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      Liverpool ace Alexander-Arnold urged to consider midfield switch and told he can match Lahm and Kimmich by Gary Lineker

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      TRENT ALEXANDER-ARNOLD has been told to consider a move to midfield amid questions over his defensive displays.The spotlight has been shone on the Liverpool star, 22, following Gareth Southgate’s decision to drop him for England’s World Cup qualifiers.
      Trent Alexander-Arnold has been told to consider a move to midfieldCredit: Reuters
      Rio Ferdinand and Gary Lineker discussed his qualities ahead of the Reds’ game with Real Madrid on Wednesday night.
      And former defender Ferdinand felt the scrutiny was a sign of Alexander-Arnold’s progress.
      He told BT Sport: “It shows you how far he’s come over the last couple of years that everyone is honing in on this kid’s performances.
      “Yes some parts of his defending need to be improved but what 22-year-old hasn’t?
      “The kid’s an immense talent and Liverpool need that ability to find passes that other midfielders in the world can’t find, let alone right-backs.”
      Lineker stated his opinion that a move to midfield may help Alexander-Arnold.
      A number of other players, from Philipp Lahm to Joshua Kimmich, have set the example of how to successfully transition up the pitch.
      The ex-striker noted: “I’ve said for years I see him as a midfielder.
      “Some parts of his game in terms of defending need to improve… But what 21/22-year-old doesn’t?””I see him as a midfield player. You could see him being like a Lahm, Kimmich, even Cancelo.”🗣 @GaryLineker and @rioferdy5 discuss TAA 🔴 pic.twitter.com/rTV9T8Q7Q9— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) April 14, 2021

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      “He used to be a midfielder who was kind of thrust into playing at right-back and has stuck there.
      “You can see him being a Lahm, a Kimmich, even like [Joao] Cancelo plays at Manchester City. He’s got that within him, hasn’t he?”
      However, Ferdinand did not share this view and could not see Jurgen Klopp moving his first-choice right-back up the pitch.
      He stated: “He’s got to stick where he is, I think.
      “I don’t think Klopp’s going to change him, but what I do notice about this player is he’s got character.”
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      Thomas Tuchel dedicates Chelsea’s win over Porto to Mateo Kovacic who missed clash with training hamstring injury

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      THOMAS TUCHEL has dedicated Chelsea’s Champions League success against Porto to crocked Mateo Kovacic.The Croatia midfielder missed Tuesday’s quarter-final aggregate triumph because he injured his hamstring during training the day before.
      Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel says Mateo Kovacic’s absence is a huge blow and reaching the Champions League semi-finals was for himCredit: AFP
      Olivier Giroud, right, and Ben Chilwell hail Chelsea reaching the Champions League semi-finals, as Porto’s Matheus Uribe moves to congratulate themCredit: Getty
      And boss Tuchel says “big loss” Kovacic is also out of Saturday’s FA Cup semi-final with Manchester City.
      And after the Blues lost 1-0 to Porto in Sevilla to reach the last-four 2-1 on aggregate, Tuchel revealed Kovacic’s anguish.
      The ex-PSG chief said: “I was very sad yesterday to see him after twenty minutes in training to have this little muscle injury more or less out of nothing.
      “We played little boxes after training just to have a little sweat and he felt his hamstring.
      “So he is for sure out of the game against City as well, which is a big loss. 
      “I was very sad for him because we don’t have so many experienced players that have played Champions League many times.

      “So if you see him when the anthem is playing and he stands there that he’s relaxed and he’s a hard fighter – everyone is happy to have him around. So we did it for him.”
      Chelsea will face Real Madrid or Liverpool in the semi-finals, with the Spaniards 3-1 up ahead of Wednesday night’s second leg at Anfield.
      And Tuchel would prefer to face Zinedine Zidane’s men.
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      He told BT Sport: “In general I like it in Champions League not to play teams from your own league because it gets a bit more the feeling of the European competition.
      “But whoever deserves it – I think the game is far from over – but I will watch it for sure. 
      “It’s a pleasure to watch it as semi-finalists, a great achievement.”
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      Thomas Tuchel wants Chelsea to avoid Liverpool in Champions League semi-final More

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      Chelsea star Christian Pulisic matches Lionel Messi’s 2011 Champions League foul record after brutal treatment by Porto

