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      I’ll be beaming with Brummie pride as Grealish plays in Champions League final… and Bellingham may be next

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      THERE will be a great deal of Brummie pride for me in seeing Jack Grealish playing in a Champions League final.Even though Jack is an Aston Villa man — and their former captain to boot — and I’m a lifelong Birmingham City fan, it’s great to see him thriving at the very highest level.
      Jack Grealish is on the verge of winning the TrebleCredit: Getty
      Jude Bellingham could be next as he nears a transfer to Real MadridCredit: AP
      In Grealish and Jude Bellingham — ‘one of our own’ for us Bluenoses — my home city has two genuine world-class players and that is wonderful to see.
      Jack has really come alive in his second season at Manchester City.
      I kept hearing about him being overpriced last season. His £100million price tag was repeatedly used as a stick to bash him with — but that has all gone quiet now.
      It looks as if Jack feels he belongs at City now and I can see him being a regular starter for the club and England for three or four years at least.
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      At Villa, he was the main man. Everything went through him but now he has learned how to be a real team player.
      He makes goals, scores goals and tracks back to put in a defensive shift too.
      You can see when he celebrates goals how much he is a part of it, how he has bought into that team ethic.
      I know Jack well, he’s a cracking kid from a nice family and he has worked hard to get to the top of the game.
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      You used to hear about him getting into scrapes off the field but, at 27, he’s grown up and learned lessons. You don’t hear those stories about him any more.
      He is clearly a lad who still likes to enjoy himself — but he is doing that in the right way and at the right times now.
      City chief Pep Guardiola has really developed him — much like he has done with other English talents, like John Stones and Kyle Walker.
      They have all improved and become so adaptable under him.
      Phil Foden is the one who is missing out on starts now.
      A few months ago, at the World Cup, the nation was crying out for Phil to start but now he can’t get a regular game for City and that is largely because Jack’s form has been so good, he’s become undroppable.
      I can’t see any other outcome other than a City win against Inter in Istanbul — it would be a massive shock if Guardiola’s men do not complete the Treble.
      Inter are a decent team but they are simply not at the same level and their route to the final was a bit freakish, they haven’t beaten any of the really major teams.
      I’d love to see Grealish play a starring role in the biggest game of his life so far.
      He’s got the sort of crowd-pleasing quality where you can imagine him playing for Real Madrid one day.
      And 19-year-old starlet Bellingham is likely to be heading just there this summer. Can you imagine two Brummies at the Bernabeu?
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      For now, though, there is nowhere better to be than City.
      They’re the best team in the world and I expect them to prove it in Istanbul. More

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      Patrick Vieira makes rare appearance in Champions League legends game as he reveals why he repeatedly snubs invites

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      PATRICK VIEIRA made a rare appearance in a Champions League legends match – and revealed why he repeatedly snubs invites.The Arsenal icon, 46, has turned down the chance to play in a number of games showcasing the sport’s all-time greats over the years.
      Patrick Vieira takes part in a Champions League legends matchCredit: Getty
      Patrick Vieira was speaking at the launch of Expedia Live
      But ahead of the Champions League final in Istanbul, the tough-tackling ex-Inter Milan and Manchester City star laced up his boots again.
      Vieira, speaking at the launch of Expedia Live, said: “I normally don’t play these kind of games because I’m too competitive.
      “They play a bit more friendly and I don’t know how to.
      “I turned down a few because the game is competitive and you play to win and if you don’t, for me, the game is pointless.
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      “I don’t have that in my locker so it’s not for me.”
      Vieira’s team won a dramatic penalty shootout against the likes of Kaka, Luis Figo and Diego Milito.
      He lined up with ex-Arsenal team-mate Robert Pires, as well as Julio Cesar, Cafu, Marco Materazzi, Esteban Cambiasso, Gaizka Mendieta, Vladimir Smicer and Patrick Kluivert.
      But it is the touchline he would rather return to.
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      Vieira rejected an immediate management comeback after he was sacked by Crystal Palace in March.
      He admits he is now desperate to get back into the dugout.
      Vieira said: “I’ve had time to reflect on what will be my next challenge but I definitely want to go back.
      “I had talks straight away after I left Palace but it wasn’t the right time. I needed time to reflect and digest and now I’m feeling good.
      “I’m passionate about it and I love doing it. I had a really good experience with Palace.
      “If it doesn’t come I have plans about different things that I would like to do, but my priority is football.”
      Expedia Live is an official supplier of the UEFA Champions League and is the destination for fans to book travel and experiences, plus access expert advice on where to explore after the final whistle
      Patrick Vieira and Esteban Cambiasso combine to take down Diego MilitoCredit: Getty
      Patrick Vieira is desperate to return to management More

