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      Tottenham stars back decision to axe Conte and bring in Stellini as Spurs hold talks with Nagelsmann over vacant job

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      TOTTENHAM stars are backing the gamble to put popular coach Cristian Stellini in charge of their Champions League hunt.Some of the squad were glad to see the back of manager Antonio Conte, who left the club on Sunday night.
      Julian Nagelsmann is linked with the Spurs jobCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Antonio Conte has left Spurs after blasting the players and ambitionsCredit: Rex
      The fiery Italian yesterday appeared to aim a dig at his former chiefs via a goodbye statement.
      He thanked “everyone at Spurs who appreciated and shared my passion and my intense way of living football as a coach”.
      It came after ripping into his players for being ‘selfish’ in an explosive final press conference at Southampton, on the back of his team surrendering a 3-1 lead to draw.
      Despite the likes of Julian Nagelsmann, Luis Enrique and former boss Mauricio Pochettino being free agents, Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is sticking with Conte’s former No 2 Stellini until the end of the season.
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      The 48-year-old is well-liked among the squad and was seen as a calm head when stepping in during Conte’s absence earlier this season.
      His task now is to keep their place in the top four, with fifth-placed Newcastle just two points behind them — and with two games in hand.
      Stellini oversaw the vital 2-1 Champions League win in Marseille in September when Conte was serving a touchline ban.
      He also helped secure wins against Manchester City, Chelsea and West Ham while his boss was recovering from surgery.
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      Spurs have already spoken to sacked Bayern Munich boss Nagelsmann — and Levy will now assess other options.
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      Some players grew tired of Conte’s training and the way he put the blame on them in public.
      Spurs’ internationals will start arriving back at Hotspur Way tomorrow and begin preparations for their next Prem match at Everton on Monday.
      Meanwhile, the preliminary hearing in the Court of Turin regarding whether there should be a criminal trial into allegations of malpractice at Juventus was supposed to begin yesterday — but has been postponed until May 10.
      Spurs’ managing director of football Fabio Paratici is one of the defendants and is waiting to discover if his 30-month suspension will become a global ban.
      Cristian Stellini is taking charge of SpursCredit: PA More

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      Tottenham under pressure from Real Madrid to appoint Nagelsmann with Spanish side approaching ex-Bayern boss years ago

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      TOTTENHAM could have competition in the race for Julian Nagelsmann as it emerges that Real Madrid are reportedly big admirers of the boss. A managerial merry-go round appears to have been sparked in Europe in recent days after Bayern Munich surprisingly sacked their manager and replaced him with Thomas Tuchel.
      It ended unhappily for Nagelsmann at Bayern – and his sacking could spark a frenzied manager hunt in EuropeCredit: Getty
      The development came as Spurs finally parted company with Conte on Sunday evening.
      Meanwhile, speculation continues to link Ancelotti with the Brazilian international job.
      If Spurs are considering Nagelsmann as Conte’s replacement, it appears possible that Madrid may be in the hunt as well.
      The Times reports that Spurs “might have to move fast” to land the highly-rated coach.
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      The 35-year-old coach was on the radar of Real Madrid after they sacked Julen Lopetegui in 2018 but Nagelsmann remain focused on Hoffenheim, the German club where he made his name as a coach.
      He said in 2021: “I received a call, 2 years ago, from Real Madrid, they wanted to know me and my philosophy better. If they call me again in the future, the decision might be different.
      “Back then, I didn’t have time to prepare, learn Spanish and lacked the experience.”
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      Nagelsmann is one of the many names who has been linked to Tottenham.
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      The German reportedly owns a replica of the club shirt and is an admirer of the club.
      And it may not just be Madrid that Spurs have to compete with if they do go for the coach.
      Following their last-16 Champions League exit, Christophe Galtier is believed to be under pressure at PSG.
      While Simone Inzaghi of Inter Milan and AC Milan’s Stefano Pioli are both under pressure in Italy after underwhelming seasons.
      Cristian Stellini has been given the Spurs job until the end of the season. More

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      Ten best players Tottenham almost signed including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Virgil van Dijk