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      CHELSEA winger Christian Pulisic equalled Lionel Messi’s Champions League foul record against Porto on Tuesday after he was brought down 11 times.The 22-year-old put in a man of the match display against the Portuguese outfit as he helped the Blues advance into the last four of the European Cup.
      Christian Pulisic received brutal treatment from the Porto players on Tuesday nightCredit: Getty
      Despite losing the second leg 1-0, the West Londoners secured their passage into the semi-finals for the first time since 2014 after winning 2-1 on aggregate.
      And Pulisic stole the show at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium as he completed 100 per cent of his take-ons, won 16 duels and recovered the ball on seven occasions.
      The American forward also drew more fouls than any other player in the Champions League since Lionel Messi in 2011.
      Messi received brutal treatment from the Real Madrid squad during the semi-final second leg clash at the Nou Camp.
      But just like Porto’s rough tactics on Pulisic, Real couldn’t stop Messi as the Blaugrana advanced into the final where they beat Manchester United at Wembley.
      Pulisic has been in great form of late, with the ex-Borussia Dortmund ace scoring three goals in Chelsea’s last two Premier League games.
      Speaking to Chelsea’s website following the 4-1 victory against Crystal Palace, Pulisic declared he is feeling back to his best.
      He stated: “Personally I am feeling very good. I am happy to be playing and helping the team whichever way I can.

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      Pulisic matched Lionel Messi’s ten-year record of being fouled 11 times in a Champions League matchCredit: AFP

      Most fouls won in a #UCL game since the start of the 2016-17:11 – C Pulisic (Porto, 2021)9 – Neymar (Atalanta, 2020)9 – A Kolarov (Qarabag, 2017)8 – Neymar (Red Star, 2018)8 – Neymar (Red Star, 2018)8 – Neymar (PSG, 2017)8 – J Cafú (Basel, 2016)8 – J Cafú (Basel, 2016) pic.twitter.com/Xw4RWzz2OF— Squawka Football (@Squawka) April 13, 2021

      “It was nice to get on the score sheet and I am feeling very strong at the moment.
      “I am doing my best to take care of myself.
      “I have got to take care of my body and be strong and healthy for all the games.
      “It has not been an easy season, there has been a lot of coming in and coming out and injuries, but I’m feeling healthy and strong right now.”
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      Thomas Tuchel delighted as Chelsea beat Porto to march into the Champions League semi-final More

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      Ex-Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink thought 2009 Champions League semi-final vs Barcelona could have been ‘fixed’

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      GUUS HIDDINK thought Chelsea’s 2009 Champions League semi-final defeat to Barcelona might have been fixed – even though the referee owned up to making mistakes.The Blues were denied a spot in the final after the official Tom Henning Ovrebo made a series of blunders.
      Dider Drogba verbally abuses ref Tom Henning Ovrebo back in 2009 while (inset) boss Guus Hiddink pulls his furious striker away
      Hiddink, manager of Chelsea at the time, branded the officialdom as ‘the worst refereeing I have ever seen’.
      He told Ziggo Sport in 2020: “The referee performance surprised me, because in the past he’d had perfect performances.
      “Is it the worst refereeing I’ve ever seen? I think so.”
      The Dutchman alleged: “This is the only time I thought a match could’ve been fixed.”
      Barca went on to beat Manchester United in the final.
      Hiddink claims football chiefs would not have wanted a repeat of the all-English final between Chelsea and United the year before, won by the Red Devils on spot-kicks.
      But in an interview with SunSport in February 2018, Norwegian whistler Ovrebo admitted to making genuine mistakes during the match.
      Ovrebo, who works as a psychologist in Oslo now, turned down FOUR Blues’ penalty claims before Chelsea were cruelly eliminated by Andres Iniesta’s 94th-minute goal for Barca which put them through on away goals.

      Death threats were made after the game by people claiming to be Chelsea fans, while straight after the match Blues striker Didier Drogba verbally attacked the ref, and later received a five-match ban.
      Ovrebo said: “I was happy with 95 per cent of my decisions. But there were some decisions that were not dealt with in the correct manner.
      “One handball earlier in the game should have been a penalty. People will always have different opinions about the game.
      “But everyone agrees the refereeing that night was not optimal. And I am the first to agree with them.”
      At the time Uefa dismissed the conspiracy theories around the game.
      Uefa general secretary David Taylor said: “If anything it’s a media conspiracy against Uefa.
      “It does make me angry. It really annoys me because it’s a load of rubbish.”
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      Thomas Tuchel wants Chelsea to avoid Liverpool in Champions League semi-final to have ‘feeling of European competition’