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      Erling Haaland tells Man Utd legend Rio Ferdinand he was frustrated by Pep Guardiola’s Man City last season

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      ERLING HAALAND has admitted to feeling frustrated while watching Manchester City games last season.The Norwegian joined Pep Guardiola’s side last summer in a £51million deal ahead of this campaign.
      Erling Haaland chatted to BT Sport’s Rio Ferdinand
      Haaland, 22, has been a revelation in England, scoring 36 Premier League goals and helping his side reach the Champions League final.
      Ahead of City’s Istanbul date with Inter Milan this weekend, Haaland chatted to Rio Ferdinand about how he has helped to transform his side’s attack.
      Speaking on BT Sport’s Between The Lines, the former Borussia Dortmund star said: “It’s a good thing to be good at tapping balls in.
      “Last season, I watched so many times when crosses would go through the whole box and no-one was there. I was imagining myself being there and thinking I’d slide that in.
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      “I was thinking of that when I came here. I’m not the one that’s going to create chances but I have my role in the team.
      “And that’s this (tap-ins). My job is to help the team put the ball in the back of the net.”
      When it comes to improving his game, Haaland doesn’t like to watch film.
      He added: “I don’t watch my games back at all, actually.
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      “I try to think of the next game, not too much about how I did and what I did wrong.
      “I try to attack the next game. I did that a bit when I was younger but I was overthinking a lot so I stopped. I don’t watch anyone else’s (game tapes) as well.”
      In addition to banging Prem goals in, Haaland has been in astonishing form in the Champions League.
      He has scored 12 goals in 10 European appearances this season – including a stunning five-goal haul against RB Leipzig in the round of 16.
      Haaland also bagged home and away against former Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals.
      Haaland, 22, is hoping to fire City to their first ever Champions League triumphCredit: Getty More

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      New Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou won Champions League with SOUTHEND on Football Manager… before they sacked him

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      NEW Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has claimed that he won the Champions League with Southend on football manager.The Australian, 57, was named the new boss at Spurs after winning back-to-back Scottish championships with Celtic.
      Ange Postecoglou won the Champions League with Southend on Football ManagerCredit: Kenny Ramsay
      Southend currently play in the National LeagueCredit: Getty
      Despite winning 21 major titles at previous clubs, Postecoglou has managed, there have been concerns from supporters that he lacks experience at the top level.
      However, not many managers can say they have taken a club from non-league to the pinnacle of European football.
      But this is exactly what Postecoglou can say as he revealed that he took Southend on an amazing journey in the game, Football Manager.
      In 2020, he told The Sydney Morning Herald: “I had to knock back some big clubs to stay the course.
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      “I used journeymen and loaners to get out of the lower divisions, then bought young unknowns from Italy and South America.
      “I didn’t mess about with tactics – I just wheeled and dealed. Harry Redknapp on steroids.”
      However, despite helping the club rise through the cyber ranks, his journey ended in heartbreak as he was sacked by the Southend board less than a year after winning the Champions League.
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      He added: “I got sacked six months after winning the Champions League.
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      “I’d knocked back Juventus, Real Madrid and the England national team before then.
      “No loyalty after everything I did for them. I was gutted. Hopefully got a statue there.”
      Despite the achievement only being on a computer game, Football Manager is used by real clubs to scout players using its extensive player database.
      Sports Interactive, the game’s developers, have been praised in the past for the level of detail that is in the annual game.
      Postecoglou, however, can not do the same at Spurs next season as the club failed to qualify for any European football. More

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      Play Single Game Survivor alongside Champions League final between Manchester City and Inter Milan – £2,000+ prize pot!

