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      Paul Scholes urges Man Utd to seal transfer for ‘aggressive’ Champions League star after quarter-final draw is revealed

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      PAUL Scholes has urged Manchester United to sign Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez after the Champions League quarter final draw was revealed. United signed Dutchman Wout Weghorst on loan in January but it is unlikely he will be signed on a permanent basis.
      Scholes has urged Manchester United to sign Lautaro Martinez from Inter MilanCredit: Rex
      Marcus Rashford has shouldered the goal scoring at United this seasonCredit: Rex
      The Red Devils’ only other options are Marcus Rashford, who has been in superb form this season, and the injury-prone Anthony Martial.
      The Old Trafford club will likely spend a large fee on bringing a striker in this summer.
      The two big names being linked are Tottenham’s Harry Kane and Napoli’s Victor Osimhen but Scholes think’s Maritnez would be a good choice.
      Scholes spoke to BT Sport on Thursday night following United’s 1-0 over Real Betis.
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      He said: “I like Lautaro Martinez at Inter Milan.
      “I think he is a Ten Hag type of player, he likes a centre forward that will run about, be aggressive, get against people.
      “I like United’s current options, I like Rashford, I like Martial, but Martial just can’t stay fit. So there are options out there.”
      The former midfielder also spoke about Harry Maguire’s situation at the club.
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      He said: “Harry’s in a difficult position not playing games but I think his attitude there with the interview saying ‘it doesn’t matter if I’m playing or not, it’s my job to make sure I can make the club as successful as they can be.
      “I think that guarantees him in the England situation as well. It’s a good thing.
      “It’s good for Man Utd as well that he will go away and get a couple of games that will only bode well for Manchester United.”
      United are next in action on Saturday when they host Fulham at Old Trafford in the FA Cup quarter final. More

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      Arsenal fans all say the same thing as they celebrate ‘best possible’ Champions League draw

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      ARSENAL fans were all saying the same thing after this morning’s Champions League draw.The Gunners haven’t played in Europe’s premier competition since 2017, but that didn’t stop some of their supporters watching this morning’s draw with interest.
      Arsenal fans have been celebrating Man City’s Champions League drawCredit: Getty
      Their title rivals Manchester City are still going strong in the Champions League after smashing RB Leipzig 8-1 on aggregate in the round of 16.
      And they have been rewarded with a tough, potentially bruising tie against perennial German champions Bayern Munich.
      Chasing their first league title since 2004, Gunners fans are looking for any potential positive signs.
      And they are enjoying the prospect of City potentially taking their eye off the ball in the Prem around their tough tie with Pep Guardiola’s former side Bayern.
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      One fan account pointed out: “Man City drawn against Bayern in a two-legged Champions League quarter-final.
      “If they progress, they face one of Real Madrid or Chelsea in the semi. On paper those look very demanding ties.
      “So… a good draw for Arsenal?”
      To which another replied: “The best possible draw. They’ve got to play Bayern and most likely Madrid, all while competing in the title run in. They will have to make changes for the league games if the champions league is their priority…”
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      Man City have drawn Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarter-finalsCredit: Getty
      A second tweeted: “Awesome draw, if city want to win the CL, they can’t afford to drop players for those matches, and no disrespect had it been Benfica/Milan they may have got away with making big changes…City will now have to play at least 3 more mid week games, hopefully that’ll help.”
      While another added: “Assuming they get past Bayern, couldn’t have gone any better. All that remains is a FA Cup semi final against Man Utd.”
      The draw for the Champions League semi-finals was also conducted this morning, with City getting the winner of Real Madrid vs Chelsea, should they overcome Bayern.
      Arsenal, meanwhile, will have a free run at the Prem now after being knocked out of the Europa League by Sporting Lisbon last night.
      Mikel Arteta’s side took the lead on the night via Granit Xhaka, before being pegged back by Pedro Goncalves’ stunning long range strike.
      Sporting eventually prevailed on penalties.
      Arsenal were eliminated by Sporting Lisbon last nightCredit: Getty More

