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      ‘Traitor’ Messi slated by Barcelona fans after ‘liking’ Martinez post as Inter all-but KO old side from Champions League

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      LIONEL MESSI has been labeled as a “traitor” and a “mercenary” by Barcelona fans.The club icon, 35, liked a post from international team-mate Lautaro Martinez celebrating Inter Milan’s 3-3 draw at the Nou Camp on Wednesday night.
      Martinez shared celebrations on social media after Inter held Barca to a draw at the Nou Camp, which effectively sent the hosts crashing out
      Barcelona legend Messi controversially ‘liked’ the Instagram post from his international running mateCredit: Getty
      The draw all-but secured Inter’s progression through the Champions League group stage – and very nearly sent Barca crashing out.
      The Italians need just a point from their final two group games to knock Messi’s former team out of the competition.
      And if it wasn’t bad enough for fans of the LaLiga side, their king saluted Martinez on social media.
      The Argentinian striker shared the Instagram images with the caption: “Cuore, personalita, umilta. #ForzaInter”, which translates to “Heart, personality, humility.”
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      And the captain of his national side – who scored 672 goals in 778 appearances for Barcelona – LIKED the post.
      Catalan supporters were not happy with the Paris Saint-Germain star.
      One wrote: “Another proof that Messi does not feel sorry for Barcelona a club who made him who he is today and then later he broke the club and ran away, he is such a shameless traitor”.
      Another added: “This is what I mean when I say this guy was a mercenary”.
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      One fan exclaimed: “Calling him Judas falls short”.
      On the hour mark, Lauro Martinez scored his first in nine games to make it 2-1 to the Milan side.
      His shot ricocheted off both posts and snuck over the line.
      Robert Lewandowski then appeared to save the day with ten minutes left to play, taking advantage of a loose ball that Inter failed to clear.
      But Robin Gosens drilled in what looked like a winner with just a minute left on the clock to send Barca fans home crying.
      Up stepped Lewandowski again to unbelievably head home in injury time to level an exhilarating match.
      Also in Group C, Bayern conceded their first goals of the tournament but thrashed Viktoria Plzen 4-2 in the Czech Republic to go through. More

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      Rangers branded a DISGRACE by shock jock pundit in slaughtering of ‘unacceptable’ rout by Liverpool

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      RANGERS’ demolition at the hands of Liverpool has been branded a DISGRACE by Jamie O’Hara.The former Tottenham and Wolves star was left stunned by the Light Blues’ capitulation on their way to a record-equalling 7-1 thumping against Jurgen Klopp’s men.
      It was a horror night for the Light BluesCredit: Willie Vass
      O’Hara has branded Rangers a ‘disgrace’ (Credit: talkSPORT)
      Scott Arfield had sent Ibrox wild with a 17th minute opener against the Premier League giants but things couldn’t really have gone much further wrong from that point on.
      Roberto Firmino quickly equalised before striking again early in the second-half.
      Darwin Nunez made it 3-1 before super sub Mohamed Salah fired the fastest hat-trick in Champions League history as the Reds raced into a 6-1 lead.
      Harvey Elliott compounded the misery with the 7th in the closing stages of the match.

      It leaves Rangers pointless and bottom of Group A and any slim hopes of reaching the last 16 of the competition are officially over.
      O’Hara and fellow pundit Jason Cundy dissected Rangers’ destruction on talkSPORT following the game and they couldn’t believe what they saw.
      Cundy had branded Celtic ’embarrassing’ in their 2-0 defeat to RB Leipzig the night before and he had a similar response to Rangers’ showing.
      The former Chelsea man said: “We spoke about Celtic last night – how disappointed and embarrassing it was.
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      “The same words have got to be used. Embarrassing. Absolutely embarrassing.
      “This is a Liverpool side that are going into this game mid table. They are 10th. They are having a tough time, a bit of a wobble.
      “You saw Klopp pre-match in his press conference before the game. He’s under a little bit.
      “They’ve gone 1-0 up. They could have gone 2-1 up I think. I think Arfield had another chance.
      “What can you say? They got themselves in the Champions League. That’s embarrassing. That is unacceptable against a side that is struggling for rhythm.
      “They walk up to Rangers and pull their pants down and spank them seven times. That’s embarrassing mate.
      O’Hara the continued: “It’s a bit of a disgrace.
      “Come on – 7-1?
      “That is not acceptable. Champions League football.”
      The hammering was compounded for Giovanni van Bronckhorst with the loss of key duo Connor Goldson and Ryan Jack to inuries.
      Ever-present centre back Goldson could be set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines and has been sent for a scan to determine how bad the situation is.
      In a further blow, Ben Davies is now an injury doubt for Sunday’s trip to Motherwell.
      If the former Liverpool defender isn’t available, it would leave the Gers with ONLY Leon King as a recognised centre back in the squad.
      Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo’s 700 club goals broken down as he beats Lionel Messi to milestone… with just 20% coming for Man Utd

