all-but secured Inter’s progression through the Champions League group stage – and very nearly sent Barca crashing out.
      The Italians need just a point from their final two group games to knock Messi’s former team out of the competition.
      And if it wasn’t bad enough for fans of the LaLiga side, their king saluted Martinez on social media.
      The Argentinian striker shared the Instagram images with the caption: “Cuore, personalita, umilta. #ForzaInter”, which translates to “Heart, personality, humility.”
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      And the captain of his national side – who scored 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barcelona – LIKED the post.
      Catalan supporters were not happy with the Paris Saint-Germain star.
      One wrote: “Another proof that Messi does not feel sorry for Barcelona a club who made him who he is today and then later he broke the club and ran away, he is such a shameless traitor”.
      Another added: “This is what I mean when I say this guy was a mercenary”.
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      One fan exclaimed: “Calling him Judas falls short”.
      On the hour mark, Lauro Martinez scored his first in nine games to make it 2-1 to the Milan side.
      His shot ricocheted off both posts and snuck over the line.
      Robert Lewandowski then appeared to save the day with ten minutes left to play, taking advantage of a loose ball that Inter failed to clear.
      But Robin Gosens drilled in what looked like a winner with just a minute left on the clock to send Barca fans home crying.
      Up stepped Lewandowski again to unbelievably head home in injury time to level an exhilarating match.
      Also in Group C, Bayern conceded their first goals of the tournament but thrashed Viktoria Plzen 4-2 in the Czech Republic to go through. More