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      Micah Richards gives his prediction on Man City’s Treble bid and admits he is ‘worried’ for Real Madrid clash

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      MICAH RICHARDS does NOT think Manchester City will win the Treble.And he pinpointed the Real Madrid showdown as the stumbling block.
      Manchester City could fall short of winning the Treble, according to Micah RichardsCredit: Getty
      The former City right-back is concerned about the Real Madrid European showdownCredit: Getty
      City returned to the top of the Premier League tonight with a 3-0 win over West Ham.
      Erling Haaland got his record-breaking 35th league goal of the season and Phil Foden volleyed in the 1,000th of Pep Guardiola’s Etihad reign.
      His side are a point clear of Arsenal with a game in hand and face rivals Manchester United in the FA Cup final on June 3.
      However, they go up against Real Madrid in a repeat of last season’s Champions League semi-final.
      READ MORE ON MAN CITY
      And Richards, 34, is concerned they could come unstuck against Carlo Ancelotti’s men again – just as they did at the same stage a year ago, despite leading 5-3 on aggregate with a minute to go in the Bernabeu.
      He does not think Guardiola will let lightning strike twice – but is not confident his beloved City can get past the 14-time European champions.
      Speaking before the West Ham win, the former right-back told the Filthy Fellas podcast: “I don’t think they’re going to do the Treble.
      “I am worried about that game [vs Real Madrid]. 
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      “I’m worried. I’m worried, man. I’m worried.
      “I’ve got to be honest – I am worried about them, I wrote off Real Madrid last season.
      “In the right moments, they know how to get it done.
      “The only thing is now, the second leg is at the Etihad, it’s not at the Bernabeu. That could be the difference.
      “The double, the double [City will win], I don’t think the treble.
      “It’s tough to call [who will win the Premier League] you know.
      “But the thing is, Man City are in the form of their lives – they have come with the best form at the right part, at the end of the season.”
      City were all smiles as they eventually broke down a resilient West Ham side.
      Nathan Ake headed in the opener on 50 minutes but it was Haaland’s delightful chip 20 minutes later that surpassed Alan Shearer and Andy Cole’s tallies to prompt a guard of honour after full-time.
      Phil Foden wrapped up the victory with a deflected volley.
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      But Richards – covering the game for Sky Sports – had a shocker before the game even got underway.
      He somehow managed to spill coffee down his designer shacket – and had a lady wipe him down to clean up the mess.
      City crashed out of the Champions League at the Bernabeu last seasonCredit: Getty More

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      Fears over Champions League final fan safety with chiefs concerned over violence in the streets in Istanbul

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      UEFA chiefs have more than just their fingers crossed that the Champions League final in Istanbul will go off smoothly.Nyon bosses are due to outline their official future steps later this week.
      The Champions League final will be played in Istanbul on June 10Credit: AFP
      It comes in the aftermath of last season’s chaos in Paris.
      And Manchester City fans who booked flights in expectation of a semi-final win over Real Madrid could be walking into a precarious situation in Turkey for reasons outside of football.
      Hardline president Recep Erdogan is in a brutal re-election fight with rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu before a first round of voting on May 14.
      Unless either gets more than 50 per cent of the vote there will then be a decisive second round two weeks later.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      That is less than a fortnight before the European football showpiece event in the Ataturk Stadium on June 10.
      And there are fears that a tight result at the polls could see people on the streets and potential violence.
      The prospect of travelling fans being caught in Turkey’s domestic strains is causing significant concerns among Uefa’s top brass.
      The European governing body is also having to deal with disappointed VIPs and sponsors.
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      The Ataturk only has 12 top-of-the-range “Sky Boxes” at the stadium.
      But ensuring the “ordinary” fan is safe is a bigger issue.
      The Ataturk Stadium will host the biggest club match in European footballCredit: Getty More

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      Wilfried Zaha lined up for huge Champions League transfer as winger is named club’s ‘top priority’

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      A NEW report in France has claimed that a Champions League-chasing side will make Wilfried Zaha their “priority signing” if they qualify.The 30-year-old’s £130,000 a week five-year deal at Crystal Palace expires this summer.
      Crystal Palace’s Wilfried Zaha could be playing in the Champions League next termCredit: AFP
      He is wanted by several high-profile clubs across Europe.
      And Palace have rejected offers for him in the past, with Arsenal previously making a move in the summer of 2019.
      We revealed how the Eagles have made one more bid to keep Zaha by offering him £200,000-a-week to stay.
      That would make him by far Palace’s highest-paid player in their history, and tie him down for four more years.
      READ MORE TRANSFER NEWS
      However, they now appear to be facing a fresh fight to hang on to their star man.
      Foot Mercato are claiming that Ligue 1 side Marseille are now plotting a swoop.
      They state that Zaha, who has appeared over 400 times for Palace, will reject a £9m-a-year offer from Saudi Arabia outfit Al-Ittihad.
      And after his entourage opened talks with Marseille last month, this fresh update claims that they remain ongoing.
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      Marseille president Pablo Longoria and sporting director Javier Ribalta are reportedly “ready to move heaven and earth” to complete the deal.
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      And Zaha is allegedly “very interested” in the move – but he has made playing in next season’s Champions League his main ambition as he decides on his future.
      The Ivory Coast international will now be Marseille’s “priority signing” should they qualify for Europe’s most elite club competition.
      They are second in the Ligue 1 standings with five games left to play, which would ensure them a direct path into the group stages. More

