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      I won the Champions League with Chelsea… but Carabao Cup final vs Liverpool is BIGGER, says Ben Chilwell

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      BEN CHILWELL believes lifting the Carabao Cup could be bigger for Chelsea than their 2021 Champions League win.Left-back Chilwell, 27, was a major part of the Blues team which charged to Euro glory.
      Ben Chilwell won the Champions League wit Chelsea in 2021Credit: Reuters
      Chilwell is far from underestimating the importance of Carabao Cup gloryCredit: Getty
      He captains Mauricio Pochettino’s young side against Liverpool as the club bid to win their first trophy since Todd Boehly’s £4.2billion takeover in 2022.
      Chilwell said: “The prestige of the Champions League is obviously higher but I’d say this is more important in terms of where the club is now.
      “With the group we have, such a young group, such a new group, where there has been ups and downs this season.
      “To get this one as a team and as a staff and with the fans, it would be massive for the club and arguably bigger than the Champions League in the way we want the club to go.”
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      Chilwell is still smarting from Chelsea’s recent 4-1 pummelling at Anfield.
      And he is out for revenge for defeats by the Merseysiders in the Carabao AND FA Cup finals in 2022.
      He said: “This is massive for many reasons. The fact we’ve lost to them twice in two finals.
      “We want to get revenge. Secondly, it’s a major trophy. Everyone wants to win major trophies. It’s a cup final at Wembley.
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      “For me it doesn’t get much bigger than a cup final at Wembley.
      “Then for the team in general if we can get that first trophy as a team it can give us the confidence, drive and hunger to get more.”
      How Chelsea lined up against Liverpool in 2022 Carabao Cup final with just TWO of starting XI still at club
      Chilwell is desperate to get Chelsea back into EuropeCredit: Alamy
      Victory in Sunday’s final will give Chelsea a European place again after a season out — even if it is the Europa Conference League.
      Chilwell said: “Everyone wants to be involved in European football.
      “With the young team we have now a lot of players haven’t played European football.
      “It’s another step to growing as a team and experience not just playing in Europe but also the experience in playing 50-55 games a season, which we want to be doing.
      “The main focus on Sunday is to win and then the silver lining of that win is we get European football as well.” More

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      Karren Brady: Real Madrid and Kylian Mbappe out for Man City’s title of ‘world’s best’… but Guardiola won’t be scared

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      HAVING already captured one crown jewel in Jude Bellingham, Real Madrid are set to acquire another in French super-scorer Kylian Mbappe.Spain’s most revered club’s ambition is to rule the Champions League for a long time. At the Bernabeu, they crave to change popular opinion that Manchester City are the finest team in the world.
      Kylian Mbappe could form an electric pairing at Real with Vinicius JrCredit: Getty
      Man City have their own lethal striker in Erling HaalandCredit: AFP
      It may happen soon enough on the field, but it might also eventually be aided if City fall foul of alleged financial offences and face a near-unbridgeable barrier to buying ultra-expensive players.
      You can be sure Pep Guardiola will have much to say in football language whether or not his bargaining position is weakened.
      But no matter who wins Europe’s major competition this June, in Mbappe, Real have another ace to play.
      Pep, proud of his Catalan background, has won the Champions League three times as a manager, twice at Barcelona where previously he had played for 15 years.
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      His latest triumph came last season with City’s first, 12 months after Real’s 14th.
      So a claim to be ‘the Greatest’ is paper-thin and Guardiola would not be silly enough to use it. Still, it’s the sort of plaudits supporters love and, after all, they are the people who matter.
      The passion of the Barca-Real rivalry is replicated to a degree in City-United.
      But there is no doubt in my mind that while Pep would be unhappy at United becoming top dogs in the Premier League, there is one real — and Real — lasting challenge for any aspiring team.
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      City were never likely to chase Mbappe’s signature. The oil money is there but not the circumstances.
      Anyway, for all the threat of Mbappe, Pep has just as potent a scorer in Erling Haaland.
      Pep Guardiola believes his side are going to be remembered for many years to come
      There is also a warning to Real boss Carlo Ancelotti in the fate of Paris Saint-Germain’s bank-shaking bid for greatness in buying three of the best forwards in the game and stepping back to watch it happen. It never did.
      The trio of Messi, Neymar and Mbappe were never able to capture Europe’s top trophy.
      And this season at Bayern Munich the costly addition of Harry Kane was supposed to guarantee their 12th consecutive Bundesliga title. How the mighty are kicked in the pants.
      In fairness to PSG, they are still in this season’s Champions League and their prospects of winning the trophy were kept active this week by a 2-0 home win in the last 16 against Real Sociedad. Guess who scored the opening goal?
      Over at Real, Mbappe — with Vinicius Junior alongside him — are powerful reasons for manager Ancelotti to believe his side will be stronger next season.
      But the loss of Luka Modric and the ageing of Tony Kroos suggests that his midfield may not be quite so overwhelming.
      Ancelotti led teams to four Champions Leagues and was sacked by Chelsea a year after his side won the Premier League and FA Cup.There was madness as well as greatness in the days of Roman Abramovich.
      Mbappe was always likely to join Real, his favourites even as a lad in Paris.
      Maybe several English clubs thought about bidding but it became less likely as the effects of the £105million rule that cost Everton ten points became clear.
      Even the richest will have to balance purchases against sales and City themselves are selling fine young players such as Cole Palmer to Chelsea.
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      Guardiola will work his way through this problem, no doubt. He has a classic team and, in Haaland and Phil Foden, two young forwards to match any.
      Neither will City, the first club to win the Treble of Prem, FA Cup and Champions League, be frightened of any side. More