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      Manchester City are on the brink of an historic treble.Having edged out Arsenal to win retain their Premier League crown and beaten neighbours Manchester United in the FA Cup final, Pep Guardiola’s formidable side must beat Inter Milan in the Champions League final to complete a three-peat of dominance.
      With all eyes on Istanbul this Saturday, why not enhance your experience of the final further by playing Single Game Survivor alongside the momentous fixture?
      There’s a prize pot of £2,000+ up for grabs and the sharper your instincts for the beautiful game, the more cash you’ll win!

      PLAY SINGLE GAME SURVIVOR NOW! £2,000+ PRIZE POT FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL

      Credit: DREAM TEAM
      What is Single Game Survivor?
      Single Game Survivor takes its inspiration from our Classic Survivor Game.
      In Classic Survivor, you pick a Premier League team to win each week. They win, you survive; they don’t, you’re out.
      And it’s exactly the same principle with Single Game Survivor (or SGS as it’s more snappily known), except that in this game you submit predictions relating to specific match events.
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      Get your predictions right as the game goes along and you’ll survive; but get them wrong and you’re out.
      The pleasant twist? You get two lives to play with!
      How do you make picks in SGS?
      Ahead of the Champions League final, we’ll serve up some questions for you to consider. Such as:

      Which team will score first?
      Which of these four players will have a shot on target first?

      And so on.
      Win these mini-battles to keep yourself alive!

      How do I win money in SGS?
      Now for the good bit.
      You get two chances to win in SGS, with the first cash prize coming if you survive until half-time.
      If your sharp football instincts help you survive until full-time, you take a share of the prize pot that remains.
      Why should I play SGS?
      QUICK MONEY With our two chances to make money – half-time and full-time – you might win money in just 45 minutes!
      TWO LIVES You get not one, but two lives as you chase down the cash!
      BEAT THE REST Test your knowledge against our thousands-strong community
      LIVE EXPERIENCE See your rivals eliminated and the prize pool increase during the match
      What’s the best way to follow SGS?
      Follow along live with us!
      Sign-in to your account and track all the key moments via our live tracker to see how they affect you and your rivals.
      You’ll also be able to see how the cash pot rises as other players get knocked out!
      Read more on The Sun
      Good Luck!

      PLAY SINGLE GAME SURVIVOR NOW! £2,000+ PRIZE POT FOR CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL More

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      I played with Mario Balotelli at Inter.. he was as good as Messi & Ronaldo but his big mouth and tiny heart let him down

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      WESLEY SNEIJDER believes Mario Balotelli could have been as good as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo if he fixed his attitude.The pair played together at Inter Milan between 2009-10 before Balotelli was sold after falling out with then-manager Jose Mourinho.
      Mario Balotelli and Wesley Sneijder were team-mates at Inter Milan and NiceCredit: AFP
      Sneijder claims Balotelli could have reached the level of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo
      Balotelli, 32, had a role in Inter’s Champions League win in 2010 and although Sneijder admits he was an “amazing” player, the Dutchman feels he never lived up to his potential.
      Sneijder, a FedEx ambassador for the Uefa Champions League, told SunSport: “Balotelli was a player with a really big mouth and a tiny heart.
      “He was an amazing player. He could have been one of the best strikers in the world if he was normal.
      “His mentality was not always correct but he was a nice guy. For me he was like a little child when he was with us.
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      “We tried to manage that with him but it was really hard. Mourinho tried it but Mourinho was also a coach if you go against him, he will punish you even harder.
      “That’s what he did in the [Champions League] final – he made him warm up for 45 minutes but didn’t put him on.
      “Definitely, definitely [up there with Messi and Ronaldo]. In training he was amazing, he had everything that a striker needs. But if your mentality is not correct you won’t make it.”
      Controversy has followed Balotelli throughout his career – from setting off fireworks inside his house while at Manchester City to punching an Adana Demirspor team-mate during a match.
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      Sneijder and Balotelli linked up once more at Nice and the striker now plays for FC Sion, who were relegated from the Swiss Premier League this season – his 10th club since leaving Inter.
      Last month he was branded a “zombie” after being subbed off at half-time in a 5-0 defeat to Servette.
      The former Italy international also flopped at Liverpool and AC Milan and was forced out of City by Roberto Mancini.
      But he did win the Premier League and helped Inter to the treble in 2010.
      Balotelli has three Serie A titles to his name and one FA Cup, but he failed to deliver on the big expectations placed on him after he won the Golden Boy award in 2010. More

