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      Ex-England captain Sol Campbell sued for more than £800k after pulling out of buying £3.85m flat

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      EX-England captain Sol Campbell is being sued for more than £800,000 after pulling out of buying a £3.85million flat.Sol, 49, and wife Fiona had put a ten per cent (£387,500) deposit down on the home in London’s swish Cadogan Square.
      Sol Campbell is being sued for more than £800,000 after pulling out of buying a multi-million pound flatCredit: Getty
      The flat’s owner Lady Jadranka Beresford-Peirse has lodged papers at the High Court which claim the pair signed a contract to buy in 2021 but failed to pay the balance due.
      Widow Lady Jadranka is seeking a total of about £810,000 in alleged losses and new sale costs.
      Ex-Spurs and Arsenal defender Sol played 73 times for England.
      Campbell then went on to manage Macclesfield Town and Southend United.
      READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
      He married interior designer Fiona Barratt, granddaughter of Barratt Homes founder Sir Lawrie Barratt, in 2010.
      Lady Jadranka now accuses Sol and Fiona Campbell of breach of contract, saying they failed to pay the balance due for the flat, and threatened to sue them for specific performance of the contract if they failed to go ahead with the deal.
      She is seeking an order which would force them to have to buy the flat and pay her compensation.
      Lady Jadranka is seeking an order that would force him and his wife to have to buy the flat and pay her compensation.
      Most read in Football
      She claims she lost £260,000 after being unable to go ahead with her purchase of a smaller flat. More

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      Twist in probe into £1m raid on Jack Grealish’s mansion as cops fear it may have been an inside job

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      POLICE suspect a £1million raid on Jack Grealish’s mansion may have been an inside job after dozens of workmen had recently been in the property.The Three Lions star and fiancée Sasha Attwood moved in five days before Christmas after tradesmen had been finishing renovations.
      Cops suspect a £1million raid on Jack Grealish’s mansion may have been an inside jobCredit: Rex
      Grealish and fiancée Sasha Attwood moved in five days before Christmas after tradesmen had been finishing renovationsCredit: Instagram
      A source said: ‘By the time Jack’s partner and family downstairs heard what was going on and raised the alarm, they were long gone’Credit: https://www.instagram.com/jackgrealish/
      And The Sun understands police are focussing on whether thieves who broke into the £5.6million pad via an upstairs balcony could have been tipped off.
      A source said: “The crooks went straight to safes and jewellery counters.
      “By the time Jack’s partner and family downstairs heard what was going on and raised the alarm, they were long gone.
      “The thieves may have had specific details provided by eyewitnesses who had been in the home.”
      Read More on Football
      Another theory is the burglars were helped by the Man City star’s planning application for an extension, which reveals online the layout of his seven-bed home.
      The Sun revealed the lavish property in Cheshire was raided last Wednesday evening while the 28-year-old played in City’s 3-1 Prem win at Everton.
      Former Met top detective Mick Neville said cops would be “trying to establish who has had access to the property over the last few months”.
      He called for clubs to help give stars better home protection.
      Most read in Football
      City boss Pep Guardiola has urged stars not to flaunt their wealth online as it emerged Jack had worn £500,000 of different watches in recent weeks.
      Jack’s agent and Cheshire Police were approached for comment.  
      The Sun revealed that the couple’s lavish property was raided last Wednesday eveningCredit: Tim Stewart More

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      Jermain Defoe brings on-off girlfriend Alisha LeMay back into his tangled love life

