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      Liverpool face Champions League trip to London or Budapest for Leipzig tie after Covid crackdown ruled out Germany trip

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      LIVERPOOL’S Champions League clash against RB Leipzig could take place in Budapest or London as they will not be allowed into Germany.
      All flights from the UK are banned until February 17 and the Anfield side’s application for a special permit to travel was yesterday thrown out.

      Liverpool could face a trip to Budapest for the Champions League clashCredit: PA:Press Association

      Now Liverpool’s last-16 opponents face a race against time to find an alternative venue for the first leg, which is due to be played on February 16.
      A German government statement read: “The Federal Police informed RB Leipzig that the case does not fall under the category of exceptional circumstances.”
      London and Budapest have been mentioned as possibilities but switching the tie to play the first leg at Anfield is not an option.
      It has now emerged that Borussia Monchengladbach are also making contingency plans ahead of their clash with Manchester City.

      Danish club FC Midtjylland have been approached to see whether they could stage that game on February 24 if the border ban is extended.
      Liverpool are being kept informed, with Uefa seeking venues confirmed by Monday.
      The governing body remain in talks with Leipzig and hope a suitable plan can be drawn up in that time frame.
      As for City, sources at the Etihad say they are still expecting that their Champions League fixture will take place at the Borussia Park Stadium.

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      Jurgen Klopp’s will not be allowed to travel to Germany for the matchCredit: AFP

      Gladbach have explored several other options for their meeting with boss Pep Guardiola and his Premier League leaders.
      FC Midtjylland were sounded out as their MCH Arena has already been a venue in the competition.
      City played there in a Uefa Cup qualifying tie in August 2008, when Mark Hughes’ men squeezed through on penalties.
      Uefa have also given Prem chiefs permission to schedule Manchester City’s postponed game at Everton directly against BT’s Champions League coverage.
      A Covid outbreak at City saw the trip to the Toffees on December 28 called off just hours before kick-off.
      It is one of three Prem games rescheduled for later this month on Champions League nights.
      Uefa previously threatened action against top-flight leagues who overlapped with their official dates.
      Burnley v Fulham and Leeds v Southampton, on February 17 and 23 respectively, will kick off at 6pm to avoid a direct clash.
      City’s game will be an 8.15pm start on Amazon Prime on Wednesday February 17 after the green light from European chiefs.

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      Liverpool’s clash with RB Leipzig cannot be held in Germany over new coronavirus rules More

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      Chelsea and Arsenal transfer target Achraf Hakimi one of FIVE stars Inter Milan could let go this summer

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      INTER MILAN could reportedly let FIVE players leave in the summer including Chelsea target Achraf Hakimi.
      Arsenal and Manchester City have also keeping a close eye on the 22-year-old full-back this season.

      Achraf Hakimi has attracted interest from the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Inter Milan desperately need to raise £146million to ensure they can compete next season.
      Transfer fees combined with the coronavirus pandemic have plunged the club into financial crisis.
      According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Inter Milan could get rid of five players in the summer.
      Hakimi has been named alongside Aleksandar Kolarov, Ashley Young, Danilo D’Ambrosio and Matteo Darmian.

      Premier League target Hakimi joined Inter from Real Madrid for £36.3million in the summer of 2020.
      Before his move to Italy, he spent two seasons on loan in Germany with Borussia Dortmund.
      He progressed through the ranks at Real Madrid after he joined the club at the age of eight.
      The 22-year-old is viewed by Arsenal as a possible replacement for Hector Bellerin.

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      According to The Athletic, Hakimi could be available for just £40m at the end of the season.
      But it is widely reported that the Morocco international is happy playing for the Italian giants.
      As things stand, Conte’s men are just two points behind rivals AC Milan after 20 games.

      Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City in three-way Achraf Hakimi transfer fight with full-back up for £35m from Inter Milan More

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      Chelsea’s summer transfer shopping list revealed including Bayern Munich stars Niklas and Alaba along with Upamecano

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      CHELSEA boss Thomas Tuchel has reportedly already set his sights on three big summer signings.
      Dayot Upamecano has attracted his interest along with Bayern Munich duo Niklas Sule and David Alaba.

      Liverpool and Manchester United are also interested in Dayot UpamecanoCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      That is according to SportBild, who claim one of the three players will join Chelsea in the summer.
      It is suggested that Tuchel, 47, will be backed by Roman Abramovich during the transfer window.
      The club owner is prepared to trust Tuchel’s judgement despite Lampard’s spending spree last summer.
      Lampard splashed a whopping £228.7million in a desperate attempt to strengthen his squad.

      But the club legend was sacked last month as his star-studded line-up failed to get results.
      Here we take a look at the three players that Tuchel has added to his summer shopping list so far.
      Dayot Upamecano – RB Leipzig

      Chelsea have been long-term admirers of the 22-year-old defender from RB Leipzig.
      He will be available in the summer for £38million due to a release clause in his contract.