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      JUST over 20 per cent of Cristiano Ronaldo’s 700 club goals have come at Manchester United.The five-time Champions League and Ballon d’Or winner notched his 700th in the 2-1 Premier League win over Everton on Sunday, beating long-time rival Lionel Messi to the feat.
      Just 20 per cent of Ronaldo’s goals came at Man Utd
      Ronaldo scored his 700th club goal against Everton on SundayCredit: Reuters
      Rival Messi is nine goals behind in over 100 games less playedCredit: Getty
      Ronaldo was played in behind Everton’s backline with an inch-perfect pass by summer signing Casemiro.
      The 37-year-old took two touches before firing low past the Toffees keeper.
      But just over 20 per cent of CR7’s club football strikes have come at Man Utd, despite spending over seven years of his career at Old Trafford.
      Ronaldo’s first spell at the club came between 2003 and 2009 after leaving boyhood club Sporting Lisbon, where he managed just five goals.
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      During that time, Ronaldo scored 118 goals, winning seven trophies including three league titles and a Champions League.
      In 2008, Ronaldo claimed his first Ballon d’Or for his fine performances in England.
      An eye-watering 64 per cent of Ronaldo’s goals came at his next club, Real Madrid.
      It turned out to be £84million well spent as Ronaldo scored 450 goals.
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      He helped Real win two LaLigas and four Champions Leagues.
      Ronaldo claimed a further four Ballon d’Or’s for his contributions in the Spanish capital before moving to Juventus in 2018.
      Domestically, Ronaldo enjoyed success, winning two Serie As, while netting 101 goals for the Old Lady.
      However, Juventus didn’t enjoy the success they had hoped of having in Europe following Ronaldo’s arrival.
      And after Juve lost their Italian crown to Inter Milan in the 2020/21 season, Ronaldo sealed a fairytale return to United where he added another 26 goals to the 118 he notched in his first spell.
      Ronaldo may have beaten Messi to 700 club goals, but whether he’ll stay ahead is yet to be seen.
      CR7 has spent most of his time on Man Utd’s bench under new boss Erik ten Hag and has just two goals this term.
      He also wanted to leave United after the club failed to qualify for the Champions League last season with a sixth-placed finish.
      Messi, meanwhile, is just nine club goals behind Ronaldo’s record having played 118 games LESS.
      Messi is also two-and-a-bit years younger.
      The 35-year-old Argentine is in rich form after a struggling debut season at Paris Saint-Germain.
      He has eight goals this term, three shy of his total tally for last season.
      An astonishing 97 per cent of Messi’s goals came at boyhood club Barcelona.
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      The magic man netted 672 goals in 778 games.
      Messi also has seven Ballon d’Ors to Ronaldo’s five, but is one Champions League shy of his rival. More

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      Barcelona ‘can’t afford £18m Champions League KO after ambitiously budgeting for quarters as group stage exit looms’

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      BARCELONA are set to be plunged into an even deeper financial crisis as they stand on the brink of exiting the Champions League in the group stage.The Catalan giants could only muster a 3-3 draw at home to Inter Milan on Wednesday night, a result which leaves them on the verge of being eliminated.
      Barcelona were frustrated in a thrilling draw with Inter on Wednesday eveningCredit: AP
      Mundo Deportivo are reporting that Barca are set for more financial turmoil
      It means a win for Inter at home to Viktoria Plzen on October 26 would see them qualify as runners-up in the group behind Bayern Munich.
      And that could have a crippling economic consequence for Barcelona.
      According to Mundo Deportivo, Barca face an £18m cash shortage if they exit in the group stage.
      This is because their £132m investment in the team over the summer was reportedly under the provision that they would reach the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
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      Clubs receive around £8.3m for qualifying for the last 16 and a further £9.3m for getting through to the last eight.
      Barca are set to miss out on that windfall and it could have a major impact on their ability to pay for their spending in the transfer window.
      Even if they drop down to the Europa League, winning the competition would only bring in £13m.
      Barca’s financial crisis has rumbled on for more than a year, with the Spanish side struggling to register players in recent seasons.
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      But they have continued to spend big in the transfer market, with the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, Franck Kessie, Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen all coming in during the summer.
      And they do currently sit top of LaLiga, ahead of Real Madrid on goal difference.
      But in Europe they haven’t been able to make their investment count.
      And while Lewandowski did score a stoppage-time equaliser against Inter to keep their slim hopes of qualification for the last 16 alive, it only appears to have delayed the inevitable. More

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      Chelsea star Reece James mobbed by fans after boarding easyJet flight from Milan to Gatwick after Champions League tie

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      CHELSEA star Reece James was spotted on an easyJet flight after Tuesday’s Champions League victory at AC Milan.James, 22, picked up a knee injury during the Blues’ 2-0 win over Milan at the San Siro and hobbled off the pitch after 62 minutes.