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      CHELSEA boss Thomas Tuchel has revealed he is keen to avoid facing Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals.The Blues secured their passage into the last four of the competition on Tuesday after beating Porto 2-1 on aggregate.
      Thomas Tuchel has guided Chelsea into the Champions League semi-finals after edging out PortoCredit: PA
      They will now face either Liverpool or Real Madrid, with the two clubs to battle at Anfield on Wednesday with Los Blancos taking a 3-1 lead into the second leg.
      Chelsea and Liverpool have plenty of history in the semi-finals having met in the last four in 2005, 2007 and 2008, with the West Londoners winning the last showdown.
      And Tuchel has declared he would rather face the Spanish outfit as he would prefer to come up against foreign opposition.
      Speaking to BT Sport, the 47-year-old German said: “I don’t wish for nothing, but in general I like it in Champions League not to play teams from your own league.
      “Because it gets a bit more the feeling of the European competition but that’s the only thing.
      “Whoever deserves it – I think the game is far from over – but I will watch it for sure.
      “It’s a pleasure to watch it as semi-finalists, a great achievement. We will watch these games and there is nothing decided yet. Everything is possible.
      “Liverpool is very strong at home, the Premier League is strong. We take what we get, it’s a good situation for us.”
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      Rio Ferdinand has also stated he believes Chelsea would rather square off against Real Madrid as there is added pressure playing against English opposition.
      He remarked: “We played against Chelsea and the pressure is just different – it’s amped up and you’re playing against people you know.
      “When you’re playing against Barcelona and you go away, you’re not reminded of it.
      “When you lose to an English team, anywhere you walk, anywhere you go on tv, it’s there in your face. When you play against a European team, it feels like a European tie.”
      Chelsea legend Joe Cole added: “I still believe that Real Madrid is better option in the semi-final than Liverpool.
      “I hated playing against an English team.”
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      Rio Ferdinand says Chelsea will be desperate for Real Madrid to beat Liverpool More

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      How Haaland, Kane, Mbappe and Messi’s futures could all change if PSG win Champions League in transfer merry-go-round

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      PSG’s win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League could trigger a transfer merry-go-round among Europe’s leading strikers.The French giants took down last season’s European champions to make it to the final four.

      And they were boosted by Neymar announcing he will stay in Paris in a bid to help PSG rule Europe for years to come.
      Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi announced that both Neymar and Kylian Mbappe would stay put in the French capital.
      And if his words ring true, it would set off a massive chain reaction all over Europe.
      Mbappe is one of the hottest properties in Europe along with Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
      Both have been trailed by the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester United and Manchester City over mega-money moves.
      And if Mbappe signs a new deal in Paris then that would send Haaland’s £150m asking price even higher.
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      Neymar and Kylian Mbappe staying in Paris could spark a summer merry-go-roundCredit: Getty
      Erling Haaland is wanted by most European giants and will cost £150millionCredit: Rex
      Tottenham will refuse to sell Harry Kane to a Premier League rivalCredit: EPA
      Man City and Utd face being priced out of a Haaland swoop which would pave the way for him to join Real Madrid.
      That would mean that the Manchester giants are left to fight it out for Tottenham forward Harry Kane.
      But SunSport revealed that Spurs are not interested in selling him to a Premier League rival, and it would take a bid of £175m from a foreign club to let him go.

      And the final piece of the jigsaw would see Lionel Messi finally leave Barcelona having come close to doing so last year.
      Messi was hopeful of a reunion with Neymar after their spell together at Barcelona.
      But with the Brazilian staying at PSG that could pave the way for Messi to join him.
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      Inside PSG’s dressing-room celebrations after Bayern win as Mbappe dances on table while team-mates soak him with water More

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      Brazen Dortmund ultras set off ‘industrial strength’ fireworks outside Man City team hotel at 2.45am, 4.30am and 5.30am

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      MANCHESTER CITY players were given a rude awakening throughout the night as fans in Germany exploded fireworks outside their hotel.In comes as the Premier League champions take a 2-1 lead into the away leg of their Champions League quarter-final with Borussia Dortmund.
      Borussia Dortmund ultras pictured in WolfsburgCredit: Getty
      Ilkay Gundogan and John Stones traveling to DortmundCredit: Getty
      Witnesses heard ‘incredible bangs’ which awoke residents and members of Pep Guardiola’s travelling squad at the Radisson Blu in Dortmund.
      According to the Daily Mail, a gang of 17 ultras set off the first batch of ‘industrial strength’ fireworks at 2.45am which sparked City’s security staff to patrol the area.
      Then at 4.30am around half a dozen of the group returned and set off a second explosion in a different area near the hotel, again waking up those inside.
      Police were called to inspect the incidents, but it is claimed City’s security were forced to foil a THIRD attempt at 5.30am.
      The club’s staff are said to have spotted members of the gang returning and managed to chase them away.
      A source told the Mail: “These were not just bangers. We are talking industrial strength fireworks.
      “The bangs were incredible. It felt as if the hotel shook.”
      Police action is thought to be unlikely despite CCTV footage being examined.

