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

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

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

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

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

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

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      Chelsea face missing out on two top manager targets as PSG’s five-man shortlist to replace Galtier is revealed

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      CHELSEA may miss out on their top targets to replace Graham Potter with PSG also ready to bring in a new manager. According to RMC Sport the Parisians are looking to replace Christophe Galtier after what has been a disappointing season for the club.
      Jose Mourinho is one of the shortlisted managers who PSG have their eyes on
      Despite being top of Ligue 1, PSG were comfortably knocked out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich in the last 16.
      As a result the French side are looking to replace their current manager and are rumoured to have a five-man shortlist of targets.
      The list features a host of star managers from all across Europe.
      PSG are reported to be interested in attracting one of Julian Nagelsmann, Zinedine Zidane, Antonio Conte, Jose Mourinho and Luis Enrique to the Parc des Princes.
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      The impressive list will come as a hammer blow to Chelsea who themselves are said to be prioritising a move for Julian Nagelsmann or Luis Enrique.
      After Potter was sacked by the Blues on Sunday, owner Todd Boehly could now face stiff competition to land his first choice coach.
      The London club have had a torrid season as they sit in the bottom half of the Premier League table with only ten games remaining.
      Despite their shocking league form they’re still in the Champions League and will face Real Madrid in the quarter-finals in the coming weeks.
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      However, they want to make sure the next man in is the right one so may rely on caretaker boss Bruno Saltor until the end of the season.
      Nagelsmann was sacked as Bayern Munich boss recently and was replaced by former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel.
      Luis Enrique was let go from his position as Spain’s national team manager in December following a disappointing World Cup campaign. More

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      Uefa chief drops huge hint Barcelona WILL face Champions League ban as he calls ref-fixing scandal ‘extremely serious’

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      UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin hinted that Uefa is ready to ban Barcelona over the ref-fixing scandal.The Catalan giants are under criminal investigation following claims they paid the country’s referees’ chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira more than £6.5m over a 17-YEAR period.
      Aleksander Ceferin has hinted Uefa are ready to punish Barcelona
      Barcelona are flying high at the top of La Liga, but the investigation will be an unwelcome distraction
      Uefa last month launched an investigation that could lead to a one season Champions League ban.
      And while angry Barca chiefs have accused La Liga boss Javier Tebas of giving “false” evidence against them – and demanded his resignation – Slovenian Ceferin weighed in by making it clear he was ready to demand tough action.
      Ceferin, who will today be re-elected “by acclamation” to a second four-year term as the head of European football, said: “From what I have been told happened, the situation is extremely serious. 
      “So serious that in my estimation it is one of the most serious in football since I have been involved in it.
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      “We have an independent disciplinary committee. I cannot comment on what it might decide.
      “Naturally, for La Liga, the matter is out of date and cannot have competitive consequences.
      “But proceedings are going on at the level of the Spanish civil prosecutor’s office. 
      “And the same applies with Uefa action, because we have no time limit on alleged offences like this.”
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      Ceferin also appeared to further open the door to multi-club ownership of side in European competition – good news for the proposed Qatari owners of Manchester United.
      He added: “We don’t have a solution yet, but we have started talking about it.
      “There is interest from a large number of those investors who are already present in European football to take over another club.
      “I agree that if two such clubs compete in the same competition, they could in principle agree results.
      “But can you tell a coach to lose a game so that another club wins? I doubt it, even if it’s possible in theory. 
      “Football is extremely interesting for investors. 
      “We are now faced with a dilemma: to remain conservative and see these investors go elsewhere with their money or to allow the ownership of several clubs with safeguards. 
      “While we think football should remain as it is, we should not be too conservative. 
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      “Some rules come from the time when there were no such investors in football, or when the owners financed football from their business. 
      “Now they tell me that they finance their business from football. That’s a huge difference.” More

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      What happened to Barcelona legend Samuel Eto’o and where is he now?