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      FOOTIE pundit Jermain Defoe has brought on-off girlfriend Alisha LeMay off the bench and back into his tangled love life.The ex-England star, 41, was seen jogging with the influencer, 31, near his Herts home.
      Jermain Defoe was seen jogging with on-off girlfriend Alisha LeMay near his Herts homeCredit: Splash
      Paige Mallabourn-Edmondson moved in with the footie ace in September
      They also had a recent date at Claridge’s in London.
      In September, they looked over as Paige Mallabourn-Edmondson, 29, moved in with him.
      He had earlier split from wife Donna Tierney, 40.
      Defoe got his start in youth football, playing from 1997-1999 before moving up to senior level.
      Read More on Football
      He played professional football from 1994 until 2022 for a variety of Premier League teams.
      He began his career with Charlton Athletic, joining their youth team aged 14, before moving to West Ham United when he was 16.
      Defoe made his first team appearance for West Ham in 2000 and was then loaned to AFC Bournemouth for a season.
      He returned to West Ham, establishing himself in their lineup before the team was relegated in 2003.
      Most read in Football
      Following their relegation, Defoe moved to Tottenham Hotspur in January 2004.
      He played for Hotspur for four years before being sold to Portsmouth in January 2008.
      Donna Tierney married Jermain in June 2022 – but they split just months later More

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      Prem star ‘called apartment block concierge the N-word twice during drunken rant’ sparking police probe

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      A PREMIER League star is being investigated by police over claims he racially abused a staff member at a luxury apartment block.His alleged victim said the footballer hurled the N-word at him twice after turning up “agitated” and smelling of alcohol in the early hours.
      A Premier League star is being investigated by police over claims he racially abused a staff member at a luxury apartment block (stock picture)Credit: Getty
      His alleged victim, the concierge, said the footballer hurled the N-word at him twice
      The 50-year-old man claimed it happened when he was working as a concierge on December 10, after the player angrily demanded a key.
      He has reported his allegations to the Metropolitan Police and the player’s club, which have both confirmed a complaint has been made.
      The man was standing in as a temporary worker on reception, and said of the player: “He smelt like alcohol and was very agitated.
      “I wanted to help him.
      Read More on Football
      “I wanted to get him in.
      “But as soon as he saw me he demanded, ‘My key?’
      “I asked him, ‘Please, Sir, can you write down your name, email, address and phone number, so I can try to help.’
      “I explained I was a temp worker and I would do my best to help.
      Most read in Football
      “But my colleague, who was the supervisor, was on security patrol.
      “It was late. I could not get on the computer system.
      “The password I was given didn’t work.
      “Then he started losing his temper, telling me to give him the ‘f***ing key’.
      “Then he called me a ‘c***’.
      “I told him, ‘Wait a few minutes and my colleague will be back. He has access to the keys.’
      “Then he was swearing more at me and said, ‘Give me the key, you f***ing n*****.’
      “I draw the line at that.
      “I was appalled and disgusted.
      “I said to him, ‘I will not tolerate that.
      “Do not use that word towards me.’
      “He was shouting at me, ‘Do you know who I f***ing am? You will never work here again.’
      “He said the N-word again.”
      The concierge, who was born in England to Senegalese-Gambian parents, said he did not know who the player was at the time.
      He added: “I don’t follow football.
      “The development is a place with lots of very rich people. 
      “It is my job to make sure the place is safe. 
      “After he had gone, my colleague told me he is a famous footballer.
      “I was shocked.
      “I felt sick to the pit of my stomach.”
      The Met said: “On December 13, a 50-year-old man contacted police to report he had been racially abused by another man as he worked as a concierge.
      “There have been no arrests.
      “Enquiries continue.”
      The player’s club said: “It would be inappropriate to comment until the matter has been investigated fully by police.
      Read more on The Sun
      The player is said to deny the allegations.
      The Premier League and the clubs that play in it say they are committed to tackling all forms of discrimination, on and off the pitch. More

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      Pep Guardiola warns Man City stars criminals are watching them on social media after £1m raid on Jack Grealish’s house

