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      Former Inter Milan star reveals he told Mourinho ‘f*** you’ when he left for Real Madrid – for hilarious reason

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      FORMER Inter Milan star Marco Materazzi has revealed that he told Jose Mourinho “f*** you” when left for Real Madrid.The Portuguese manager had guided the club to an iconic treble in the 2009/10 season.
      Inter Milan hero Marco Materazzi was left fuming when Jose Mourinho left the clubCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Jose Mourinho quit Inter Milan and joined Real MadridCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Inter lifted the Serie A, Coppa Italia and Champions League but Mourinho did not stay at the San Siro.
      The ex-Chelsea and Man Utd boss knew the 2-0 win in the European showpiece over Bayern Munich was his final game in charge and he attempted to sneak away from his players without saying goodbye.
      Materazzi would not let Mourinho do that, explaining: “I told him ‘f*** you’ because he was leaving me with [Rafael] Benitez.”
      The Spaniard took over and lasted just six months in charge of Inter before he was sacked.
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      Matterazzi had a fantastic career, winning five Serie A titles at Inter.
      The centre-back played a total of 276 games for the club across ten years at the club.
      He also won the World Cup with Italy in 2006 and the 49-year-old was the man headbutted by Zinedine Zidane in the final.
      Mourinho went on to manage Real Madrid for three seasons, winning one LaLiga trophy.
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      He now finds himself in charge of Roma in Serie A.
      However, he has been linked with a sensational return to the Premier League. More

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      I snubbed Real Madrid because of their bizarre contract clauses that banned me from going paragliding

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      ROBERT LEWANDOWSKI came close to joining Real Madrid in 2013 – until they slapped a ban on him going paragliding.At the time, the Polish strike sensation was running down his Borussia Dortmund contract.
      Robert Lewandowski, now at Barcelona, had an offer to join Real Madrid in 2013Credit: Getty
      But he would have been banned from various activities – including skiiingCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      Having proved himself as one of the top marksmen in world football, the fact he was going to be available on a free transfer meant there was a fight on for his signature.
      And incredible leaked documents reveal the specific offer Real Madrid put to Lewandowski.
      He was offered around £166,000-a-week to go to the Bernabeu – as well as a hefty £10million signing-on fee.
      However, the offer came with some eye-catching clauses.
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      Should he have joined Real Madrid, Lewandowski would have been banned contractually from skiing, paragliding, climbing, going on a motorboat or even riding a motorbike.
      It’s not totally clear how much those clauses swayed Lewandowski’s decision, but he ultimately ended up signing for Bayern Munich instead.
      Real Madrid’s failure to sign the Champions League winner came back to bite them.
      Over the next eight years, the ripped superstar would score a whopping 344 goals in 375 games for the German giants.
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      And to rub salt into the wounds, he then went on to join their bitter rivals Barcelona last summer.
      Despite now being 34-years-old, his goal scoring exploits have shown no signs of slowing down with 27 goals to his name already this season.
      He went on to join Bayern Munich insteadCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk More

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      Frank Lampard refuses to rule out becoming PERMANENT Chelsea manager as he admits job is not strictly until season ends