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      Fans convinced Champions League draw is ‘FIXED’ after Chelsea and Man City land nightmare opponents

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      FANS claimed the Champions League draw is “fixed” after the English clubs landed horror opponents.Chelsea were pitted against reigning champions Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.
      Chelsea and Manchester City landed nightmare Champions League drawsCredit: AFP

      Manchester City must get past Bayern Munich to reach the semi-finals.
      To make matters worse, the Premier League rivals are in the same half of the draw and therefore would meet in a potential semi-final.
      On the other side, Benfica face Inter Milan and AC Milan are up against Napoli – with one of those clubs guaranteed to reach the final in Istanbul on June 10.
      And it did not take long for English football fans to lament the nightmare scenario.
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      One said: “This draw is fixed.”
      Another wrote: “Tell me the Champions League draw isn’t fixed when Chelsea draw Real and City draw Bayern…”
      A third added: “No way they fixed it for Napoli to reach the final lmao.”
      And a final user commented: “Really just had to stack one half of the draw like that.”
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      Chelsea fans felt particularly aggrieved as they will face Real Madrid for the third season in a row.
      The Blues came out on top in their 2021 semi-final on their way to lifting Ol’ Big Ears.
      But they came unstuck in a dramatic quarter-final 12 months ago and will be hoping there is no repeat this time around.
      One Chelsea fan said: “Real Madrid vs Chelsea for three seasons in a row is weird.”
      And another raged: “Real Madrid vs Chelsea for three years in a row, F*** off.”
      Pep Guardiola, meanwhile, must go back to the Allianz Arena to face his old side – and former winger Leroy Sane.

      The Etihad side thrashed RB Leipzig 8-1 in the last 16, thanks in large part to Erling Haaland’s incredible FIVE goals.
      And he will surely need to deliver something special again to get past the defending German champions and six-time Champions League winners.
      And the lop-sided draw means a guaranteed blockbuster semi-final between Real or Chelsea and City or Bayern – and no repeat of the 2021 final.
      However, it presents a major chance for Napoli, AC Milan, Inter Milan and Benfica to go all the way.
      Inter were the last Italian side to be crowned European champions under Jose Mourinho in 2010, their third title.
      The most recent of AC’s seven crowns came in 2007 while Benfica’s pair came in back-to-back seasons in 1961 and 1962.
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      Like Manchester City, however, Napoli have never won the European Cup or Champions League.
      In fact, this is the first time the runaway Serie A leaders have reached the quarter-finals in ten attempts dating back to 1987-88.
      Graham Potter knows he has to get past Real Madrid and then either Man City or Bayern to reach the finalCredit: Getty
      City’s reward for crushing RB Leipzig is a showdown with Bayern MunichCredit: Getty More

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      Chelsea and Man City both land HORROR Champions League draws for quarters and have toughest routes to final

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      CHELSEA have landed a nightmare Champions League tie after being drawn against Real Madrid in the quarter-finals.Manchester City also face a tough task after landing Bayern Munich, and some fans are claiming the draw has bee FIXED.
      Chelsea will play Real Madrid in the Champions League quartersCredit: Alamy
      Man City take on Pep Guardiola’s former club Bayern MunichCredit: AFP

      And the English rivals would end up playing each other in the semis should they get through the last eight – ending any chance of an all-English final in Istanbul.
      Chelsea will play Real Madrid, who defeated Liverpool in the last round, for the third time in as many seasons.
      The Blues got the better of the Spaniards in 2021.
      The Stamford Bridge side eliminated Real 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-final under Thomas Tuchel en route to their Final triumph over City
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      But Real had their revenge last term on their way to yet another European victory.
      Despite losing 3-1 at home, Chelsea went 3-0 up in the Bernabeu only to go out 5-4 on aggregate after extra-time.
      Interestingly, Chelsea have lost just one of their seven European games against Real.
      Meanwhile, Pep Guardiola returns to the Allianz Arena to face old side Bayern.
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      Antonio Rudiger, in Chelsea kit last season against Real Madrid, returns to face his former clubCredit: GettyChampions League draw in fullThe quarter finals..