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      MAN City boss Pep Guardiola yesterday told his mega-wealthy stars they are always being watched on social media — so the “less the criminals know, the better”.He urged players not to flaunt their wealth online after we revealed raiders terrified Jack Grealish’s family at his new mansion.
      Concerned manager Pep Guardiola has warned players not to flaunt their wealth after a break-in at Jack Grealish’s homeCredit: Getty
      Jack, 28, and stunning influencer fiancée Sasha Attwood have been left devastated by the raidCredit: Instagram
      The City manager said they should share “not so much on social media — the less they know what you are doing the better. People are waiting. Waiting to see where you are”.
      Grealish’s partner Sasha Attwood and up to ten relatives were at his £5.6million Cheshire home on Wednesday night when they heard burglars upstairs.
      They pressed a panic alarm before the raiders fled with £1million of watches and gems, despite extensive perimeter fencing and security.
      Grealish, 28, who was playing away at Everton, had only just moved in to the property.
      READ MORE JACK GREALISH
      On Christmas Day he and Sasha posted a festive photo with their dog Skye, shared with more than 10 million followers.
      The England winger also posted a picture of a dining table with a Christmas Day menu.
      The Sun can reveal that detectives are speaking to the team that installed the security system at his home.
      The ordeal has also left model and influencer Sasha, 27, “absolutely devastated”.
      Most read in Football
      Guardiola said his £100million man, expected to play today against Sheffield United, will find it “tough to process”. He added: “It is what it is today in the modern world.
      “Yes it was a bad moment for him and his family but, fortunately, the family was not hurt.”
      Guardiola compared it to the 2021 ordeal suffered by City’s defender Joao Cancelo, now on loan at Barcelona.
      The player was battered after confronting four raiders who broke into his home in Hale, Greater Manchester, while he was there with his family.
      The Spanish boss said of the spate of break-ins: “It has ­happened to Manchester United players as well. I don’t know much about London but it’s happened there.
      “They have security. But unfortunately it’s happened — it’s happened many times.
      “In the UK, in Catalonia where my family lives, many things happen. Today you have to be careful, definitely.
      “Unfortunately it happened with Joao Cancelo, which was so scary because the family was being attacked.
      “Jewellery, money, whatever — it’s tough — but the family being there is tough to process for Jack, as it was with Joao.”
      Read more on The Sun
      Last year, then-City winger Riyad Mahrez had £500,000 of items stolen from his Manchester pad, including watches he had posted pictures of on social media.
      Cheshire Police are appealing for info on the latest break-in.
      Jack and Sasha had spent Christmas together at home with their dogCredit: Instagram
      Jack had posted an image to social media of his festive dining tableCredit:
      He had also shared a Christmas Day dinner menu on InstagramCredit: Instagram
      Guardiola has warned his players not to share details of their personal lives onlineCredit: Getty
      Former City defender Joao Cancelo was assaulted in his own home in 2021Credit: Instagram @jpcancelo More

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      We live next to Prem ground… ‘haunting’ problem keeps us up but it’s NOT the fans & there’s an extra issue on Boxing Day