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      It comes after Barcelona fans set off fireworks outside PSG’s hotel in February before the French champions won 4-1 in Spain.
      In the return tie a month later, PSG fans got their own back with a similar trick while the Barca squad was staying in the French capital.
      Goals from Kevin de Bruyne and Phil Foden leave City with an advantage in Dortmund, but Marco Reus’ strike gives the Germans a vital away goal.
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      Inside PSG’s dressing-room celebrations after Bayern win as Mbappe dances on table while team-mates soak him with water

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE danced on the table while team-mates soaked him in water as Paris Saint-Germain celebrated reaching the Champions League semi-finals.Idrissa Gueye and captain Presnel Kimpembe joined the striker leading the party in the middle of the dressing room.
      Kylian Mbappe led the celebrations as PSG knocked Bayern Munich out of the Champions LeagueCredit: Instagram / @k.mbappe
      Neymar was clearly buzzing to get revenge for the defeat in last year’s finalCredit: Instagram / @btsport
      Owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi congratulated goalkeeper Keylor Navas on the winCredit: Instagram / @btsport
      There was plenty of reason for the jubilation – despite a 1-0 defeat to Bayern Munich on the night at the Parc des Princes.
      PSG may be wondering how they didn’t score in their home stadium with ten attempts – including two with which Neymar struck the woodwork.
      The result ensured a 3-3 aggregate score, with PSG’s treble in Munich securing their passage on away goals and burying the demons from the 2020 final.
      Neymar, Mbappe and their PSG pals kept their celebrations respectfully muted on the pitch after the full-time whistle.
      But behind closed doors, there was nothing holding them back.
      Owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo congratulated the players as they made their way through the tunnel back to the changing room – complete with plenty of roars and high-fiving.
      Inspirational captain Marquinhos, who scored then limped off in the first leg, was unable to play on Tuesday night.
      But he ensured he would not miss out on the scenes while Leandro Paredes went round kissing Ander Herrera and Keylor Navas on the head.
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      I missed this adrenaline when I was at home… on the inside I was boiling overMauricio Pochettino

      Then star-man Mbappe took over leading the party by getting up on the table surrounded by players, coaches and support staff who emptied water bottles over him.
      Mbappe shared a stunning photo with Kimpembe, still wearing their boots, mid-jumping with water flying around them and pure joy on their faces.
      Rafinha added one of the Brazilian boys, posing for the cameras with Neymar and Marquinhos.

      And PSG fans had even more reason to celebrate when Neymar committed his future to the club before Al-Khelaifi assured supporters the £198million man and Mbappe ‘have no excuse to leave’.
      The world’s most expensive footballer told TNT Sports Brazil: “I don’t think this is even a topic anymore, I obviously feel very comfortable, at home at PSG.
      “I feel happier than before.”
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      A thumbs up from Mbappe for a job well done by his teamCredit: Instagram / @btsport
      Presnel Kimpembe, captain on the night, took a moment to let it all sink inCredit: Instagram / @btsport
      The superstar forward was right in the middle of the joyous scenes in the home changing roomCredit: Instagram / @btsport
      Manager Mauricio Pochettino was not at the thick of the chaotic scenes in the dressing room – but was no doubt ready for a lie down after a stressful 90 minutes masterminding his side’s progress.
      He said: “When you are on the touchline, really close to the pitch, it is not easy to enjoy it but I try.
      “Every time, I am calm outside – but inside you have the stress of the competition. That is the adrenaline that we love to feel, but tonight was a fantastic game.
      “I missed this adrenaline when I was at home. This is the greatest club competition, so obviously I was nervous. On the inside, I was boiling over.
      “I’m happy for the players, the staff and the club – for the president and Leonardo as well. It’s nice to share this moment of happiness together.”
      Marquinhos was injured for the second leg but made sure he was there to celebrate his side’s progressionCredit: Instagram / @btsport
      Argentine pair Angel Di Maria and Mauro Icardi will be dreaming of going all the way and winning the Champions LeagueCredit: Instagram / @btsport
      The reaction at full-time was rather muted from the PSG playersCredit: AFP
      Boss Mauricio Pochettino congratulated Neymar as he headed down the tunnelCredit: Getty

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