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      I played under Jose Mourinho when Chelsea had SEVEN national captains in starting XI… I know what truly made him special

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      MICHAEL BALLACK has explained why Jose Mourinho was so special to play under – when Chelsea had SEVEN national skippers.The midfield legend says the “provocative” Portuguese boss “stood out” from other managers and persuaded the German to snub Manchester United.
      Jose Mourinho made a huge impression on Michael BallackCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Ex-Bayern Munich hero Ballack won the Premier League once and the FA Cup three times with Chelsea from 2006-10.
      And even though Mourinho departed Stamford Bridge for the first time in 2007, the 98-cap ace singled him out for a glowing tribute.
      Incredibly, Ballack featured for a Blues side containing six fellow national captains whose status was as iconic as his own.
      That exalted list contained England’s John Terry, Ivorian Didier Drogba, Ghanaian Michael Essien, Ukraine superstar Andriy Shevchenko, Czech keeper Petr Cech and Nigerian John Obi Mikel.
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      And interviewed on Jeff Stelling’s Football’s Greatest, Ballack said: “This is something really special, to play with six or seven national team captains.
      “That was an interesting group. But as I mentioned, with Jose Mourinho there was a coach who stands out. 
      “You know, of all these characters, he was leading the team in a certain way. 
      “You trusted him. It’s really important that the team trusts the coach.
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      “He was also a nice guy – a little provocative, in a nice way. 
      “But in the dressing room he was really a nice guy, and he was funny. He was a family guy. He was really special.”
      Mauricio Pochettino targets first trophy under Todd Boehly with Chelsea facing Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final
      Mourinho famously called himself “a special one” when meeting the press after Chelsea lured him from Porto in 2004.
      The tag stuck as he moved on to boss Inter Milan, Real Madrid, Chelsea again, Man Utd, Tottenham and, most recently, Roma.
      Now, at the age of 61, Mourinho is in a rare spell out of management.
      But having won the Champions League twice and eight domestic titles amid a huge haul of silverware, he’ll expect to find another top-level role – should he want one. More

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      Fans fear for Premier League’s fifth Champions League spot after tricky Europa League draw