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      Last chance to win a PlayStation 5 via Dream Team Monthly this season – get your XIs in tip-top shape!

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      IT’S your last chance to win a PlayStation 5 via Dream Team Monthly!May’s competition gets underway this weekend and with transfers refreshed before Game Week 33’s fixtures begin, you should be able to get your XI in good shape to compete for the top prize.
      It’s worth noting that this season-ending competition is a bumper edition that will stretch into June to include the FA Cup final and the European finals, should English clubs make it that far.
      The gaffer who racks up the most points between May 5th and June 10th will take home a brand new PS5, worth £449 RRP!
      Remember, you can check the monthly leaderboard anytime HERE.
      May’s winner takes home a PS5!Credit: DREAM TEAM
      If your XI is struggling in the classic Season game, fear not, a fruitful few weeks could land you a PS5 as only points gained during the given scoring period are taken into account for our monthly competitions.
      With that in mind, you should tailor your team specifically to May/June’s remaining fixtures once transfers are refreshed, with a view to scooping the monthly prize.
      And of course, if you’re happy with your progress in the classic Season game and believe your best XI is also likely to rack up plentiful points in the coming weeks then you don’t need to alter your strategy at all.
      You can even get involved if you didn’t sign-up for Dream Team at the start of the season.
      Fancy a PS5? Of course you do…
      Want to know what it feels like to win a Dream Team competition?
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      We recently caught up with Miriam Chisholm, who performed brilliantly to win January’s monthly competition!
      “I’m not sure I can quite believe it, to be honest. It’s a huge surprise because, although I knew I was close, I thought it ended when January ended! I think it just goes to show it’s good to keep going with all your teams – the monthly prize is a nice touch.
      “I think most people had brought in the Newcastle defence along with the Kane/Haaland/Rashford combo up top, so it was just midfield I concentrated on. I picked three of the usual names and tried to go with a flyer as the fourth – James Ward-Prowse then Casemiro. Guess my luck was in!”
      Good luck! More

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      Roman Abramovich went silent for four days, then I was sacked.. we had chance to make Chelsea the best team in the world

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      FORMER Chelsea manager Avram Grant has revealed Roman Abramovich did not speak to him for FOUR DAYS after the 2008 Champions League final.Grant, 67, was brought to Stamford Bridge as director of football in July 2007.
      Avram Grant led Chelsea to the 2008 Champions League finalCredit: PA:Press Association
      John Terry had the chance to win Chelsea the Champions League but missed from the spotCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      But just two months later he was named the Blues’ interim head coach following the departure of Jose Mourinho.
      And Chelsea pushed Manchester United all the way in the Premier League, coming up short by just two points.
      Then in Europe it was much of the same for Grant and his side.
      They faced the Red Devils in the Champions Leagur final in Moscow and the match went to penalties.
      READ MORE ON CHELSEA
      John Terry had the chance to win the Champions League from the spot, but slipped and fired his effort off the post.
      Nicolas Anelka went on to miss the decisive penalty as Man Utd were crowned European champions for a third time.
      After the final, Grant revealed Abramovich did not say anything to him for four days.
      And when the pair did speak, the Israeli coach was told he would be returning to his role as director of football – ending his stint as manager.
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      But Grant did not wish to return to that position, so he left the club altogether.
      Speaking on “Fever Pitch: The Battle for the Premier League” – which is exclusively available on Paramount+ – about the 2007/08 season, he said: “We came second place (in the league), but I remember I think in my first or second (press conference), I said that my target is to be first time in Champions League final.
      “Now we had the opportunity to be the best in the world.
      “I remember that we received the [Manchester United] team and there was [Wayne] Rooney and [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Carlos] Tevez. Then he changed the team so the first 15 minutes, which was a little bit confusing.
      “After 20 minutes we did internal change and then we dominated the game completely.
      “We played really much better than them. I think even Alex [Ferguson] knows that. But then we come to penalties.
      “Oh, it was unfortunate, because John Terry was really, I think, maybe his best season. He played so good in this season.”
      ROMAN SILENCE
      He continued: “[Roman] Abramovich didn’t call me [after the final]. Three, four days we didn’t speak. And then he called me to his house and he said, We need to prepare the season, the next season.
      “So I say, Okay. And he said to me, you are continuing the job as director of football. So, okay. And I didn’t agree to be director of football, and I left.
      “I felt upset because I felt that we are so close to be the best in the world. We were so close. But he’s the boss. He’s my friend. We need to respect that.
      “I didn’t agree with this, but I will always remember also that he gave me the chance.”
      Read More on The Sun
      After leaving Chelsea, Grant went on to manage the likes of Portsmouth, West Ham, Partizan Belgrade and Ghana.
      He is now the head coach of the Zambia national team.
      Roman Abramovich was known to be ruthless with managersCredit: Getty Images – Getty More