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      TOTTENHAM have endured a frustrating time trying to become one of the Premier League’s top sides.Spurs have regularly finished in the top four and even reached a Champions League final but have not been able to claim a trophy since 2008.
      Antonio Conte has found life hard at Tottenham
      The managerial likes of Mauricio Pochettino, Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte have all found it impossible to break that duck.
      One factor behind this has been players brought into the club, while there have been successes, there have also been many that have flopped.
      However, if the club had managed to complete deals for some of the players that there were reportedly close to signing, then Spurs might have had a bigger trophy cabinet by now.
      Here is a list of ten players that Tottenham missed out on.
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      Cristiano Ronaldo
      Spurs turned down the chance to sign Cristiano Ronaldo before he joined Man UnitedCredit: AFP
      The five time Ballon d’Or winner was suggested to Spurs by former club striker and talent spotter Ronny Rosenthal.
      However, he revealed that they like rivals Arsenal, they “didn’t follow up” the interest.
      Ronaldo eventually joined Man United and would go on to enjoy one of the most successful careers in football.
      Kylian Mbappe
      Spurs scouted Kylian Mbappe when he was at MonacoCredit: AFP
      Spurs are believed to have scouted the France World Cup winner following his impressive substitute appearance against them for Monaco in the Europa League in December 2015 as a 16-year-old.
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      However, the report claims that the North London side realised that the attacker would be out of reach.
      He would join PSG in a £160million transfer in 2018.
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      Virgil van Dijk
      Virgil van Dijk was a back up option for SpursCredit: Rex
      The Liverpool star was a backup option for the club when they signed Toby Alderweireld in 2015, while he was still at Celtic.
      While the Belgian defender was a good servant for the club, he did not hit the heights that Van Dijk has shown.
      The Dutchman went to Southampton before moving on to Liverpool, where he has won the Premier League, FA Cup, League Cup and Champions League.
      Samuel Eto’o
      Samuel Eto´o was linked with a move to Spurs when he was 21Credit: AFP
      Eto’o was linked with a move to Spurs during his time at Real Mallorca but like many English sides, they opted not to take a punt on the promising 21-year-old.
      The Cameroonian proved his doubters wrong as he became one of the most prolific forwards in Europe following a transfer to LaLiga giants Barcelona.
      Now retired, the striker boasts a trophy cabinet that features four league titles and three Champions League trophies, among many other awards.
      Rivaldo
      Rivaldo choose AC Milan over SpursCredit: Getty
      In 2002, Spurs were looking for a statement signing and Brazil’s World Cup winner Rivaldo was available on a free transfer.
      But despite trying their best to convince him to come to the Premier League, the midfielder opted for Serie A giants AC Milan.
      Manuel Auset, Rivaldo’s close friend and lawyer at the time, added: “Tottenham offered him the chance to play in the Premier League and there was a meeting with me, an agent and Mr Levy. Then we went to Milan, spoke about it there, and reached an agreement.”
      Luis Suarez
      Liverpool swooped in for Luis SuarezCredit: PA
      Former Spurs manager Harry Redknapp admitted that the ex-Liverpool star was on the club’s radar and that he was “liked a lot”.
      However, after not quite fitting the desired striker role, Tottenham missed out on Saurez as he made the move to Anfield.
      Redknapp said: “I wasn’t looking for a left-winger as such and before I’d had a chance to do much with him, he’d moved to Liverpool. Not that I’m saying we would have definitely got him.”
      Eden Hazard
      Eden Hazard would go on to score the goal that stopped Tottneham’s title challenge in 2016Credit: Reuters
      Former Chelsea star Hazard was close to becoming a Spurs player after a meeting with ex-first-team coach Clive Allen when he was still at Ligue 1 side Lille.
      Allen has revealed that he was “confident” that a deal would happen at that Hazard would have moved to White Hart Lane.
      Allen said: “The chief scout and I met with Hazard and he was keen to come to Tottenham at the time but, in the end, he decided to join Chelsea.”
      Sadio Mane
      Sadio Mane proved to be too expensive for SpursCredit: Alamy
      Another player that Spurs were outbid for, Sadio Mane was a top target for the club in 2016.
      However, Liverpool came in for the exciting attacker with a £34m bid and a salary offer of £90,000 per week, which proved to be enough to complete the deal.
      Spurs would later sign Newcastle star Moussa Sissoko for £30m, but were able to pay the fee in staggered payments.
      Jack Grealish
      Tottenham tried to sign Jack Grealish while he was still at Aston VillaCredit: AFP
      Tottenham tried to sign the England and Man City star while he was still at Aston Villa.
      The club are believed to have submitted an offer of £25m, thinking that Villa’s financial woes would convince them to sell, but the club stood firm.
      The West Midlands side would eventually sell their star a couple of years later, in a £100m deal to the Citizens.
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      Paulo Dybala
      Paulo Dybala scored a knockout goal against Spurs in the Champions League in 2018Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Another gut-wrencher for Spurs fans came in the summer of 2019, when they thought their club had agreed a deal worth around £65m for then Juventus superstar Dybala.
      The move fell through after no agreement could be found regarding the player’s image rights and he remained in Turin until he left for Roma three years ago. More