      Real Madrid vs Chelsea
      Inter Milan vs Benfica
      Man City vs Bayern Munich
      AC Milan vs Napoli

      The semi finals…

      AC Milan or Napoli vs Inter Milan or Benfica
      Real Madrid or Chelsea vs Man City or Bayern Munich

      City have just made light work of fellow Germans RB Leipzig with an 8-1 aggregate win.
      And Guardiola will be desperate to get one over his old side.
      Guardiola spent three years at the Allianz Arena after leaving Barcelona before his move to the Etihad.
      And the German champions represent a huge obstacle in front of the Catalan’s side in their desperate efforts to land the biggest trophy in football for the first time, with City having to play the first leg at home.

      City have met Bayern six times previously, all in the group stage, with both teams having won three of them.
      Guardiola was in charge of four of those games, his Bayern side winning 3-1 in Manchester before losing 3-2 at home despite being two up inside 12 minutes in 2013.
      In the following season, both sides won at home, with a Sergio Aguero hat-trick earning City a 3-2 win at the Etihad after Bayern won 1-0 in Bavaria.
      The other quarter ties see Inter Milan take on Portuguese league leaders Benfica.
      Elsewhere, there’s an all-Italian affair with AC Milan facing runaway Serie A giants Napoli.
      In the semis, Real Madrid or Chelsea will take on City or Bayern.
      And on the other side will be Inter Milan or Benfica against either AC Milan or Napoli.
      Meanwhile, fans claimed the Champions League draw is “fixed” after the English clubs landed horror opponents.
      Read More on The Sun
      One said: “This draw is fixed.”
      Another wrote: “Lol this Champions League draw is fixed because wtf.” More

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      Champions League draw LIVE: Chelsea and Man City to learn quarter-final opponents – UK start time, Stream FREE, TV

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      THE Champions League quarter-final draw takes place TODAY as the business end of the tournament really starts to hot up. Chelsea and Man City are both on tenterhooks waiting to find out who they will be playing in the quarter-final, and possibly the semi-final of Europe’s elite competition.

      Start time: 11am GMT
      Stream/TV: BT Sport YouTube/BT Sport 1
      Teams: Chelsea, Real Madrid, Napoli, Man City, Inter Milan, AC Milan, Benfica, Bayern Munich

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      Europa League
      Follow our Europa League draw, where Manchester United await their quarter-final opponents.
      That’s all from us here.
      Full draw
      Couple familiar ties there. But what a chance for one of Napoli, AC, Inter or Benfica to reach the final.

      Real Madrid vs Chelsea
      Benfica vs Inter Milan
      Man City vs Bayern Munich
      AC Milan vs Napoli

      Semi-final two
      Real Madrid/Chelsea vs Man City/Bayern Munich
      Semi-final one
      AC Milan/Napoli vs Inter Milan vs Benfica
      Semi-final draw NEXT
      AC Milan vs Napoli
      All-Italian affair for our final quarter-final tie.
      Man City vs Bayern Munich
      What a corker!
      Inter Milan vs Benfica
      We have our second tie.
      Real Madrid vs Chelsea
      We have our first tie!
      For the third year in a row. Here we go again.
      Draw is UNDERWAY!
      Here we go…
      Legends on stage
      Hamit Altintop and Patrick Kluivert are now addressing those in the room.
      Altintop sends a heartfelt message to the people of Turkey following the devastating earthquakes last month.
      Credit: AFP or licensors
      More talking…
      That man who looks a bit like Claudio Ranieri is now giving a spiel on stage…