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      SAMUEL Eto’o was widely regarded as one of the best strikers in world football, playing for a number of Europe’s biggest clubs.Here, we take a look at his illustrious career and where he is now.
      Samuel Eto’o won the Champions League on three occasions, scoring in the final twice
      Who is Samuel Eto’o?
      Samuel Eto’o is a Cameroonian former footballer who played as a striker.
      Eto’o began his career at Real Madrid, who he joined when he was 16.
      He was loaned out to Mallorca initially in 2000, but signed for them permanently the same year after a successful spell.
      He helped the side win the 2003 Copa Del Rey, beating Huelva 3-0 in the final, with Eto’o bagging two of the goals.
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      Eto’o spent four years there before attracting the attention of La Liga giants Barcelona.
      This is where Eto’o came to international prominence, scoring 108 goals in 144 league games for the Catalonian club.
      He helped them win three La Liga titles in 2005, 2006 and 2009, and also led the side to two UEFA Champions League titles.
      Eto’o scored the equaliser in the 2006 Champions League final against Arsenal, with Barca eventually winning the game 2-1, giving them their first European cup since 1992.
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      He then scored the opener in the 2009 final against Manchester United, with the team winning 2-0 in Rome. This also secured the club the treble, in their first season under Pep Guardiola.
      He transferred to Inter Milan in the summer of 2009, in a player plus cash deal with Barcelona for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
      Under the management of Jose Mourinho, Eto’o became the first player to win the treble in two consecutive seasons with two different teams.
      He set up the second goal for Diego Milito as Inter won the 2010 Champions League Final 2-0 against Bayern Munich, the third European cup of his career.
      The following season was less successful for the club, but Eto’o still managed 37 goals in all competitions as Inter won the FIFA Club World Cup and finished second in Serie A behind AC Milan.
      Eto’o moved to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala in 2011 which made him the world’s highest paid player at the time.
      A scaling back project at the Russian club in 2013 saw Eto’o and a number of other star players sold, including Willian.
      He moved to the Premier League for the first time, reuniting with former manager Mourinho at Chelsea.
      Eto’o scored 12 goals in his only season with the club, including strikes against Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal and a hat-trick against Manchester United.
      Despite this, a falling out with Mourinho saw the player leave the club at the end of the season.
      Eto’o joined Everton in the 2014/15 season, scoring on his debut against Chelsea in a 6-3 loss at Goodison Park.
      He scored four goals during his short stay in Merseyside, leaving in January of that season to join Sampdoria.
      What happened to Samuel Eto’o?
      Eto’o’s return to Italian football was short lived however, scoring just two goals in 18 appearances for Sampdoria.
      He rediscovered his goalscoring form following a move to Turkish Super Lig side Antalyaspor, scoring 44 times in 77 appearances across his three seasons at the club.
      He then joined Konyaspor in the same league for the 2017/18 season, before retiring after a spell with Qatar SC of the Qatar Stars League in 2019.
      Eto’o is the all-time leading goal scorer for the Cameroon national team, scoring 56 goals in 118 appearances, which also puts him second in terms of caps won for his country.
      He helped his country to major honours as well, winning the Africa Cup Of Nations in 2000 and 2002, and the 2000 Olympic gold medal.
      Eto’o scored in the 2000 African Cup of Nations final against Nigeria in a game they won 4-3 on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
      He also scored in the Olympic final in 2000, in a 2-2 draw against Spain on penalties after a 2-2 draw.
      Where is Samuel Eto’o now?
      Eto’o has been head of the Cameroonian Football Federation since December 2021.
      He’s widely regarded as one of the greatest strikers of his era, and won the African Player Of The Year award a record four times.
      Eto’o was involved in an altercation with an Algeria fan at the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar, whilst he was working as an ambassador at the tournament.
      He later apologised for the incident.
      He has been married to Georgette Eto’o since 2016, at a ceremony in northern Italy.
      He has five children with Georgette, named Lynn, Etienne, Siena, Annie and Maelle.
      He was declared the biological father of Erika in 2022 after a court case in Madrid.
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      His son Etienne is also a footballer, aiming to follow in his father’s footsteps.
      Eto’o donated 10 ambulances to the Cameroon health service in 2021 in order to aid their fight against Covid-19. More