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      WHEN you imagine what it’s like to live next to a football ground, you’d expect the cheering (and jeering) crowds to get on neighbours’ nerves.But locals next to Boscombe’s Vitality Stadium, home to AFC Bournemouth, say it’s a different type of nuisance that’s getting under their skin. 
      AFC Bournemouth’s ground is the second-smallest stadium in the Premier LeagueCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Andrew Martin says locals are annoyed by a ‘whistling’ soundCredit: Chris Balcombe
      One resident told The Sun there is a “haunting whistling sound” – allegedly caused by one of the club’s lights – that is keeping them up at night, which he likened to “a jet taking off”.
      NHS worker Andrew Martin, 56, explained: “When Bournemouth was promoted they needed new lights for the HD broadcast on Sky, and since then it hasn’t stopped.
      “On a normal day the noise makes it sound like our house is haunted, and on a bad day it’s like a jet is taking off.
      “It used to keep us up at night but we’ve had to get used to it now.
      READ MORE LIFE’S A PITCH
      “I have a real beef with the stadium about the lights – I looked it up and I believe it’s an easy fix.”
      We visited Boscombe in Bournemouth as part of our Life’s A Pitch series, which documents struggles faced by those who live near sports stadiums.
      Other locals told us parking can be a nightmare, heavy traffic means two-minute trips can take nearly an hour, and nuisance seagulls and “jobsworth” parking wardens are a menace. 
      A stone’s throw from the stadium on Middleton Gardens, Clare Murgatroyd, 38, told us she hates the “whistling lights” too. 
      Most read in Football
      Claire Murgatroyd says her partner struggles to sleep due to noise from the stadiumCredit: Chris Balcombe
      Middleton Gardens runs alongside the Bournemouth’s football clubCredit: Chris Balcombe
      The software sales worker said: “It drives my partner mental, but that’s because he’s OCD and a bad sleeper.
      “It’s not bad during the summer, but when it’s stormy weather you hear it a lot.
      “It’s a bit irritating and I don’t know why they can’t cap the ends of the light to stop the sound.
      “A lot of people moaned but they didn’t do anything about it.”
      It’s not the only noise issue that Clare’s noticed in her 12 years on the estate – which has private parking and is around 10 metres from the ground. 
      She said: “There are nesting seagulls that land on the stadium. They are not aggressive but they are really noisy and there are hundreds of them. It does my head in.”
      Gulls weren’t the only unexpected visitors. Clare recalled spotting football fans standing on a nearby wall to try to watch the game from outside the stadium in previous years.
      She said: “We called them ‘the wall dwellers’. They could see through a gap in the stadium if they stood on the wall.
      “There were a lot of them when Bournemouth played Real Madrid in a pre-season friendly, they all wanted to get a glimpse of Ronaldo.”
      Locals claim the ‘haunting’ sound comes from a lightCredit: Alamy
      Locals say parking on match days can be an issue with journeys taking much longer than they shouldCredit: PA:Press Association
      Aside from that, Clare likes living in the area and believes it’s “probably quieter than living next to a road… apart from on match days”.
      Andrew has lived on Thistlebarrow Road, which runs alongside Vitality Stadium, for 15 years and claimed some residents have taken extreme measures to deal with “thoughtless” football fans.
      He said: “We’ve had people phone the police when their driveways have been blocked and they will send someone to take the cars away. 
      “It can be a nightmare trying to get in and out, too.
      “Once we got stuck trying to get home from the pub and it took three-quarters of an hour to make a trip that takes two minutes to drive.”
      Andrew’s wife Laura, 45, said she now manages her life around the club’s matches, having battled “standstill gridlock traffic that can last over an hour”.
      Smashed glass
      Down the road Lucy Scott, 26, who works at a drugs and alcohol charity, admitted being apprehensive about the noise before moving there in June 2022.
      But she was “pleasantly surprised” by the lack of disturbance, which she jokingly attributes to “Bournemouth not scoring often”. 
      Her biggest gripe is with rubbish and broken bottles littering the floor around the stadium after matches.
      Lucy said: “It’s always in the same place.
      “It’s where the fans walk through the gate.
      “I think their bottles are smashed there because they can’t take them into the ground.
      “When I take my dog for a walk it’s annoying because there is a lot of smashed glass after the game. I wish the club would do more about that.”
      Lucy Scott is annoyed by broken glass around the stadiumCredit: Chris Balcombe
      Several other neighbours complained about littering, including Andrew, who said he’s started putting his bins on the street to encourage boozers to ditch cans and bottles there instead.