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      Champions League streaker Kinsey Wolanski is helicopter pilot after ditching porn site and studying for flying licence

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      THE streaker from the 2019 Champions League final is now a helicopter pilot.Kinsey Wolanski, 26, grabbed the attention of the footballing world when she ran on the pitch during the game between Tottenham and Liverpool in Madrid.
      Kinsey Wolanski revealed on TikTok that she is now a helicopter pilotCredit: @kinseywolanksi
      The American influencer shot to fame when streaking during the 2019 Champions League finalCredit: @kinseywolanksi
      Kinsey shared a video of herself flying a helicopterCredit: @kinseywolanksi
      She ran on the pitch during the 2019 Champions League final to promote her former partner’s adult website Vitaly UncensoredCredit: Getty
      Kinsey ran on to the pitch in a skimpy swimsuitCredit: Getty
      The ex-girlfriend and accomplice of YouTube star Vitaly Zdorovetskiy promoted her former partner’s adult website Vitaly Uncensored when entering the field in a skimpy swimsuit.
      Now, nearly four years on, Kinsey has turned her back on the adult site and has secured her pilot’s licence.
      Kinsey shared details of the year-and-a-half process on her TikTok account.
      She uploaded a video of herself flying a helicopter and revealed getting her licence involved passing three exams.
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      And Kinsey labelled it “one of the most challenging but rewarding” things she has ever done.
      She wrote in her video: “Getting my pilot’s license was one of the most challenging but rewarding things I have ever done.
      “I flew 112 hours before taking my flight check ride exam. You have to pass three exams, Intense written exam, oral exam on the ground, and lastly the inflight exam.
      “The entire process took me one-and-a-half years.”
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      Kinsey has built a huge social media following since her Champions League final exploits.
      She has 3million followers on TikTok and 3.6million followers on Instagram.
      In her Insta bio she describes herself as an “adventure addict” and “Helicopter pilot”.
      Back in January the American influencer launched her own raunchy OnlyFans account.
      Kinsey has built a huge social media following since her Champions League final exploitsCredit: Getty
      Kinsey has 3million followers on TikTok and 3.6million followers on InstagramCredit: Instagram @kinsey_sue
      Back in January she launched her own OnlyFans accountCredit: Instagram @kinsey_sue More

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      Tottenham collapse to 3-2 defeat in secret friendly as they blow 2-0 lead – and Antonio Conte is NOT in charge