      We’re nearly underway!
      Just those boring formalities to go through in Nyon before the actual draw starts.
      Highlights being shown, tense club officials in the crowd, random European football legends on stage.
      Europa League draw
      After the Champions League draw we’ll have all the drama from the Europa draw as well.
      Manchester United, Juventus and Sevilla are the big boys left in that one.
      Arsenal were knocked out by Sporting Lisbon last night on penalties.
      Mini CL ball alert!
      We’re just minutes away from the start of the draw in Nyon.
      Credit: Getty
      Credit: Reuters
      When is the semi-final draw?
      The draw for the semis will also be done today.
      The eight teams in the pot will each be drawn a tie, before being drawn directly against another tie, with he winners facing off in the final four.
      Fans will therefore get to fantasise over their potential route to the final in Istanbul.
      Oh to dream.
      Who can play who?
      Unlike rounds prior, the quarter-final draws do not have clubs split into separate pots.
      Therefore, clubs from the same nation can play each other.
      Chelsea vs Man City is a plausible tie and would be a rematch from their clash in the final in the 2020/21 season.
      We could also get a Milan derby in the Champions League.
      How to watch
      The Champions League quarter-final draw will be shown live on BT Sport.
      It can be streamed live through the BT sport app or website.
      The UEFA website and youtube channel will also stream it live for FREE.
      Napoli to win it all?
      Gary Lineker has revealed that he put a bet on Napoli to win the Champions League months ago.
      The Italian side cruised through to the quarter-finals with a 5-0 aggregate victory over Eintracht Frankfurt.
      Lineker made an early prediction that Napoli would win the European competition this season when they were backed by few.
      Before the tournament began, Napoli were 66-1 to win the final in Istanbul on June 10.
      Now the Italian side are third-favoured to win by the bookies.
      Credit: Getty
      Potter in full flow
      Graham Potter sent Chelsea fans wild last night with his X-rated message to fans…
      “Well firstly it’s thank you because they’ve been incredibly fair, incredibly fair with us,” he said.
      “They’ve stuck with the team, the support we’ve had has been amazing.
      “And we’ll need them on Saturday. We’ll try and beat Everton, then we’ll take the draw, and then we’ll try and win the f***ing Champions League.”
      Credit: Alamy
      Draw in full

      Chelsea (knocked out Dortmund)
      Napoli (knocked out Frankfurt)
      Real Madrid (knocked out Liverpool)
      AC Milan (knocked out Tottenham)
      Inter Milan (knocked out Porto)
      Bayern Munich (knocked out PSG)
      Man City (knocked out Leipzig)
      Benfica (knocked out Brugges)

      Naturally, some of the bigger sides will be looking at landing Benfica or Inter Milan.
      But teams will want to avoid Napoli this year, as they’re looking like one of the most formidable teams in Europe at this moment.
      Welcome to the Champions League draw!
      Hello and welcome to SunSport’s live coverage of today’s Champions League quarter-final and semi-final draw!
      We’re at the business end of the competition now as some of the biggest teams in Europe await their fate.
      Champions Real Madrid are in the pot, as usual, as are English sides Chelsea and Man City.
      Surprise packages Benfica are also in the hat, as are a TRIO of Italian teams in Inter Milan, AC Milan and Napoli.
      Bayern Munich fill the last spot at today’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland.
      Stay tuned for all the build-up and reaction to the draw which gets going at 11am GMT – we’ve got you covered throughout.
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      I played for Man Utd in the Champions League in 2003, but now I am a builder and trained plumber

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      ON March 18, 2003 Lee Roche was thrown in at the deep end – handed his Champions League debut against Deportivo La Coruna in a 2-0 defeat.Some five years later, he was left on the football scrapheap and now works on building sites installing cavity wall insulation, and is a trained plumber.
      Former Man Utd youngster Lee Roche made his Champions League debut in 2003Credit: AP:Associated Press
      Today, Roche is a builder and trained plumber