      Upamecano’s agent confirmed that two Premier League clubs were interested in him.
      And Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who also wants to sign him, identified them as Chelsea and Liverpool.
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      Niklas Sule – Bayern Munich

      Niklas Sule has made 12 appearances in the Bundesliga this season Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Bayern Munich centre-half Sule, 25, has emerged as another option for Tuchel.
      The 6ft 5in defender has been with the German giants since he joined from Hoffenheim in 2017.
      But the 29-cap Germany international reportedly ‘dreams’ of playing for Manchester United.
      According to Bild journalist Christian Falk, he has set his sights on a future move to Old Trafford.
      David Alaba – Bayern Munich

      Real Madrid have been heavily linked to David AlabaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Bayern Munich president Karl-Heinz Rummenigges has admitted Alaba is ‘99.9 per cent’ likely to leave the Allianz Arena.
      He is out of contract this summer and has so far rejected the chance to extend his deal.
      Reports claimed Real Madrid had all-but sealed a deal to sign the 28-year-old.
      But Chelsea are still in with a chance as he is still yet to agree a move to the Bernabeu.

      How the transfer targets compare

      Here’s how Chelsea’s top targets have performed in the league this season…

      Dayot Upamecano
      Games played: 18
      Games started: 18
      Goals: 1
      Tackles: 22
      Interceptions: 24
      Duel success: 54. 5 per cent
      Blocks: 11
      Errors leading to goals: 0
      Yellow cards: 0
      Red cards: 0
      David Alaba
      Games played: 18
      Games started: 17
      Goals: 2
      Tackles: 12
      Interceptions: 26
      Duel success: 53.6 per cent
      Blocks: 9
      Errors leading to goals: 0
      Yellow cards: 1
      Red cards: 0
      Niklas Sule
      Games played: 12
      Games started: 8
      Goals: 1
      Tackles: 22
      Interceptions: 14
      Duel success: 68.4 per cent
      Blocks: 5
      Errors leading to goals: 0
      Yellow cards: 1
      Red cards: 0

      Chelsea, Arsenal and Man City in three-way Achraf Hakimi transfer fight with full-back up for £35m from Inter Milan More

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      Dele Alli and Jose Mourinho hold clear-the-air Tottenham talks over bringing outcast back into first-team fold

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      DELE ALLI and Jose Mourinho held crunch talks to pave the way for the out-of-favour star’s return to the Tottenham first team.
      Mourinho revealed he had a meeting with the playmaker on Tuesday night to check on his welfare and the pair thrashed out their differences.

      Dele Alli could be in line for a return to first team football under Mourinho

      Alli could now be in line for a first-team return, having not started a Premier League game since the season opener.
      Mourinho insists he is still on good terms with outcast Alli despite his relegation in the Spurs pecking order and the midfielder’s failed move to PSG.
      Mourinho said: “He needs to recover from his injury, he needs to be back to training and he needs to have a fresh start because in the last few weeks he couldn’t even train. So that’s the most important thing.
      “I had a good conversation with him yesterday, we spoke about this and I think we found a very common ground.

      “It is an important period of the season for the team and for him also. We need him. We need a good Dele Alli and we are just waiting for him to be back to normality, to training with the team.
      “It is not just Dele, there is also Kane and Giovani Lo Celso – we are speaking about players that without all three we miss a little bit of some creative magic around the attacking areas.
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      Alli has made just four Premier League apperances for Spurs this term
      “So we need him back and I made that very sure to him. A conversation doesn’t make miracles, a conversation doesn’t put a player in great form or without any limitations in terms of fitness. But I believe the conversation was maybe the extra motivation he needed to be back as soon as possible and to become available for the team.

      “We play Europa League very soon and we are in the Premier League every week playing a couple of matches. We are also in the FA Cup next week but I don’t think he will be in time for that one.
      “We have a final to play in April so we need a good Dele back.
      “When physically he is ready, I believe he will mentally be in a good place to go for it.”
      Alli was reportedly dismayed with the loan move to PSG failed to materialise.
      With injuries to Kane and Lo Celso and the lack of a replacement available, Tottenham would have been left short of options had he gone.
      It scuppered Alli’s hope to be reunited with former Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, who oversaw his development into one of the Premier League’s brightest stars.

      And while Alli is unlikely to play in Thursday’s huge London derby against rivals Chelsea, Mourinho wants him back in the first-team fold sooner rather than later.
      Amazon’s fly-on-the-wall documentary of Tottenham’s 2019-20 season laid bare the difficult relationship between Mourinho and Alli.
      Mourinho slammed his player as ‘f***ing lazy’ during a team meeting, while complaining of his application in training in a separate clip.
      Now it seems any rift will be swept under the carpet to pave the way for Alli’s return from the sidelines.