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      TOTTENHAM blew a two-goal lead in a behind doors friendly with Antonio Conte still away from the club. Spurs are looking to regroup during the international break after a week which saw the club repeatedly make headlines.
      Conte was absent from Tottenham’s friendly collapse as speculation continues over his futureCredit: Reuters
      Between dropping points late on at Southampton, Conte’s blistering post-match rant and then reports that the Italian is set to be sacked, there has been no shortage of drama in north London.
      And an international break friendly will have done little to raise the mood as Spurs lost 3-2 to League One Ipswich.
      The friendly at Tottenham’s training ground, Hotspur Way, saw some senior players who were not on international duty take part in a 70 minute game without supporters.
      Encouragingly for Spurs fans, the match saw Hugo Lloris start between the sticks.
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      The goalkeeper, who retired from international football earlier this year, had been out since February with a knee injury.
      And his time on the pitch saw Tottenham take a two-goal lead after strikes from Lucas Moura and Japhet Tanganga.
      But after Lloris was subbed off, Spurs conceded three goals and lost the game.
      Conte was absent from the match after he jumped aboard a Ryanair flight and headed home to Italy days after his press conference meltdown.
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      Speculation has been rife in recent days that Conte could be set to lose his job.
      The 53-year-old hit out at players and the ownership during his post-Southampton speech in the latest sign that relations at the club had broken down.
      Results have also been up and down in recent weeks with Spurs crashing out of both the FA Cup and Champions League in the space of a week.
      The race for the Champions League places is all that is left of Tottenham’s season and they have a difficult job on their hands to fend off Liverpool, Newcastle and Brighton for fourth place. More

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      Bayern Munich ‘appoint Thomas Tuchel as new manager’ in stunning move after sacking Julian Nagelsmann

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      BAYERN MUNICH have reportedly sacked Julian Nagelsmann – with Thomas Tuchel stepping into replace him.It follows an incredible turn of events for the German giants on Thursday night.
      Ex-Chelsea chief Thomas Tuchel is said to have come straight in as Bayern managerCredit: Getty
      Bayern are axing boss Julian Nagelsmann despite doing well in EuropeCredit: AP
      Ex-PSG chief Tuchel will take over seven months after Chelsea surprisingly axed him, according to German publication Bild.
      He’s tipped to take charge of training on Monday and face his former club Borussia Dortmund in his opening match on Saturday, April 1.
      Champions Bayern are a point adrift of Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
      But they sailed into the Champions League quarter-finals with a 3-0 aggregate triumph over PSG.
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      Manchester City await them next month.
      Ex-RB Leipzig chief Nagelsmann, 35, guided Bayern to the domestic crown last season after taking over in April 2021.
      But earlier on Thursday he admitted he had heard rumours he would be axed but denied having been contacted by club chiefs.
      And at the start of the week he hinted at internal problems – after admitting a dressing-room mole was leaking tactics.
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      He was furious after Bild published a team plan, including his own detailed notes.
      Nagelsmann hit out: “It bothers me a lot.
      “What is the person who transmits this looking for? What are you waiting for?
      “I don’t see what his motivation could be, beyond facilitating the task for the adversary.”
      Tuchel had been linked with the Spurs job with Antonio Conte said to be facing the sack during the international break.
      He returns to Germany six years after he left Dortmund to take over Paris St-Germain.
      The 49-year-old spent two years in Paris before leaving under a cloud. He spent a year at Chelsea, winning the Champions League, before being sacked by Todd Boehly soon after the American took over the Blues. More

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      Two-time Champions League winner once dubbed ‘next Messi’ retires at 32 and turns focus to completely different sport