      He said: “You used to come out to find lots of beer bottles and cans on or over our wall, but they are getting better at putting them in the bin now.” 
      Landlord Lee Matthews, 64, believes more should be done to solve the littering problem, but said he has seen attempts by the club to reduce it.
      “You do get the odd carton, can and bottle in the hedgerows,” he added. “It’s not great. I shouldn’t have to put up with it, but you do.
      “There’s also broken glass, but it’s just something you accept.
      “After match days they should send a few more people around to get rid of the rubbish generated by the club.”
      Lin and Ray Allen, 73 and 75, who have lived on Thistlebarrow Road for 38 years, tell us living near the stadium is much better than it used to be.
      Lin tells us: “Going back years ago, we used to have beer cans and bottles left behind a lot but not as much since we’ve been in the Premier League.”
      Retiree Mark Elson, 55, said the stadium’s lights were “so bright” that he moved from his front bedroom to one at the back of his house to escape it.
      He said: “When I’m in the front two rooms it’s very bright.
      “The club’s sign is all lit up at night. I think they turn it off at about 1 o’clock some mornings. 
      “I sleep at the back of my house now so I’m far away from it, but whenever visitors stay with me they always complain.
      “I guess I need to get better blinds than I have at the moment.” 
      Mark Elson moved into his back bedroom to escape the stadium’s bright lightsCredit: Chris Balcombe
      Boxing Day blight
      On weekdays, Thistlebarrow Road and some of the nearby streets have strict parking conditions that state no one can park there from 11am until 12pm and 2pm until 3pm.
      Some residents said this causes problems for Boxing Day fixtures when they fall on a weekday and Bournemouth are playing at home.
      Andrew said parking wardens “have a field day” because people wrongly assume they can park on the street without consequence.
      He explained: “You will suddenly see 10 parking wardens out there. It’s just a cash cow for them because people forget they can still get a ticket. 
      “If Bournemouth are playing on Boxing Day, not only will people who go to the game and park on the street get a parking ticket, but also visiting family members if they park on the street, too. 
      “It does get a bit silly really. It was much better when they used to put cones at the top of the road to block it off.”
      Parking payday
      Alice Neale charges cars £10 to park on her driveway on match daysCredit: Chris Balcombe
      While some are annoyed by the parking restrictions, some entrepreneurial locals see it as an easy way to turn a quick profit.
      At least 10 rent out their driveways to fans and visitors online; we found the most someone charges is £22.50 for nearly six hours.
      Andrew said he lets his drive to “some rich guy” for the whole season for £200.
      There’s also retiree Alice Neale, 80, who proudly waves her makeshift wood and cardboard sign offering £10 parking on match days. 
      The resident of 47 years told us: “I can get four cars on my drive so I can make £40 on a Saturday just from people parking.
      “I’m slowly building up clientele from far and away.
      “On match days I normally put up the sign outside and stand around sweeping or do a bit of gardening and people approach me. 
      “When Manchester United came down I charged a minibus £40 to park.
      “It tends to happen more often in the summertime but it’s a little bit of extra cash.” 
      Unsurprisingly many residents in the area are die-hard “Cherries” fans, but for locals watching the games from their living rooms, there’s an annoying twist.
      Mark said: “You can normally hear if our opponents have scored before it comes on the TV. There’s a good 10 to 15 seconds lag.”
      Many of the gardens on Thistlebarrow Road face the stadiumCredit: Chris Balcombe
      Alice pointed out she doesn’t mind the stadium being an occasionally noisy neighbour because she doesn’t have anyone living behind her.
      “They only play 19 matches at home and within a few hours it’s quiet again, so it doesn’t really bother me,” she said.
      “It’s much better than having neighbours with barbeques who have summer parties and play music all the time.”
      Councillor Mike Cox, Portfolio Holder for Finance at Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council, said there was a Temporary Traffic Regulation Order (TRRO) to prevent on-street parking on specified roads close to the football stadium.
      He told us: “Irresponsible parking can create unsafe conditions on our roads and has an impact on our communities and residents.
      Read more on The Sun
      “This matchday TTRO has been produced in conjunction with the Police and the football club. It seeks to keep these roads free from parked vehicles both for the safety of those accessing the stadium on foot and in case emergency access is needed.
      “Temporary signs are erected on the street to publicise this on match days, as well as ‘No Parking’ cones which are put out by the football club.”
      Lin and Ray Allen, who live in Thistlebarrow Road where their garden backs onto the groundCredit: Chris Balcombe More