      Now 42, Roche was given a free transfer two months after his bow in Europe’s premier club competition.
      And when a football career petered out after spells at Wrexham, Burnley and Droylsden, the youngster had to come up with a different plan in life with the help of the PFA.
      COMING TO AN END
      At the age of 27, Roche was admittedly fed up of the game.
      He’d bounced from a loan deal at Wrexham to Burnley, then back to Wrexham again.
      read more on Man Utd
      Injuries began to take their toll, and the former England U21 star lost his hunger for playing.
      “I was coming home and not wanting to even watch football on the TV, he told Planet Football.
      After he was released by the Welsh club, he trained with Royal Antwerp and former United youth Warren Joyce.
      But when a move failed to materialise, he signed for non-league Droylsden in 2007.
      It was there he started to think about a life after the beautiful game.
      Promising youngster Roche was released by Man Utd in 2003 and after bouncing around at different clubs needed to find a different careerCredit: Getty
      Roche, chatting to PFA member Don Goodman, was helped by the organisation to retrain in a new careerCredit: Twitter @PFA
      With the help of the PFA, Roche now has his own cavity wall insulation business
      The PFA supported the lost talent and helped him retrain in another profession.
      Today, Roche is a qualified plumber and has his own cavity wall insulation business.
      “I have had a few fellow workers on the building sites asking me about United and how have I ended up here,” he revealed.
      “It can get pretty tiresome so I don’t go shouting about that I played for United. I do think young players today should be made to train as something, so they know about the real world.
      “Most of them probably don’t have a plan to fall back on if they don’t make it as a professional.”
      BAPTISM OF FIRE
      Roche made two starts for United, but it was always in scratch sides.
      His debut came in 2001 in a Worthington Cup tie against Arsenal – a 4-0 thrashing in a team that featured mainly reserve players.
      In 2001 Roche appeared for Man Utd for the very first time against Arsenal in a Worthington Cup tieCredit: PA
      Roche, up against Arsenal striker Kanu, couldn’t believe the size of his opponents feetCredit: PA
      “Sylvain Wiltord scored a hat-trick and I remember Kanu being a massive handful – I couldn’t get over the size of his feet,” Roche joked.
      “At one point, he flicked the ball over my head and volleyed it, but it went just over the bar, thankfully, otherwise it would have been one of those goals which would have been shown forever.
      “There was no hairdryer from Sir Alex afterwards because he knew we had been up against it. I took what I could from that game and tried to learn from it.”
      A year later, Roche came on as a sub against Newcastle United in front of a packed house at Old Trafford in a 5-3 win.
      “It was unbelievable, coming on in front of 75,000 fans at Old Trafford,” he said.
      “I did okay, but I remember Sir Alex talking to me afterwards because Alan Shearer had beaten me at the far post to win a header, so he told me to get up first and not let the forwards do that to me.”
      THE BIG LEAGUE
      Roche’s third and final performance for United was in the Champions League.
      Roche made his final appearance for United against Deportivo La Coruna in the Champions LeagueCredit: Getty
      At half-time Roche was hauled off as United lost 2-0 to the LaLiga sideCredit: PA
      He appeared against Deportivo, who at the time were LaLiga challengers to Real Madrid and Barcelona.
      Playing in a back three with Laurent Blanc and John O’Shea, the Red Devils look disjointed in a different formation.
      Roche, himself, was hauled off at half-time with the Premier League giants trailing 1-0 at the break.
      “I was up against (Albert) Luque and thought I had done alright, but I wasn’t going to come off and start arguing with Sir Alex,” he said.
      “Giggsy told me to keep my chin up and that I had not done anything wrong. Sir Alex didn’t tell me why I had been substituted, but I didn’t want to overthink it.”
      ‘NO REGRETS’
      Despite how his football career turned out, Roche is thankful for his time at Manchester United.
      Although he doesn’t have any regrets, there is one thing perhaps he might’ve done different.
      “I don’t have any regrets,” Roche revealed.
      Despite his career not panning out how he had hoped, Roche was no regretsCredit: Rex
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      “The only thing I would point out is that I was known at United for being really quiet, so perhaps I should have been more assertive and mingled more with the lads.
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      “I’d be straight off home after training to hang out with my own group of friends. I look back now at team-mates like John (O’Shea) and Darren Fletcher and think I should have been more like them and gone out and socialised.
      “I think it would have gone down better with United.” More