      Chelsea star Reece James was spotted on an easyJet flight after the victory over AC MilanCredit: Getty
      The full-back didn’t travel with the West Londoners back to the capital and instead stayed behind, probably to assess his fitness.
      Instead, the England international hopped on a flight to Gatwick from Milan with the budget airline.
      A fan noticed the defender and shared a photo of him on Twitter apparently disembarking the aircraft.
      James’ injury left Chelsea and England fans anxiously waiting to find out the extent of the damage just six weeks before the 2022 World Cup.
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      But the Blues are optimistic the problem is not as bad as first thought and James will have a scan today.
      The right-back took to Twitter after the game and admitted he doesn’t know how bad things are but thanked the fans for the support they have shown.
      James tweeted: “Fingers crossed it’s not a bad one. Love for all the messages, I appreciate you all.”
      Manager Graham Potter has already been dealt an injury blow in defence as Wesley Fofana suffered a knee injury.
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      And England boss Gareth Southgate is already sweating on fellow right-back Kyle Walker who had groin surgery last week.
      Trent Alexander-Arnold is also out for two weeks in a blow to his bid to convince Southgate to take him to Qatar.
      James played a key role in his team’s win over Milan, which was the fourth in a row for rejuvenated Chelsea. More

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      Watch amazing behind-the-scenes footage of Real Madrid docs treating Antonio Rudiger as ex-Chelsea man gets 20 stitches

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      SHOCKING footage of Real Madrid star Antonio Rudiger receiving 20 stitches after suffering a horror gash against Shakhtar Donestk has emerged. The German scored a dramatic 95th minute equaliser as the game finished 1-1.

      Antonio Rudiger collided with the goalkeeper but managed to scoreCredit: Getty
      His shirt was covered in blood as he left the fieldCredit: Reuters
      Antonio Rudiger had a team of doctors attending to his injuryCredit: Not known, clear with picture desk
      Toni Kroos turned away when seeing the extent of the cut
      Rudiger headed in late on but collided with the Ukrainian side’s goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin and was left with an awful cut on his forehead.
      Blood poured down his face on to his kit and the ex-Chelsea man was rushed into the treatment room after the final whistle.
      The behind-the-scenes clip shows Rudiger walking to the dressing room with towels covering his face and trying to stop the bleeding.
      The 29-year-old is then told to lie down on a massage table where a team of Real Madrid medics begin work.
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      As they begin to stitch up his forehead many teammates come in to see if he is OK such as David Alaba, who gives him a kiss on the forehead.
      Toni Kroos also visits with the midfielder and grimaces – before letting out a cheeky grin – as he sees his horrible injury.
      As the doctors patch Rudiger up, Marcos Asensio, Eden Hazard, Luka Modric and even manager Carlo Ancelotti come in to wish him well.
      Within minutes the treatment is over and Rudiger bounces back up and heads for the team’s main dressing room.
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      The Champions League holders’ doctor Felipe Segura then explains what his team have done to him.
      The love for Rudiger from his team-mates is justified as the draw with Shakhtar thanks to his goal puts Los Blancos through to the knockout stages.
      And fans have praised him for his toughness calling him an “actual warrior” online, while others enjoyed seeing the team spirit as one fan said Alaba and Kroos acted like “mum and dad”.
      Real Madrid face Barcelona in the El Classico at the weekend and there is reportedly hope Rudiger could be fit but may have to wear a mask to protect his cut.
      This will not be the first time he may have to wear a protective measure on the pitch, he wore one often at Chelsea to support his bones after sustaining a facial injury last year.
      He continued to wear it for Germany saying he put it on for added protection so he doesn’t have to worry about getting stuck in. More

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      Mohamed Salah’s rapid-fire hat-trick leaves thousands of Dream Team gaffers with heavy regrets