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      FANS fear the Premier League could miss out on a fifth Champions League spot after English teams were dealt a tricky Europa League draw.Uefa’s expansion of the Champions League next season means there will be an extra automatic place from the domestic leagues of the two best-performing countries across the three European competitions.
      West Ham and Brighton could play a big role in boosting the Premier League’s coefficient
      England stood in third, narrowly behind second-placed Germany, at the end of the group phase in December.
      But the Prem’s coefficient ranking will be boosted if English clubs continue to progress in European competition this season.
      However Arsenal are in danger of Champions League elimination after losing the first leg of their second round tie with Porto 1-0.
      While Brighton have now been handed a tricky tie against Roma, who won the Europa Conference League in 2022.
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      Liverpool will be expected to beat Sparta Prague but West Ham face a challenging test in Freiburg.
      Aston Villa, meanwhile, have been paired with Ajax in the Conference League draw.
      Fans fear the Premier League’s coefficient will take a hit if Brighton and West Ham exit the Europa League in the next round, particularly the Hammers as opponents Freiburg play in the Bundesliga and a win for them would push Germany further ahead of England.
      One supporter reacted to the draw saying: “Premier League’s coefficient is finished if West Ham and Brighton both go out. More damaging if West Ham go out.”
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      Another added: “West Ham have an easy draw….more sad for Brighton”
      And a Chelsea fan wrote: “It’s looking long for our chances of Europe if we lose this Sunday.”
      Uefa’s coefficient ranking sees all the match and bonus points acquired by a country’s clubs divided by the number of teams involved at the start of the season – with England and Spain both having the maximum possible eight.
      It meant that City’s win over Copenhagen and a potential Arsenal win at Porto can earn England a maximum 0.5 ranking points.
      By contrast, Germany with five teams in action, could have earned 2.142pts, France (five clubs) 3.167pts, Spain (six clubs) 1.5pts and Italy (five teams) 2.286pts.
      The Premier League was not helped by Man Utd and Newcastle’s last-placed finishes in the Champions League group stage, which saw them exit Europe altogether.
      ‘Very good, I like that’ says Europa League draw host after Man Utd icon John O’Shea’s cheeky joke live on TV More

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      Sky Sports pundit forced to leave studio in middle of Porto vs Arsenal while reporting on match

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      THE SURPRISE reason Keith Curle left his punditry role live on TV in the middle of a game has been revealed.The 60-year-old former England defender has been out of work since he was sacked as manager of Hartlepool United in February 2023. 
      Keith Curle left TV viewers completely bemused on WednesdayCredit: Alamy
      The ex-Man City ace left the Sky Sports News studio midway through Arsenal’s loss at PortoCredit: Sky Sports News
      Manchester City’s ex-captain has since returned to the world of punditry.
      This week Curle was tasked with updating viewers on Sky Sports News with developments from Arsenal’s defeat in Porto on Wednesday.
      However, supporters were left completely bemused as Wolverhampton Wanderers’ 1998 Player of the Year disappeared midway through the Champions League game.
      Some surprised viewers even took to social media, with one tweeting SSN directly and asking: “Anyone know why Keith Curle stopped commenting tonight on sky sports??”
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      Now the remarkable reason behind him abandoning his post during the broadcast has been revealed by the Daily Mail.
      And it was all to ensure that he made it home on time.
      Curle was working live from Sky’s studio in Isleworth, which is a town located within Hounslow Borough in West London.
      He removed his headset and left 15 minutes into the second half of the Arsenal match.
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      That was because he had to dash across the capital in order to get to Euston.
      Curle was booked on a 10.30pm train to Sheffield, where he lives, and had to depart in order to ensure he was on it.
      Where are they now: The unusual careers of former footballers
      The much-liked former centre-half played for Bristol Rovers and City, Torquay United, Reading and Wimbledon’s Crazy Gang before signing for Man City in 1991.
      He spent five years with the Cityzens before going on to have a four-year stint at Wolves until 2000.
      Curle then moved to Sheffield United for two-seasons before ending his playing days with Barnsley and Mansfield Town.
      The three-time capped England international then became player-manager of the Stags and has since been in the dug-out at Chester City, Torquay and Notts County.
      He took over Carlisle United in 2014 and spent four years there prior to joining Northampton Town and leading them to play-off promotion from League Two in 2020.
      After leaving there in 2021, he had a short stint in charge of Oldham Athletic before last season’s 29-game tenure at Hartlepool. More

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      Benfica star Joao Neves reduced to tears as fans chant in support of 19-year-old following mum’s death in Europa League

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      BENFICA star Joao Neves was reduced to tears after a touching tribute from his fans at the Estadio da Luz tonight.The 19-year-old’s mother died last week after a long battle with cancer and the midfielder was emotional as soon as the final whistle blew.
      Joao Neves was emotional at the final whistleCredit: Reuters
      Neves thanked fans for their supportCredit: Reuters
      The Benfica faithful showed their support for Neves by chanting his name at the end of the game.
      And the support of his fans brought the young midfielder to tears.
      Benfica drew 0-0 with Toulouse on the night, which was enough to see them advance through to the next round.
      Neves has played 38 times in all competitions for Benfica this year, despite being just 19 years old.
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      He has already been capped three times by Portugal.
      A combative deep-lying midfielder in the Rodri mould, Neves was linked with a big money move to the Premier League in the summer and January.
      United were interested in the midfielder last summer, although the emergence of Kobbie Mainoo in his position may see their interest in him cool.
      He has also attracted the interest of Arsenal as they look to replace Thomas Partey in the summer.
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      Neves was thrust into the Benfica first team last year when he was just 18 to replace the outgoing Enzo Fernandez, who signed for Chelsea in a £107million deal.
      Benfica were playing in the play-off of the Europa League after dropping down from the Champions League this year.
      They will find out their opponents in the round of 16 in March. More