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      FRANK LAMPARD completed his shock return to Chelsea as caretaker manager – and hinted he could take the job permanently.The Blues confirmed Lampard’s appointment on Thursday afternoon following the sacking of Graham Potter last weekend.
      Frank Lampard has hinted he could take the Chelsea job on a permanent basis
      Frank was all smiles when he took his first training session as caretaker manager of the West London club
      Out of a job since his Everton axing in January, Lampard, 44, will oversee the club’s final nine games of the Premier League campaign, as well as Champions League quarter final against Real Madrid.
      In the meantime, American owner Todd Boehly will carry out an “exhaustive” recruitment process.
      Asked whether this is strictly until the end of the season, regardless of results, Lampard said: “No, but I think the role and the explanation speaks for itself in the period I am here for.
      “I’m not getting anywhere ahead of myself. I want to do the best possible role and impact the club in the best way. After that, we will see what happens.
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      “I don’t need answers to that point. I have taken that under the conditions.
      “My only focus can be this. The feeling I have from the club, rightly so, is that they want to do a process to find the right person to take the club forward whoever that might be.
      “That is absolutely their prerogative. Maybe that is why I am here. Of course, it was a surprise, you never know the decision a club is going to make.
      “But it is not for me to decide the club’s process and how they go about it.
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      “Now it is up to me to do well. After that, of course, it may mean I end up saying thank you very much, and at that point I will be very happy and say I have given everything and hopefully it is positive.”
      Following a 13-year playing career at Chelsea that included three Premier League titles, four FA Cups and the Champions League, Lampard managed the club for 19 months from June 2019 to January 2021.
      He was replaced by Thomas Tuchel, whose first game in charge was a 0-0 draw against Wolves. In a full circle moment, Lampard is now back on the touchline away at Wolves on Saturday with the club in 11th and 14 points off the top four.
      Lampard was seen at Stamford Bridge watching Chelsea’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool on Tuesday night, a visit he planned weeks in advance and said he had not been approached before kick-off.
      However, SunSport revealed that evening that Chelsea were considering hiring Lampard.
      Asked why he has returned, Lampard added: “It was a pretty easy decision to make. This is my club. I have a lot of emotions and feelings towards the club.
      “I’ve been on a different path since I left Chelsea but to come back at a time where the club have asked me to take the role, that’s the most important thing.
      “I didn’t think I would never be in this seat again. I’m a confident person.
      “I’m delighted to get the opportunity and I want to be thankful for that. I have a good understanding of the squad.
      “But also, the training ground, the stadium, the fans, what Chelsea fans want and I’ll do my utmost in this period to give them what they want with my own hard work.”
      A statement from Boehly read: “Frank is a Premier League Hall of Famer and a legend at this club.
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      “As we continue our thorough and exhaustive process for a permanent head coach, we want to provide the club and our fans with a clear and stable plan for the remainder of the season.
      “We want to give ourselves every chance of success and Frank has all of the characteristics and qualities we need to drive us to the finish line.”
      The midfielder is Chelsea’s all time leading goal scorer
      Lampard needs to get Chelsea firing again quicklyCredit: Getty More

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      Former Premier League star looks unrecognisable as he becomes manager of Champions League side

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      A FORMER Premier League star looks unrecognisable as he becomes manager of Dinamo Zagreb.The 44-year-old has taken up the role as he replaces former boss Ante Čačić.
      Bivši maksimirski junior, kasnije kapetan prve momčadi, jedan od najtrofejnijih igrača u povijesti kluba i dosadašnji izbornik hrvatske mlade reprezentacije, Igor Bišćan, novi je trener GNK Dinamo.#dinamozagreb pic.twitter.com/CTArfT9R33— GNK Dinamo (@gnkdinamo) April 6, 2023

      He won the Champions League with LiverpoolCredit: PA:Press Association
      The midfielder played 72 time in the Premier League for the RedsCredit: AFP
      During his playing days, he played as a defensive midfielder.
      He started his career at Dinamo Zagreb before joining Liverpool in 2000.
      The club beat the likes of Juventus, Barcelona, Ajax and AC Milan to his signature.
      The Croatian spent five years at Anfield and played 72 times in the Premier League, scoring two goals.
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      During this time he won the League Cup twice and the 2004/05 Champions League.
      He left the club after the European success as he joined Greek side Panathinaikos.
      After two years he then moved back to his boyhood club Dinamo Zagreb, where he is now the manager.
      And that player is, of course, Igor Biscan.
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      He has already managed clubs in the Croatian first and second league as well as the Slovenian PrvaLiga.
      Biscan’s most recent role was in the national team set-up as he coached the Croatian under 21s from 2019 until taking up his role with Zagreb.
      A club statement read: “Former Maksimir junior, later captain of the first team, one of the most trophy-winning players in the club’s history and former coach of the Croatian youth national team, Igor Bišćan, is the new coach of GNK Dinamo.”
      Zagreb were in the Champions League earlier this season are reaching the group stages.
      They beat Chelsea 1-0, which led to the sacking of Thomas Tuchel and the appointment of now-axed Graham Potter. More

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      Ex-Champions League star involved in horror car crash as Land Cruiser smashes into Mercedes