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      Cesc Fabregas tells Chelsea fans club CAN win Premier League title next season because ‘I lived it’

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      CESC FABREGAS has claimed that Chelsea can win the Premier League next season.The Blues are currently enduring one of their worst seasons in recent history and look set for a bottom-half finish.
      Cesc Fabregas believes Chelsea can win the Premier League next seasonCredit: Getty
      He won the trophy in 2017 after a terrible previous seasonCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      With four games to go in the campaign, the Blues could still feasibly be relegated which shows how far off the pace they are.
      To make matters worse the club have gone through two permanent managers as Thomas Tuchel and Graham Potter have been sacked.
      And interim boss Frank Lampard is currently under pressure having lost all six of his games in charge of the club.
      However, Chelsea Premier League winner Fabregas has argued that it is not a lost cause.
      READ MORE CHELSEA NEWS
      He won the title with the Blues in 2017, having finished 10th the previous season after a disastrous campaign.
      He told Sky Sports: “Six years ago we had a really bad season at Chelsea, we finished tenth if I remember correctly.
      “Jose Mourinho left, [Guus] Hiddink came, and he started to play younger players like Ruben Loftus-Cheek and Tammy Abraham to give them experience for the next year.
      “And I remember in April, they signed [Antonio] Conte, who came to the training ground, spoke to us individually, planned what he wanted to do with us.
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      “We started fresh and won the Premier League, against [Pep] Guardiola, against [Jurgen] Klopp, I mean it is not impossible.
      “It happened six years ago, I lived it, if you bring someone in who has the character and can give everyone clear ideas and get everyone on board, then it is doable.”
      Chelsea will first have to appoint a manager to replace Lampard at the end of the season.
      Former Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino is widely considered to be the frontrunner for the role. More

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      3 players capable of ensuring mini-league glory for Dream Team gaffers in May

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      THIS coming Friday will be the first of the month which means only one thing: Dream Team transfers.Gaffers will have their transfers replenished in the morning, allowing them to make changes prior to Game Week 33 if they so wish.
      The season does spill over into June with the FA Cup showdown between the Manchester clubs and European finals that could potentially feature Premier League teams schedule but the vast majority of the remaining Dream Team eligible fixtures will take place before the end of May.
      With that in mind, we’ve identified three players (aside from the obvious candidates) we believe are capable of ensuring mini-league glory in the coming weeks…
      Jarrod Bowen (£4.1m)
      Blocking out the 92.9% of Dream Team gaffers not currently backing him
      Given all the drama of the domestic campaign, it would be easy for Dream Team bosses to overlook the fact West Ham have a European semi-final in the diary.
      The Hammers will take on AZ Alkmaar, currently fourth in the Eredivisie, in a two-legged Europa Conference League affair that ensures they’re busier than most from Game Week 33 onwards.
      Their No20 may have blanked in his last two outings but with 134 points to his name he’s been the best performer in the squad this term.
      Bowen may not have replicated his extraordinary efforts of 2021/22 but 11 goals, nine assists and six Star Man awards represents an impressive haul considering how David Moyes’ side have performed collectively.
      It’s not just the additional European fixtures that make the 26-year-old a viable option this month, his domestic fixtures are relatively friendly too.
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      Granted, he faces Manchester City tonight and Manchester United on Sunday but after that his remaining league opponents are Brentford, Leeds and Leicester.
      Manuel Akanji (£4.5m)
      Akanji has quickly become one of Guardiola’s most-trusted players
      Let’s get it straight, Man City are the team to back to the hilt from hereon out.
      While some teams have just four fixtures left to fulfil at the time of writing, Pep Guardiola’s side could be in action nine more times if they make it to the Champions League final.
      This sheer volume of games combined with the team’s unrelenting form has once again created a Dream Team behemoth.
      There’s no point highlighting the virtues of Erling Haaland (£10.2m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£8.4m) as they’re already immensely popular but City’s Swiss defender has an ownership of just 5.8%.
      Akanji has proved to be very useful purchase for Guardiola as he’s occasionally filled in at right-back and left-back when not in his more familiar central role.
      The former Borussia Dortmund man is far from the Etihad’s most glamorous asset but all Dream Team bosses should consider is his game time and potential returns.
      He’s only missed just one of City’s last 30 games and he’s earned 48 points across the last nine Game Weeks.
      Guardiola is prone to tactical tweaks but it would highly unusual for the decorated tactician to suddenly discard Akanji as the season reaches its climax.
      Real Madrid are a formidable foe in the Champions League semi-finals but the defending English champions face Leeds, Everton and Chelsea around those European clashes, three teams in woeful form.
      Solly March (£4.7m)
      Forget that Wembley penalty miss for now…
      Brighton have more Premier League fixtures remaining this season than any other team.
      The Seagulls host Man United tomorrow night and then have six games to fulfil after May’s transfers become available – two more than Arsenal, Spurs, Aston Villa and a host of other clubs.
      Roberto De Zerbi’s enterprising approach has ensured a steady stream of points for his midfield unit and while Kaoru Mitoma (£4.6m) is the most popular selection, the Japanese winger has recently been overtaken by March in the rankings.
      Brighton’s long-serving No7 now has 147 points to Mitoma’s 142 having added 53 to his total in his last nine outings.
      March has provided nine assists, scored seven goals and claimed six Star Man awards in 2022/23.
      Granted, his fixtures, though voluminous, contain some tough match-ups.
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      March faces Arsenal, Newcastle, Man City and Aston Villa before all is said and done but the thing about De Zerbi’s side is that they can give anyone a game on their day.
      Stay clear of Brighton defenders but there should be more returns for March, Mitoma and company in attack. More