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      Thomas Tuchel snubs Premier League club despite soon-to-be-axed Bayern Munich boss being desperate to return to England

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      THOMAS TUCHEL is not interested in managing West Ham despite being desperate for a Premier League return.The outgoing Bayern Munich boss has unfinished business with English football having been sacked by Chelsea in September 2022.
      Tuchel is not interested in taking the West Ham jobCredit: AP
      West Ham’s current boss David Moyes is out of contract at the end of this season and recent results have placed him under extra pressure.
      Some fans even want him out following a run of eight games without a win in which they have conceded 16 goals.
      Hammers’ chiefs are exploring possible options for a change of coach while remaining firmly behind Moyes for the immediate future.
      Tuchel will become a free agent in the summer after it was announced he will be leaving German champions Bayern at the end of this season.
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      But sources close to the German say Tuchel will only entertain ideas to manage at the biggest clubs in England.
      Liverpool are losing head coach Jurgen Klopp this summer and with new people on the board at Manchester United, manager Erik ten Hag is facing an uncertain future.
      Newcastle United boss Eddie Howe is also under pressure with his team eighth in the Premier League despite the backing of Saudi billions.
      Tuchel managed Chelsea for a year and a half from January 2021 and won the Champions League and Club World Cup before helping the club through the most turbulent period in its history.
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      Russia’s invasion of Ukraine forced then club owner Roman Abramovich to sell the club amid strict financial sanctions imposed by the UK government.
      Americans Todd Boehly and sidekick Behdad Eghbali bought Chelsea for just over £2 billion in May 2022 and sacked Tuchel 100 days later following a 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb.
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      Graham Potter, Steve Cooper and Julen Lopetegui are all names also thought to be being considered by the West Ham hierarchy. More

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      Eagle-eyed fans spot Inter Milan used never-before-seen tactic as they bizarrely compare it to the US date system

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      EAGLE-EYED fans spotted a never-before-seen tactic from Inter Milan against Atletico Madrid.The Italian giants bagged a 1-0 win against the Spaniards in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie.
      Inter MIlan played a never-seen-before tactic in their win over Atletico MadridCredit: Getty
      Marko Arnautovic scored the only goal of the game in the Champions League tieCredit: Getty
      Watched on by Kanye West, Marko Arnautovic scored the only goal of the game as Inter dominated both the possession and the attacking stats.
      And supporters have now discovered the way Inter kept Diego Simeone’s men at bay.
      The Serie A leaders usually play a 3-5-2 formation under Simone Inzaghi.
      However, while in possession of the ball against Atletico, Inter would transition to a 4-3-3 shape.
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      It saw the wing-backs pull deep, with striker Marcus Thuram and midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan providing width in more advanced areas.
      But bizarrely, the change also moved remaining midfielders Nicolo Barella and Hakan Calhanoglu to centre-back.
      While the three defenders – Benjamin Pavard, Stefan De Vrij and Alessandro Bastoni, pushed forward to create a midfield triumvirate.
      The incredible tactical change allowed Inter to build up possession from the back with more speed.
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      And the centre-backs in midfield gave the Italians the physical edge over Atletico’s three of Saul Niguez, Koke and Rodrigo De Paul.
      Simeone’s side were completely outfoxed by Inter’s clever plan.
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      Inter saw their defenders push into midfield as the two groups swapped places
      And fans were also blown away, with one comparing it to the date system used in the USA.
      One said: “This is like a visual representation of the American MM/DD/YY date format.”
      Another declared: “Inzaghi is a fascinating coach, you don’t see many teams with 3atb using the wide CBs to overlap in attack.”
      One noted: “So like counter-counter pressing. I don’t think I can brain this right now.”
      Another added: “Why park the bus in front of goal where it’s so close to danger when you can park it in the middle of the pitch.”
      Inter’s tactics are certainly paying off this season, with Lautaro Martinez and Co top of the Serie A table.
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      They are nine points clear of Juventus with a game in hand after losing just one all term.
      Inter are also the top scorers with 59 goals, and boast the meanest defence after conceding just 12 times. More