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      A HUGE chunk of Dream Team gaffers will be feeling sick as a parrot this morning.Last night, Mohamed Salah (£7.7m) scored a hat-trick in the space of just six minutes and 12 seconds as Liverpool decimated Rangers in the second off half of their Champions League encounter in Glasgow.
      The Egyptian’s blitz helped the Reds to a comprehensive 7-1 victory and the only people left feeling worse than the Ibrox faithful were the tens of thousands of Dream Team bosses who transferred the 30-year-old out of their XI prior to Game Week 9.
      With an ownership of 29.2% Salah remains the sixth-most popular player in the game but he’s also among the individuals who have been ditched the most.
      Salah has enjoyed himself in Europe but his league performances have been a concernCredit: getty
      Prior to Game Week 1 only Erling Haaland (£9m) and Kevin De Bruyne (£7.5m) were more widely selected and his popularity was totally justified.
      Liverpool’s No11 was the only asset to achieve 300+ points last season, an immense effort considering he also made it to the final of Africa Cup of Nations midway through the campaign.
      And truth be told it’s not like he failed to deliver healthy returns prior to his rapid-fire hat-trick at Rangers.
      Salah had amassed 46 points from his first 11 outings, a perfectly respectable tally.
      While his returns were encouraging enough, many Dream Team managers were less impressed by his performances and Liverpool’s fortunes generally.
      Two goals in eight league games also represents a serious drop-off from what we’ve seen in recent years – although it’s easy to take for granted the level he’s maintained for over five years now.
      Doubters of Salah are often made to look foolish sooner rather than laterCredit: getty
      With Haaland plundering points at an obscene rate, Harry Kane (£7.2m) going about his business, and Gabriel Jesus (£5.9m) delivering the goods for table-topping Arsenal, it’s understandable why so many Dream Team managers felt they could do without the costly Salah.
      Several mid-range forwards have also excelled with the likes of Aleksandar Mitrovic (£4.5m), Ivan Toney (£4.7m), Marcus Rashford (£4.3m) and Gabriel Martinelli (£3.4m) all providing excellent value for money.
      Still, such logic will come as little consolation to those who missed out on Salah’s 23-point haul last night.
      It would have been a greater influx had the in-form Roberto Firmino (£3.4m) not swooped the Star Man award.
      In fact, the Brazilian No9 has one more point than Salah overall, 70 to 69, and the pair make up the podium of best-performing Dream Team forwards at this stage behind runaway leader Haaland.
      A trademark finishCredit: getty
      The trip to Ibrox may have been Salah’s last chance to impress for many of his backers and when he was initially named on the bench it looked as if another flurry of transfers would reduce his ownership further, especially given Jurgen Klopp’s side host Manchester City this Sunday.
      However, a timely reminder of Salah’s devastating effectiveness will surely encourage his owners to keep the faith.
      Liverpool play Nottingham Forest and Leeds in their last two league fixtures of the month, two match-ups that could be very profitable for the three-time Golden Boot winner if he takes heart from his hat-trick going forward.

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      Watch Man Utd keeper transfer target Diogo Costa’s stunning 80-yard assist before penalty save

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      MANCHESTER UNITED transfer target Diogo Costa produced a stunning assist AND a penalty save for Porto in the Champions League.The Portuguese champions were taking on Bayern Leverkusen in Germany on Wednesday night in a game that would put the winner into second place in the group behind Club Brugge.
      Costa is being linked with a move to Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty

      He is the first keeper to assist a goal and save a penalty in the same Champions League matchCredit: AFP
      And it was keeper Costa, 23, who is valued at £30million, that produced the first magical moment of the game as he picked out Galeno with an 80-yard pass in the sixth minute.
      He found the Porto man deep inside the Leverkusen half with an inch-perfect pick-out.
      And Galeno did the rest to give the visitors an early lead.
      Then in the 16th minute, Porto called on Costa once more when the German hosts were awarded a penalty.
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      Kerem Demirbay stepped up to level the game but Portugal’s Costa guessed correct and clawed the ball.
      It makes him the first keeper in Champions League history to assist a goal and save a penalty in the same game.
      It proved to be a crucial moment in the game as Porto then ran away with the game in the second half, winning it 3-0 thanks to a pair of penalties from Mehdi Taremi.
      And Man Utd fans, who have seen their club linked with the shot-stopper, were gushing in their praise of his ability.
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      One said: “We have to get Diogo Costa next summer at all costs. Bruno Fernandes, Diogo Dalot, Cristiano Ronaldo, do your thing🧤.”
      Another added: “Diogo Costa, I can’t say it any more. He’s the one.”
      And a third said: “We should be activating Diogo Costa’s release clause for next season (€60m/£52.4m) unless Porto accept something less.
      “He should be a priority signing and will probably be our No1 for a decade.”
      It was revealed earlier this month that Man Utd have sent scouts to watch Costa – who has been capped seven times by Portugal.
      And he is being monitored as a possible replacement for David de Gea – who is out of contract in the summer. More