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      England ace Harry Kane earns whopping £25MILLION away from the pitch with lucrative side-hustles

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      ENGLAND captain Harry Kane has played a blinder off the pitch — with business assets soaring to almost £25million.The Bayern Munich striker has netted £14.7million from a property company and £10.2million from an image rights firm.
      Harry Kane’s assets have jumped by £11.8million in a year, thanks to side-hustles away from the pitch like his property companyCredit: Getty
      Figures signed off by Kane three days before Christmas revealed the assets have jumped by £11.8million in a year.
      The 30-year-old star — who became the most expensive player in Bundesliga history when he joined for £86million in August — runs buy-to-let company Edward James Investments.
      And income from his name, likeness and sponsorship is held by separate firm HK28.
      After famously failing to win a major trophy during his 14-year stint at Tottenham, Kane how has plenty of space to store medals if he starts picking them up at Bayern.
      READ MORE ON HARRY KANE
      His property company’s latest buys include a £297,000 house in Folkestone, Kent and a £475,000 flat in East London.
      A source said: “Harry has an eye for business like his eye for a goal, and is very astute off the pitch as well as on it.
      “He has worked hard to ensure his family have a comfortable future — and that means working at business as well as at his game.”
      Kane earns £400,000 per week at Bayern and is the German league’s top scorer, chalking up 21 goals in 15 games.
      Most read in Football
      The star, who has four children with wife Katie, revealed last week he had found a family home in Munich.
      And he finally moved out of a suite at the five-star Vier Jahreszeiten hotel, where he ran up a £1million tab.
      Kane posted on Instagram: “A massive thank you to the hotel staff who have made me feel at home.
      “It’s been a huge part of being able to settle in so well.” More

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      Inside Michael Schumacher’s decade-long recovery from ‘desperately cruel’ ski crash as brother shares devastating update