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      Marcus Rashford breaks incredible Cristiano Ronaldo record with stunning goal in Man Utd’s Europa League win

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      MARCUS RASHFORD’S crazy goal-streak just got crazier!The Manchester United striker belted another special to sink Real Betis AND break Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 24 European goals for the Red Devils.
      Marcus Rashford’s flashing winner at Real Betis sealed a 5-1 aggregate triumphCredit: Rex
      Cristiano Ronaldo spent a legendary six years at Old Trafford before a mixed spell from 2021-22 that led to his exit for Saudi side Al-NassrCredit: PA
      Rashford’s feat split United fans – because some pointed out that all-time great Ronaldo mainly scored in the Champions League.
      But social media was as one when it came to saluting the England star’s incredible form.
      Rashford smashed his 25th European goal, a long-ranger into the bottom corner out of nothing to earn a 1-0 win in Spain and a 5-1 aggregate route to the Europa League quarter-finals.
      And of his 27 United goals this season, 19 have come in 24 games since the World Cup.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      Man fans posted to claim the 25-year-old was “learning from the Goat” – Ronaldo.
      One even claimed: “He’s already a bigger legend in my book.”
      That might be a controversial suggestion, given that five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ron won the the Prem three times and the Champions League once in his glorious first spell spell at Old Trafford.
      And another observer posted: “Heading on the right path but problem is how many Champions League games has Rashford played and how many has Ronaldo played.”
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      This post made a similar point: “Ronaldo’s goals led to a Champions League – bloody priceless that.”
      Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag hailed Rashford’s confidence – as he lashed his winner soon after a horror miss.
      The Old Trafford boss said: “That tells you something about the team’s performance, and it tells you something about him.
      “If he keeps the focus and makes sure he has the energy, the way he has to play in that system and style, he will get in scoring positions.
      “Then it’s about him – he has the ability to finish.
      “Rashy had some chances before and he missed some, but he kept his belief.
      “But at this level, you don’t create five or six chances in a game, so one of the two has to be in.” More

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      Graham Potter sends Chelsea fans wild with passionate X-rated Champions League promise.. but is he ‘trying too hard’?

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      GRAHAM POTTER has excited Chelsea fans with a Champions League rallying cry.The Blues progressed to the quarter-final last week with a 2-1 aggregate win over Borussia Dortmund.

      Graham Potter issued a Champions League rallying cryCredit: AP
      Chelsea will discover their opponents in Friday’s draw and Potter appears determined to win the competition.
      He has found it difficult adjusting to life at Stamford Bridge since his move from Brighton in September and has been criticised for being too nice.
      But at a meeting with fans this week he launched an expletive-filled declaration where he revealed his desire to win the Champions League.
      Asked what message he wanted to send to fans, Potter said: “Well firstly it’s thank you because they’ve been incredibly fair, incredibly fair with us.
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      “They’ve stuck with the team, the support we’ve had has been amazing.
      “And we’ll need them on Saturday. We’ll try and beat Everton, then we’ll take the draw, and then we’ll try and win the f***ing Champions League.”
      Some supporters loved the passion on display as it is one aspect of Potter’s character that has been lacking in recent weeks.
      One fan said: “That’s Chelsea mentality man 💙😂”
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      Another added: “His confidence is growing, I don’t expect him to win Champions League but I like it.”
      And a third wrote: “Finally acting like a Chelsea manager – that’s what we wanted.”
      But others were not easily fooled and claimed the Chelsea boss was trying to hard.
      A fan hit back tweeting: “Bless him 😭 he’s trying so hard to give us Chelsea fans what we want.”
      And another commented: “Why does it looks so unconvincing 😭😭 someone definitely wrote him a script and tell him to say it out loud at the press 🤣🤣”
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