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      A FORMER Champions League star has been involved in a nasty car crash.Oscar Cardozo smashed a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser into a retro Mercedes in Paraguay.
      Oscar Cardozo crashed a brand-new Toyota Land Cruiser into a car and a lamp post
      The Paraguayan striker spent seven years up front for BenficaCredit: AP:Associated Press
      Local reports state the striker collided with the other vehicle in the Jara neighbourhood of the capital city Asuncion.
      But as he tried to avoid further damage, he inadvertently sent his motor into a lamp post, crumpling the bonnet.
      To make matters worse, Record state Cardozo is said to have been driving the car without registration.
      Thankfully, though, no one was injured.
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      Cardozo updated fans on Instagram and said: “First of all, I inform everyone that thank God I’m fine, and that the other party involved is fine too, there was only material damage. Thank you all.”
      The incident took place at around 5.45pm on Monday evening.
      Incredibly that was less than 24 hours after Cardozo, 39, scored FOUR first-half goals for Club Libertad in the 5-0 thrashing of Cerro Porteno.
      The fourth, in the 11th minute of stoppage time, saw Cardozo strike the ball so hard that Porteno goalkeeper Jean literally ducked out of the way of it.
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      Cardozo – aka Tacuara – earned his move to Europe after impressing for Newell’s Old Boys in Argentina and spent seven successful years with Benfica from 2007 to 2014.
      The 6ft 4ins forward managed 172 goals in 292 games, winning two Primeira Ligas and reaching two Europa League finals, before spells with Trabzonspor and Olympiacos and then returned to his homeland in 2017.
      On the international stage, Cardozo played a key role in Paraguay reaching their first World Cup quarter-final.
      However, he missed a crucial penalty after being brought down by Gerard Pique before eventual champions Spain went on to win 1-0.
      The Mercedes he crashed into also suffered damage
      Cardozo missed his penalty in the World Cup quarter-final against SpainCredit: Reuters More

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      I played with Lionel Messi at Barcelona but I was more stunned by phenomenal team-mate with ‘brutal talent’

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      YAYA TOURE has singled out Andres Iniesta over Lionel Messi and David Silva as the “brutal talent” he learned most from.The former Barcelona and Manchester City midfielder believes the intelligence and concentration of “phenomenal” Iniesta made him unique.
      Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta were part of arguably Barcelona’s greatest generation, winning the Champions League four timesCredit: EPA
      Yaya Toure feels lucky to have played with geniuses like David Silva at Man City, plus of course Messi, Iniesta and Xavi at the Nou CampCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Fellow legend Toure, 39, won LaLiga twice and the Champions League in Spain before three Premier League crowns in eight years at the Etihad.
      World Cup-winning Spaniards Iniesta and Xavi formed an iconic tiki-taka partnership for club and country.
      And for Ivory Coast hero Toure, now a Tottenham academy coach, stylish midfielders were seemingly a larger influence on him than Messi in attack.
      Asked by Marca which player impacted on him most at Barca, he replied:  “Iniesta has been a phenomenon. 
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      “Training with him every day was tremendous luck because I learned a lot. 
      “He was a different player physically, with a brutal talent. 
      “How he thought about the game and the intelligence that he had was something that caught my attention and that in football is very important. 
      “He feels the game and knows how to read it perfectly. He did not lose balls in training and neither in games. 
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      “He had his own way of concentrating. I have always learned a lot from that player and from Xavi.”
      But Toure believes City had their own version of Barca’s three geniuses.
      He said: “I have been with Xavi and Iniesta at Barcelona, ​​but Silva (now at Real Sociedad) was and is terrific. 
      “He is an incredibly talented player. Being able to play for so long with him has been great. 
      “Then there were other stars, like Messi, but they were later and it’s different. Silva has been a differential footballer who sees football like few others.”
      Toure tips seven-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, 36, whose PSG contract runs out this summer, to return to Barca.
      He said of the 2022 World Cup winner: “I only see Messi finishing his career in Barcelona.” More

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      PSG ‘make contact with Nagelsmann’ as they eye him as next manager with pressure on Chelsea and Tottenham to move fast