      Dele Alli’s PSG transfer ‘hinges on Tottenham signing last-minute replacement’ despite midfielder’s exile More

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      How Chelsea could line-up at Tottenham with Tuchel given Alonso or Chilwell dilemma and N’Golo Kante returning

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      CHELSEA’S showdown with Tottenham will be Thomas Tuchel’s toughest test to date.
      The 47-year-old secured his first win as Blues boss following Sunday’s 2-0 victory over Burnley.

      Here’s one way Chelsea start against Jose Mourinho’s side

      It was a much-needed win after Tuchel kicked off his reign with a 0-0 draw against Wolves.
      He will hope to continue in winning ways when he comes up against Jose Mourinho on Thursday.
      N’Golo Kante is expected to be available – which will come as a huge boost for the former PSG manager.
      The midfielder has missed the last six matches after he injured his hamstring against Manchester City.

      If he is fit to play, the Frenchman is expected to slot straight back into Chelsea’s starting XI.
      Tuchel also faces the tricky task of deciding between Marcos Alonso and Ben Chilwell.
      After his impressive performance against Burnley, Alonso could have secured the spot.
      He scored Chelsea’s second goal after Cesar Azpilicueta opened the scoring in the first half.

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      Thomas Tuchel has replaced Frank Lampard as Chelsea bossCredit: Reuters

      Of course, Edouard Mendy is expected to keep his spot between the sticks for the Blues.
      Tuchel is likely to stick with the same formation and start with Azpilicueta, Thiago Silva and Antonio Rudiger at the back.
      Callum Hudson-Odoi and Matteo Kovacic could join Kante and Alonso in the midfield.
      Christian Pulisic might get the nod from the man that handed him his pro debut when he played for Dortmund in 2016.

      Timo Werner could be dropped to the bench as his poor spell form continued against Burnley.
      Werner, who cost the club £53million, has four goals in 20 league games this season.
      Ex-Arsenal forward Olivier Giroud is set to lead the line against Mourinho’s side.
      ⚽ Read our Chelsea live blog for the very latest news from the Bridge

      Emma Hayes gets stuck into Chelsea training More

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      David Luiz tackle at Wolves WAS a red card under new rule despite Arsenal plotting appeal

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      DAVID LUIZ should have been sent off in last night’s thrilling loss to Wolves – despite the Arsenal man branding his red card ‘unbelievable’.
      That is according to the new letter of the law around players denying opponents goalscoring opportunities.

      ⚽ Read our Arsenal live blog for the latest news from The Emirates

      Arsenal’s David Luiz was sent off for this collision with Willian Jose

      Luiz remonstrates with Craig Pawson after being told to leave the field
      Although seemingly accidental, Luiz’s collision with Wolves’ Willian Jose was not an attempt to play the ball and IFAB’s updated laws of the game confirm that is a red card offence.
      The laws state: “Where a player commits an offence against an opponent within their own penalty area which denies an opponent an obvious goal-scoring opportunity and the referee awards a penalty kick, the offending player is cautioned if the offence was an attempt to play the ball; in all other circumstances (e.g. holding, pulling, pushing, no possibility to play the ball etc.) the offending player must be sent off.”
      Despite referee Craig Pawson technically following the laws of the game – and the decision checked with VAR – Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta confirmed after the 2-1 defeat that he plans to appeal the sending off.

      Luiz, meanwhile, took to Instagram to show his disgust, branding the decision ‘unbelievable’, complete with ‘angry’ emojis.
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      A furious Arteta said after the game: “I’ve just seen the replay ten times in five different angles and I cannot see any contact.

      “If I’m sitting here now I would say yes (we will appeal). We have to speak with legal at the club and see what the best thing is to do.
      “It’s hard enough to win football games in the league. Those big decisions are like that but it’s nothing we can change at the moment.
      “The way we lost the game really hurts, it’s painful. If there’s any contact it’s Jose with David.
      “I don’t know if they have a different angle to what they have or you have.
      “It was a big decision and they can justify if they got it right then I put my hands up and apologise.”

      Mikel Arteta insists Arsenal will appeal Luiz’s controversial red cardCredit: Guardian News & Media / Free to use by all titles in perpetuity under NMC agreement

      The Arsenal defender slammed the decision on Instagram last night

      The resulting penalty was tucked away by Ruben Neves for Wolves’ equaliser to Pepe’s opener for Arsenal – before one of the goals of the season saw Joao Moutinho secure the Midlanders all three points.
      Bernd Leno also saw red for Arsenal late on for a bizarre handball outside the box in a torrid night for the Gunners.
      The decision came on the same night as a similarly contentious dismissal for Southampton’s Jan Bednarek, who was adjudged to have fouled Manchester United’s Anthony Martial in the Saints’ 9-0 humiliation at Old Trafford.
      BT Sport’s ex-England star pundits Glenn Hoddle and Rio Ferdinand slammed both decisions, with the former United man saying ‘it goes against everything you’re brought up to know about football’.
      Hoddle added: “That rule is nonsense that if you bring him down and clash him and say I was trying to play the ball I’m only going to get a yellow card.
      “But we’ve seen two players tonight try and get out of the way and completely not foul him and there’s contact of some sort or the referee says there is contact you get a red card. That can’t be right.”