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      EX-BARCELONA hero Bojan Krkic has found a Nou gear – after quitting football at 32 to enjoy cycling.The two-time Champion League winner once dubbed the “new Messi” says his dreams are as powerful as the one he had aged 10 – to play for Barca.
      Bojan Krkic won LaLiga four times and the Champions League twice during three spells with Barca but is now retiring as a playerCredit: Reuters
      Spanish forward Bojan bowed out as a footballer with two years at Vissel KobeCredit: AFP
      The bike fan, who played for Stoke from 2014-2019, left Japanese club Vissel Kobe in January.
      And now the one-cap Spaniard has confirmed his retirement as a player, days after Barcelona legend Gerard Pique leaked the news by mistake.
      Bojan revealed he agonised over his decision but now plans to have fun trail riding.
      He posted on Instagram: “After traveling around the world, I return to my home to communicate to you one of the most deliberate, difficult and, at the same time, most important decisions of my life: I stop being a professional footballer because I feel that I have to start a new phase. 
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      “And I do it with the same enthusiasm as that 10-year-old boy who dreamed of playing at the Camp Nou with the Barça first team. Never stop dreaming. Never stop smiling. Thanks!”
      Bojan won LaLiga four times in the second of his three spells at the Nou Camp, also playing for Roma and Montreal Impact, plus having loan spells with AC Milan, Ajax, Mainz 05 and Alaves.
      And he’ll use much of his new free time for gravel cycling.
      Former Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta has joined him in promoting a new cycling brand, Guava.
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      Bojan said: “It is a good way to combine sport and social activity.
      “I could participate soon to be in some races. I’m going to prepare for it.
      “I have always liked the bike, even as a means of transportation, but for about five years I have loved gravel. Whenever I can, I go out to do my routes.” More

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      Barcelona could be BANNED from Europe next season after Uefa chiefs open investigation into referee-fixing charges

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      BARCELONA could be BANNED from Europe next season after Uefa chiefs opened a formal probe into the ref-fixing charges against them.Spanish prosecutors had opened a legal case against the Catalan club, who are accused of paying the country’s referees’ chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira more than £6.5m over a 17-YEAR period.
      Barcelona moved 12 points clear at the top of LaLiga last weekend but could be in troubleCredit: Getty
      Barcelona are said to have made the payments between 2001 and 2018, including the four-year spell they were coached by Pep Guardiola – although there are no suggestions the Manchester City boss was aware of the agreement.
      But now Uefa is also on the case with a 12-month ban from playing in the Champions League written into the European football rulebook.
      In a surprise statement, Euro chiefs in Nyon announced: “In accordance with Article 31(4) of the Uefa Disciplinary Regulations, Uefa Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have today been appointed to conduct an investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework by FC Barcelona in connection with the so-called ‘Caso Negreira’.”
      Those rules give investigators the right to demand written or face to face answers from directors and officials and the power to order all documentation possessed by the club is handed over for inspection.
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      Barca and former Presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as Negreira, have all been hit with official corruption charges by the Spanish authorities.
      It has been alleged that Negreira, who was in charge of refereeing appointments over that period, gave gifts worth £450,000 including booze, toasters, food and lottery tickets to the officials, although Barca have fiercely denied any wrongdoings and issued legal letters against a number of Spanish media outlets. 
      Leaks from the Spanish Treasury initial investigation suggest the chief prosecutor has so far been “unable to prove  that the payments… had influenced the appointment of referees or altered the results of matches”.
      However, officials suggest that the “lack of explanation” could be “an indicator” that the invoices had concealed illegal services that did impact of appointments and match results.
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      Unsurprisingly, rival clubs, including Real Madrid, have demanded massive sanctions against the Nou Camp outfit.
      And while Spanish FA rules, which have a three-year statute of limitations on “serious” offences, mean that LaLiga and the national association cannot impose a punishment, Uefa regulations open the door to a ban from European competition if the charges are proved.
      It had been expected that Euro chiefs – who might see the situation as a wedge to drive between Barca and Real over their Super League involvement – would not consider any action until the end of the legal proceedings in Spain.
      But Uefa legal department asked the Spanish FA for a full report on what the investigation has uncovered last month and now have launched their formal probe.
      Uefa regulations say clubs must “refrain from any conduct that damages or is likely to damage the integrity of matches and competitions”.
      That includes anybody using a “third party” to act “in a manner that is likely to exert an illegal or undue influence on the course and/or outcome of a match or competition”.
      Any club breaching that rule is liable to a one season ban from playing in European competition.
      Real have already joined a private prosecution, adding to the pressure on Barca, which has also been told it has a budget of MINUS £200m this summer.
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      The opening of the investigation does not mean that the case will be dealt with swiftly as Uefa could still choose to wait for the outcome of the Spanish proceedings.
      But it is yet another shadow hanging over the Catalan club and adds to the sense of chaos surrounding Barca. More