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      Lionel Messi sensationally BOOED by own PSG fans before AND after shock home defeat to Lyon

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      LIONEL MESSI was booed by his own fans as his name was read out ahead of the game against Lyon.Some Paris Saint-Germain fans are upset with the superstar and voiced their displeasure on Sunday, before and after the game.
      Lionel Messi was booed by PSG fans against LyonCredit: Getty
      Some booing from the Parc des Princes crowd as Lionel Messi is named in the starting eleven – but mainly cheers. Kylian Mbappé with the warmest reception.— Get French Football News (@GFFN) April 2, 2023

      They feel Messi has not lived up to expectations with PSG being knocked out in the Champions League second round in both of the forward’s seasons at the club.
      Loud boos greeted the announcement of Messi’s game following PSG’s 2-0 loss in their previous game to Rennes.
      And Messi could receive a similar reception at the next home game since Lyon beat PSG 1-0 on Sunday.
      Kylian Mbappe escaped condemnation as his name was greeted with a warm reception.
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      Messi has scored 18 goals in 33 games this season but could be let go when his contract expires in the summer.
      He is believed to earn £740,000 a week and PSG are reportedly looking to cut costs amid FFP concerns.
      PSG were hit with FFP sanctions last year and were fined £8.6million, while £56.3m is on the line depending on the club’s future compliance with the rules.
      Barcelona are interested in bringing Messi back to the Nou Camp when his contract expires at the end of the season.
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      And according to club chiefs they have been in contact with the 35-year-old over a move.
      Vice president Rafa Yuste said: “We’ve been in contact with Leo Messi’s camp. Leo knows how much we appreciate him and I’d love for him to come back.
      “For sure Messi loves Barça and the city, so we hope to find the right conditions to continue his history here.” More

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      Chelsea ‘can only appoint Julian Nagelsmann if Bayern Munich AGREE’… and clubs could face off in Champions League semi

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      CHELSEA have begun their hunt for a new manager after sacking Graham Potter. However, if they are to appoint Julian Nagelsmann they may be forced to wait until the summer.
      Chelsea must agree with Bayern Munich if they are to appoint Julian NagelsmannCredit: EPA
      Chelsea could face Thomas Tuchel’s Bayern in the Champions League later this seasonCredit: Alamy
      That is because Bayern Munich has a sensational clause in Nagelsmann’s contract which means any club wanting to hire him before the summer needs to speak to them despite them sacking him.
      Speaking on Sky Sports, Kaveh Solhekol revealed: “The information we got from Sky Germany is that there has been no contact between Chelsea and Nagelsmann or his representatives.
      “Another obstacle is Chelsea would have to speak and negotiate with Bayern Munich if they wanted Nagelsmann.
      “There is still a clause in his contract which means Bayern Munich would have to agree to him moving to another club before the summer.”
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      The two sides remain in the Champions League, and could face one another in the semi-finals if they both progress past their quarter-final opponents.
      Should this occur, it will see Thomas Tuchel return to Stamford Bride for the first time since being sacked earlier in the season.
      However, both teams face a very difficult task in doing so.
      Chelsea face reigning champions Real Madrid, while Bayern face English champions Manchester City.
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      On the clause, Solhekol added: “I think Bayern have been very clever [and] very cute in protecting their interests.
      “Obviously they don’t want Nagelsmann going to Chelsea and revealing all the secrets of the way they operate.
      “So [there are] obstacles, but I don’t think the obstacles are insurmountable.
      “If Chelsea want him they need to contact his representatives, they need to contact him and speak to him and they also need to speak to Bayern Munich.”
      As many as SEVEN bosses have been earmarked for the Chelsea job.
      In the meantime, Ex-Brighton star and Potter assistant Bruno Saltor has been handed the reins until a successor is appointed. More