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      How Champions League and World Cup star sparked a manhunt after retiring…but went on to have a very different career

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      A CHAMPIONS League Star, who sparked a manhunt after hanging up his boots, went on to have a very different career.The Liverpool FC legend Steve Finnan was stunned when a campaign to find him went viral as he kept a low profile after retirement.
      Steve Finnan sparked a manhunt after hanging up his bootsCredit: PA:Press Association
      The Liverpool FC legend was stunned when a campaign to find him went viralCredit: PA:Press Association
      Finnan was an Anfield favourite, turning out for The Reds 217 times between 2003 and 2008Credit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      Finnan – who helped his team win UEFA Champions cup in 2005 – was an Anfield favourite, turning out for The Reds 217 times between 2003 and 2008.
      After leaving Liverpool, Finnan played for Spanish club Espanyol before heading back to England for a season to play with Portsmouth where his final appearance in football was in the 2010 FA Cup final loss to Chelsea before retiring.
      Finnan also went on to play 52 times for Ireland, scoring twice for his country and featured in all four of their World Cup games in 2002.
      However, he was the subject of a mass campaign to locate him in 2015 after the organisers of the 10-year reunion of Rafa Benitez’ Champions League-winning team were unable to contact him.
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      The team behind the event in Istanbul, Turkey were struggling to track Finnan down, leading to the hashtag #FindSteveFinnan trending online.
      Thankfully, the mystery was quickly solved, and the former full-back assured everyone he was ok in an interview with the Liverpool Echo.
      Finnan said: “I can confirm that I’m safe and well.
      “Someone forwarded the ECHO article on to me yesterday. I thought it was funny as I normally think I’m pretty easy to get hold of.
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      “There are people at the club who have got my number but obviously this isn’t a club event so there was a bit of a mix-up.
      “The organisers of the Istanbul Reunion have now been in touch and apologised they weren’t able to contact me sooner.”
      After retiring in 2010, Finnan moved on to a drastically different career path.
      He ran Finnan Developments, a London-based property company, with his brother Sean.
      Explaining his decision to move into property, he said: “I think one of the reasons why people think I’ve disappeared is because I’m not involved in football any more.
      “I loved training and playing, and I was privileged to play for a great club like Liverpool and win some big trophies, but I never wanted to stay in football once I had retired.
      “Being a coach or a pundit never interested me…I’ve never been one to crave attention and I like my life the way it is now.
      “I have a property business with my brother Sean which we started 12 years ago. We started off with small refurbs and it has got bigger and bigger.”
      He added that he also stays off social media as he doesn’t “feel the need to tell someone what I’ve just had for my breakfast”.
      However, he admitted: “I still get recognised every so often in London.

      “I come across a lot of people in the building trade and a fair few Liverpool fans who want to chat about my time there.”
      But the London Property development business later collapsed – with Finnan reportedly tackling debts of over £3.6m. More