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      IT was a sunny Alpine morning as Michael Schumacher and his son Mick emerged, ten years ago this week, from their luxury chalet ready to take on the mountains.For a man who had been the king of speed in Formula One, the ski slopes offered the greatest racing driver of his generation another chance of an exhilarating adrenaline rush.
      It’s been 10 years since Formula One champion Michael Schumacher’s devastating skiing accidentCredit: AFP
      Michael was left in a coma for 250 days after the accidentCredit: AFP
      An accomplished skier, the retired seven-times world champion, 44, and his 14-year-old son set off on the Combe de Saulire ski run in the exclusive French  resort of Meribel.
      Footage from the German driver’s helmet camera revealed he was not travelling at excessive speed for his abilities yet, moments later, his skis struck a rock partly concealed beneath fresh snow and catapulted him 3.5 metres (11.5ft) head first on to a second boulder.
      The impact of the collision, shortly after 11am on December 29, 2013 was so intense that it split his helmet in two and left him in a coma for 250 days.
      Now his younger brother Ralf has admitted the F1 legend may never completely recover, despite receiving advanced medical treatment.
      read more on Schumacher
      He said: ““Nothing is like it used to be.”
      Ralf, who also raced and won six F1 Grands Prix, told German outlet Bild this week: “Life is unfair at times.
      “That day held a lot of bad luck. This fate has changed our family.”
      He added: “Michael wasn’t only my brother.
      Most read in Motorsport
      “When we were kids he was also my coach and mentor. He taught me every- thing about kart racing.
      “There may be an age gap of seven years but he was always by my side.”
      Yesterday Michael’s F1 pal Perry McCarthy, the man behind Top Gear’s original mystery character The Stig, said his fate was “desperately cruel”, adding: “It’s incredible that someone so special can be so badly hurt while skiing.
      “It’s so cruel that Michael happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
      Perry told sports betting website OLBG: “Nobody knows exactly what Michael would have gone on to do, but my feeling is that he’d have done something for humanity.
      “I feel he had that capacity, and I think he would have retained his love for F1, but he would have realised that there are much bigger things in life and he had the opportunity to change things.”
      Airlifted to hospital, Michael had two life-saving operations to remove blood clots from his brain.
      Doctors later said if it had not been for his headgear, he would have died instantly.
      Michael, who is married to Corinna, 54, was placed in a medically induced coma to try to reduce the swelling.
      In the decade that has followed, the F1 superstar has not been seen in public and  health updates have been irregular.
      Into this void has come un-founded rumour and conjecture.
      His family has remained largely silent about his condition and access is given only to those closest to him.
      Michael’s for- mer Ferrari colleague Luca Badoer, one of those allow-ed regular visits, revealed: “Only a few people are allowed to visit.
      “Corinna decides who is allowed to see him.
      “The family wants to maintain a sort of secrecy about this and I respect their will.
      “They do all this for the good of Michael.”
      Mick, now 24 and the spit-ting image of his dad, has described his father as his “idol” and “role model”.
      He, too, is a racing driver, who competed in F1 for Haas before losing his seat for the 2023 season to Nico Hulkenberg.
      In 2024 he will move to the World Endurance Championship, where his dad competed with Sauber-Mercedes before making his grand prix debut in 1991, to race for Alpine.
      In July fans were reduced to tears when Mick drove Michael’s Mercedes at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex while wearing his dad’s iconic red helmet and race suit.
      Mick said at the time: “It’s going to be spectacular to run, in my dad’s 2011 car, the W02 — even if it is only a short run.”
      Cashing in on the public sympathy for Michael, in April, a German magazine ran a tasteless  AI-generated “interview” with the stricken driver.
      Die Aktuelle’s front cover showed a photo of him smiling, with a headline promising,  “Michael Schumacher, the first interview”.
      But in fact the chat was written with an artificial intelligence tool.
      The family threatened legal action and Die Aktuelle’s editor was sacked.
      Named sport’s first billionaire by Euro-business magazine, Michael revolut-ionised the pinnacle of motor racing.
      Born with seemingly superhuman co-ordination and spatial awareness, he honed his physique to handle the G-force stress on his body in races.
      When cornering and braking, a driver’s head, plus helmet, effectively weighs almost half as much as their entire body.
      So Michael designed a cockpit-shaped exercise machine that attached to his helmet, which he used for hour after hour.
      At the time of his retirement in 2012 he held records for the most F1 wins (91), pole positions (68) and podium finishes (155).
      Born to working-class parents in Hurth, West Germany, he won his first karting championship aged six.
      Making his F1 debut in 1991, he went on to land seven drivers’ titles, a record equalled by Sir Lewis Hamilton in 2020.
      Away from the track — where he was described as a “perfectionist” — Michael was, according to manager Sabine Kehm, “devoted to his family”.
      In 1995 he wed champion equestrian and animal rights activist Corinna Betsch.
      They had children Gina-Maria in 1997 and son Mick in 1999.
      Shunning the celebrity limelight, the family lived in a newly built mansion with a private beach on Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
      They also own a horse ranch in Switzerland and another in Texas.
      Michael once described his marriage as “total harmony”, adding: “We have the same vision of how we want to spend our lives.”
      In April 2014, three months after Michael was placed in a coma, manager Sabine revealed he was showing “moments of consciousness and awakening”.
      Though still being treated in intensive care at Grenoble Hospital, he was said to be “making progress”.
      Michael made his F1 debut in 1991 and went on to land seven drivers’ titlesCredit: Reuters
      Michael’s wife Corinna has been by his side through his recoveryCredit: Rex
      Michael’s son Mick is a racing driver who competed in F1 for HaasCredit: AP
      There followed another period of silence about Michael’s condition, then a fresh statement in June 2014 revealed he was no longer in a coma.
      His “long phase of rehabilitation” continued at the University Hospital of Lausanne in Switzerland.
      In September that year it emerged Michael had been transferred to his home beside Lake Geneva.
      Manager Sabine said: “Henceforth, Michael’s rehabilitation will take place at his home.
      “Considering the severe injuries that he suffered, progress has been made in the past weeks and months.”
      And she pleaded for speculation about his health to be “avoided”.
      Two months later a friend of Michael’s offered a glimpse into his condition.
      Wheelchair user and former racing driver Philippe Streiff, who had visited Michael in hospital, said: “He is getting better but everything is relative.
      “It’s very difficult.
      “He can’t speak. Like me, he is in a wheelchair, paralysed.
      “He has memory problems and speech problems.”
      Further updates were not forth-coming and the family dealt with their anguish privately, while strongly protecting his privacy.
      Then in May 2015 Sabine provided an update, revealing Michael’s con-dition was improving “considering the severeness of the injury he had”.
      That Christmas, German magazine Bunte reported that he could manage some steps with the help of therapists and could now raise an arm.
      It proved a false hope for his fans. The family sued Bunte, their lawyer telling a court Michael “cannot walk”.
      Then, in 2017, his former long-term manager Willi Weber made an extraordinary intervention, tell-ing a German newspaper: “I find it very unfortunate that Michael’s fans do not know about his health.
      “Why are they not being told the truth?”
      Two years later Jean Todt, Michael’s former boss at Ferrari and one of his closest confidantes, gave a rare update, revealing that they watched F1 races together on television.
      “Michael is in the best hands and is well looked after in his house,” Jean said.
      “He does not give up and keeps fighting.”
      Yet his precise physical and mental state remained shrouded in secrecy.
      In 2021, Corinna broke her silence to talk about her husband in a TV documentary.
      She revealed during an emotional interview: “I miss Michael every day. It’s not just me who misses him, everybody misses Michael.
      “But Michael is here — different, but here.
      “He still shows me how strong he is, every day.”
      During the Netflix documentary, called simply Schumacher, she added: “We are trying to carry on as a family, the way Michael liked it and still does.
      “We live together at home. We do therapy.
      “We do everything we can to make Michael better and to make sure he’s comfortable.”
      Like his mother, Mick has main-tained a steadfast silence over precise details of his father’s health.
      In that 2021 documentary, Corinna provided an emotional rebuff to those who had accused the family of unnecessary secrecy.
      Read more on The Sun
      Corinna revealed of her husband: “We are getting on with our lives — ‘Private is private’, as he always said.
      “Michael always protected us, now we are protecting Michael.”
      Michael’s brother Ralf has admitted the F1 legend may never completely recoverCredit: Getty
      Corinna has chosen to keep Michael’s recovery privateCredit: Rex
      German mag Die Aktuelle ran an AI generate interview with MichaelCredit: Die AktuelleTIMELINE OF SLOW HEALING