      Mikel Arteta says he couldn’t see any contact from David Luiz in red card incident at Wolves More

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      BBC pundit Jacqui Oatley vowed to record podcast NAKED if Wolves kept clean sheet vs Arsenal… but blushes are spared

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      JACQUI OATLEY bravely promised to record her podcast NAKED if Wolves kept a clean sheet against Arsenal.
      But the popular pundit, 46, kept her kit on after Nicolas Pepe opened the scoring for the Gunners in the first half.

      Jacqui Oatley was confident that Wolves were going to concede against ArsenalCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Oatley sent her fans wild as she made the claim on Twitter during the early stages of Tuesday’s match.
      She wrote: “If Wolves keep a clean sheet tonight I’ll be recording the podcast naked tonight. #nochance.”
      Just three minutes after the post, Pepe scored to put Wolves behind at the Molineux.
      She added: “Such was my ‘confidence’ in the way the game was going.”

      England kitman Pat Frost replied: “Still a brave tweet.”
      ITV, Sky and BBC pundit Oatley responded: “Not at all. You must be watching the other match.”
      Before she added: “The only people who think it was brave hadn’t been watching Wolves’ defending.”
      Despite their slow start, Wolves went on to win the match 2-1 as the Gunners were reduced to nine men.

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      Nicolas Pepe broke the deadlock for Arsenal in the 32nd minuteCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      David Luiz was controversially sent off for his challenge on Willian Jose inside of the penalty area.
      The defender branded the decision as ‘unbelievable’ on Instagram after the game.
      Hector Bellerin and Granit Xhaka also appeared to slate referee Craig Pawson.
      Ruben Neves scored from the penalty spot before Joao Moutinho scored the winner.
      After the game, Oatley recorded The Molineux View podcast with all of her clothes on.

      Mikel Arteta says he couldn’t see any contact from David Luiz in red card incident at Wolves More

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      Chelsea legend Paul Canoville critically ill in intensive care after complications following emergency surgery

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      CHELSEA legend Paul Canoville is ‘critically ill’ in hospital following complications after emergency surgery.
      The 58-year-old played for the Blues from 1981 until 1986, making 79 appearances and scoring 11 goals.

      Paul Canoville spent five years with Chelsea before he joined Reading Credit: Getty – Contributor

      Chelsea showed their support after the former player’s own trust confirmed the concerning news in a statement.
      The message shared by the Paul Canoville Foundation read: “We are sad to advise that our founder, Paul Canoville, is critically ill in hospital after complications set in following emergency surgery.
      “We are aware that his many followers and fans on his social media accounts have been missing his regular posts for two weeks now.
      “We know how loved Paul is, and will post updates as we get them, but ask that his family’s wish for privacy is respected and they are not contacted by the media.

      “The PFA are in contact with Paul’s family and being very supportive.
      “Please keep Paul in your thoughts and prayers. Thank you.”
      In response, Chelsea wrote: “All at Chelsea Football Club wish Paul Canoville, our former player, a rapid recovery following the statement today from his own trust he is critically ill in hospital.”
      Canoville became the first black player in Chelsea’s first-team when he made his debut in 1982.

      The former Blues star has a history of battling drug addictionsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      He has claimed that fans who racially abused him back then still apologise to him today.
      Despite helping Chelsea win the Second Division in 1984, he was regularly targeted by some of his own supporters.
      Speaking in 2019, he said: “I still love Chelsea. When I was invited back onto the pitch and I was greeted by the fans, I was really surprised.
      “The fans come to see me today and apologise and say, ‘Paul, I was one of those who insulted you. I did not know. I was just following my father.
      “But I really know now and accept what it is and what it does. Causing racism amongst people, it’s not a nice thing’.”
      He played for Reading, Enfield, Maidenhead United, Burnham, Northwood and Egham Town after Chelsea.

      The 58-year-old has a history of drug addictions and he has battled cancer twice.
      Canoville has been to rehab twice after getting addicted to crack cocaine.
      In 2017, the former winger underwent an operation that ‘could have claimed his life’.

      Paul Canoville says Chelsea fans still come up and apologise for racially abusing himCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Lampard only received a measly £2million Chelsea pay-off as Abramovich’s compensation bill for sacked bosses hits £112m More