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      Mateo Kovacic ‘agrees terms’ with Man City with transfer fee for Chelsea star to be settled after Champions League final

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      MATEO KOVACIC is tipped to join Manchester City next week after the Chelsea midfielder reportedly agreed terms.Transfer guro Fabrizio Romano reckons a transfer fee will be decided after City’s Champions League final against Inter Milan on Saturday.
      Chelsea’s Mateo Kovacic should complete a move to the Etihad following their showpiece clash against Inter in IstanbulCredit: AP
      The Premier League champions are already said to have held advanced talks over signing the Croatia star.
      And the 29-year-old admits he’s open to a move after Chelsea’s “very bad” season.
      City have just sat out one major transfer battle as Real Madrid landed Jude Bellingham.
      And so far the Treble seekers are not seen as in the running for West Ham skipper Declan Rice.
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      So recruiting a cheaper, more experienced player with Champions League-winning pedigree makes sense.
      Kovacic, who is on international duty, stirred exit talk with frank comments over the past 24 hours.
      He told Nacional, via the Evening Standard: “I have one more year with Chelsea, this season was very bad.
      “Everything is going towards the fact that after five good years I will change, but in football anything can happen.”
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      The former Inter and Real ace even added: “Manchester City is a top team and deserves to be in the Champions League final.
      “That’s what I have to say. The summer is long, we’ll see what happens.”
      He softened those remarks only slightly by describing Chelsea as “phenomenal” and revealing he “loved” London as well as Blues’ fans.  More

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      Erling Haaland reveals inspiration behind Saturday’s Champions League dream and Man City fans will not like it at all

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      ERLING HAALAND admits Manchester United inspired him to want to be a Champions League winner.The Manchester City goal machine, who faces Inter Milan in Saturday’s final, has dreamt of lifting the European Cup ever since he was seven and watched his club’s big rivals defeat Chelsea in the 2008 final when Alex Ferguson was boss.
      Erling Haaland admits Manchester United inspired him to want to be a Champions League winnerCredit: PA
      Man Utd’s 2008 triumph had a big impression on a young Haaland
      Haaland said: “I’ve been dreaming and thinking of winning the Champions League my whole life — it’s been my dream as long as I can remember.
      “In 2008, it was Chelsea-United. When I saw the celebrations, I wanted to do that as well and now we’re getting closer.”
      Haaland has netted 52 times in a phenomenal debut season with his City side a single win away from securing the Treble.
      He was even videoed playing the Champions League anthem in his car when he was a teenager at Red Bull Salzburg.
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      And Haaland told BBC radio: “I love this competition and I enjoy it, so that’s why I listened to it. It’s also a really nice song!”
      Haaland, 22, is under no illusions that City bought him from Borussia Dortmund in order to conquer Europe for the first time.
      He said: “The Premier League, they won it two times in a row before I came here so they know how to win the Premier League.
      “The only thing they miss now is the Champions League so you can read between the lines — I’ve been coming here for a reason.”
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      City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne says he is no longer the “mane man” in his household following 22-year-old Haaland’s arrival.
      The Belgian has been the club’s biggest star since arriving in 2015.
      But Haaland’s incredible first season has turned the heads of everyone — including KDB’s kids.
      The 31-year-old said: “All three children have long hair and Erling is a superstar. I see that with the kids at their school, too. They all have hair like that. It’s funny.”
      De Bruyne has won five Prems, two FA Cups and five League Cups but international team-mate Romelu Lukaku and his Inter pals stand in his way of completing the set by adding the Champions League.
      He added: “He’s one of my best friends in football. I’ve known him since 13, 14 years old.
      “In the end it’s football for 90 minutes, we try to win against each other and after that we will see each other with the national team.”
      Romelu Lukaku and Belgium team-mate Kevin de Bruyne go way backCredit: AFP More