      Dec 29, 2013: Michael suffers traumatic brain injury in a skiing accident in Méribel, France, and is airlifted to hospital in critical condition. Transported to CHU Grenoble hospital, where he remains for six months.
      Dec 30, 2013: Doctors place him in a medically induced coma.
      Jan 31, 2014: Michael is gradually woken. Not fully awake until June 6.
      Feb 7, 2014: Reports he has died denied.
      Mar 12, 2014: Family say he is showing “small, encouraging signs” and believe he will “pull through and will wake up”.
      April 4, 2014: Manager Sabine Kehm reveals he is showing “moments of consciousness and awakening”.
      June 16, 2014: Transferred to University Hospital of Lausanne, Switzerland, for rehab.
      September 9, 2014: Michael returns to his home next to Lake Geneva.
      His family say: “Progress has been made . . . There is still a long and difficult road ahead.”
      November 19, 2014: Former racing driver Philippe Streiff says after a visit: “He is getting better. It’s very difficult.
      “He can’t speak. He is in a wheelchair, paralysed. He has memory and speech problems.”
      September 2016: Michael’s lawyer, Felix Damm, says the F1 legend “cannot walk”.
      October 2017: Ex long-term manager Willi Weber says: “I find it very unfortunate that Michael’s fans do not know about his health.
      “Why are they not being told the truth?”
      November 2018: Wife Corinna gives the rare update: “It is good to receive so many kind wishes . . .  We all know Michael is a fighter and will not give up.”
      September 2021: In the Netflix documentary Schumacher, Corinna says: “Everybody misses Michael, but Michael is here – different, but here.
      “He still shows me how strong he is every day.” More