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      PSG have reportedly made contact with Julian Nagelsmann with a view to making him the club’s next manager.The suggested move from the Ligue 1 giants would be a big blow to Chelsea and Tottenham.
      PSG are reportedly interested in hiring Julian Nagelsmann as managerCredit: Getty
      Chelsea sacked Graham Potter after the defeat to Aston VillaCredit: AP
      While Tottenham are still searching for Antonio Conte’s replacementCredit: AP
      Both Premier League outfits have been linked with the German after sacking Graham Potter, 47, and Antonio Conte, 53.
      But according to Football.FR, PSG will not continue with current manager Christophe Galtier in the dugout next season.
      The club are even believed to be considering hiring a manager to finish the season on an interim basis.
      Galtier was hired ahead of the current season and while PSG lead Ligue 1, they have been knocked out of both the Champions League and French Cup.
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      The report has insisted that Nagelsmann, 35, is a target for the club, with “first contact” being made between the parties.
      Nagelsmnann was sacked by Bayern Munich and replaced by former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel.
      He has already been tipped with the vacant positions at Chelsea and Tottenham.
      Chelsea have also been linked with former Spain boss Luis Enrique and Mauricio Pochettino.
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      Napoli’s Luciano Spalletti and Oliver Glasner of Eintracht Frankfurt have emerged as runners in the race.
      Even former Brazil coach Tite has revealed his interest in taking over at Stamford Bridge.
      While Spurs are also believed to be interested in bringing back their former manager.
      However, if the two clubs are to appoint Julian Nagelsmann they may be forced to wait until the summer.
      That is because Bayern has a sensational clause in Nagelsmann’s contract which means any club wanting to hire him before the summer needs to speak to them despite them sacking him. More

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      Uefa President launches surprise defence of the Premier League and calls it ‘remarkable model that should be followed’

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      UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has launched a huge DEFENCE of the Premier League.In his address to the UEFA Congress in Lisbon, the Slovenian said that rather than criticising the Prem, the whole of football should look to mirror the way it is run.
      UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin delivered a speech in LisbonCredit: AFP
      Ceferin, once again slamming the “so-called Super League” rebels, told the 55 European national associations: “Jealousy is never a good counsellor.
      “A few months ago, UEFA and its club competitions were being blamed for all the evils in football and the inequalities within the leagues. 
      “Today, it’s the English Premier League that seems to be under attack.
      “Since the British government, supporters and clubs said no to the Super League, the Premier League has been demonised and labelled a Super League in its own right that needs to be toppled.
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      “However, the Premier League’s success was not achieved by accident. 
      “By adopting an audacious approach based on a vision, a strategy and a lot of hard work, its leaders and clubs developed a remarkable model founded on sporting merit and a highly egalitarian distribution of wealth, one of the most egalitarian systems in the world. 
      “Rather than a model to be destroyed, this is a model that should be followed.” 
      The UEFA President added: “Let me reassure those who fear that English football will crush everything that stands in its way. 
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      “The figures do not lie: in the last 20 years, the Champions League has been won on five occasions by English clubs. 
      “Only twice in the last decade an English club has lifted the iconic trophy with the big ears.
      “This season clubs from 17 countries played in the knockout rounds of our competitions. Italy has the most representatives in the Champions League and Europa League quarter-finals, Belgium in the Conference League.
      “But it is true that jealousy sees everything except the truth.”
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      Ceferin praised the Premier League and insists it is an example to look up toCredit: Getty
      Ceferin’s anger against the Super League trio – Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus – has not abated.
      He said: “I’m not going to go into the details of the ill-fated plan put forward by three club officials, two financiers and one spokesperson. 
      “Those who promote this project are now claiming that they want to save football. It’s a good job nobody has ever died of shame. 
      “The Super League has turned into a character in Little Red Riding Hood: a wolf disguised as a grandmother, ready to eat you up. 
      “But nobody’s fooled. Football is and will always stay the sport of the people.”
      Ceferin did, though, make what was effectively an apology for the chaos at last season’s Champions League Final in Paris – but without actually saying it directly.
      Ceferin blasted European Super League rebels Real Madrid, Barcelona and JuventusCredit: Getty
      He said: “We must never forget the mistakes of the past and we must remain humble at all times.
      “Nothing can ever be taken for granted.
      “Unfortunately, unlike goalkeepers, leaders can never keep a ‘clean sheet’. 
      “No leader can boast an unblemished record, however much they invest and however passionate, professional or experienced they are. 
      “There are always a few stains, a few mistakes that tarnish our reputation, errors they would love to erase. 
      “I am no different and UEFA is no different. The most important thing is to understand the mistake and change not to repeat them.”
      And Ceferin also pledged a crackdown on racism and other hate-speech or actions.
      He added: “We must never forget that football is an inclusive sport, open to everyone, in which everyone has a place. 
      “Unfortunately, some people have still not grasped this concept, which is why we’re going to have to rethink our approach. 
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      “We need to target offenders more effectively whenever a player is subjected to racist, homophobic or sexist insults during UEFA competitions. 
      “Maybe it is time to go with harsher measures, maybe it is time to put some people in court.” More