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      Lionel Messi ‘lands back in Paris’ as private jet touches down from Argentina hometown after World Cup celebrations

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      LIONEL MESSI has landed back in Paris to report for club duty again after his World Cup celebrations at home in Argentina.A private jet flew overnight from Rosario, Messi’s hometown, to the French capital, landing at 3.15pm on Tuesday.
      Lionel Messi left Rosario last nightCredit: Twitter
      The private jet flew over the Atlantic into ParisCredit: JETPHOTOS
      The plane touched down at the Paris–Le Bourget AirportCredit: JETPHOTOS
      The Messi family are due back at their home in Paris as dad Lionel returns to PSGCredit: INSTAGRAM
      More than 4,700 fans were tracking the aircraft on popular website Flightradar24 as it made its way across the Atlantic.
      Argentine football reporter Roy Nemer also tweeted on Monday night with a picture of Messi and possibly wife Antonela on the tarmac boarding a plane headed for Paris.
      The Gulfstream G-V jet took off from Rosario at 10pm and touched down 13 hours later at the tiny Paris–Le Bourget Airport rather than the main Charles de Gaulle site.
      It is unclear if the vehicle used was Messi’s own £12million private jet complete with two bathrooms, 16 seats that convert into eight beds and even its very own kitchen.
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      Assuming it was the Messis on board, Lionel and Antonela would have been joined by their three sons – Mateo, Ciro and Thiago – to return to their family home.
      The family enjoyed two weeks back in Argentina after winning the World Cup.
      Messi joined in the dramatic team celebrations as thousands of fans turned out in Buenos Aires to welcome back their Qatar 2022 heroes.
      Messi was, of course, the star attraction as he finally got hold of the one trophy that had eluded him in his illustrious career.
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      The captain scored seven goals and was crowned player of the tournament in the Middle East.
      And after the jubilant scenes in his homeland, Messi carried on the private parties for Christmas and New Year with his family and friends.
      But now he is getting back to work with Paris Saint-Germain.
      The Ligue 1 champions beat Strasbourg last Wednesday despite Neymar’s red card in the first match after the World Cup break.
      However, Christophe Galtier’s side were crying out for some Messi magic as they were stunned 3-1 by Lens – but still sit four points clear at the top of the table.
      PSG face third-tier minnows Chateauroux in the Coupe de France on Friday before Angers and Rennes in league action with Messi surely set to make his return in one of those matches.
      But the forward and his team-mates may already have half an eye on their blockbuster Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich on February 14.
      Messi enjoyed some relaxing time off with wife AntonelaCredit: INSTAGRAM
      Messi finally got his hands on the World Cup trophy last monthCredit: Getty More

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      Watch ex-Chelsea star Ross Barkley finally score for Nice with 25-yard screamer but fail to prevent last gasp defeat

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      ROSS BARKLEY opened his account in French football by scoring a screamer for Nice against Rennes on Monday.The midfielder left Chelsea last summer, subsequently penning a one-year deal to play in Ligue 1.

      Ross Barkley takes aim from 25 yardsCredit: https://twitter.com/btsportfootball
      Barkley, 29, celebrates his brilliant goalCredit: AFP
      Barkley, 29, has so far been in and out of Lucien Favre’s XI – but made his case for more starts by scoring a superb goal in his side’s most recent outing.
      Nice had gone 1-0 down early on, with in-form Martin Terrier putting the home side in front.
      But in the 21st minute, Barkley levelled in spectacular fashion.
      Receiving the ball from Jordan Lotomba around 25 yards out, the former England international quickly shifted it onto his right foot.
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      He then unleashed a devilishly whipped effort towards the top corner, leaving French international goalkeeper Steve Mandanda stranded.
      Barkley wheeled away in celebration, being mobbed by his delighted team-mates – including Arsenal loanee Nicolas Pepe.

      The midfielder was substituted for Sofiane Diop in the 67th minute, but his side couldn’t hold on for a valuable point without him.
      Rennes star Benjamin Bourigeaud struck in the 89th minute to secure all three points for his team.
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      The defeat sees Nice fall to a disappointing 11th place.
      Elsewhere in Ligue 1, surprise package Lens dispatched of champions Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 in front of a raucous home crowd on Sunday evening.
      Przemyslaw Frankowski gave Lens a fifth minute lead, only for Hugo Ekitike to controversially equalise just moments later after appearing to have kicked the ball out of Brice Samba’s hands.
      Lens rallied, however, and impressive forward Lois Openda restored their lead shortly before the half hour mark after giving Sergio Ramos a torrid time.
      PSG, without suspended Neymar and World Cup celebrating Lionel Messi were then put to the sword just two minutes after half-time, when Alexis Claude-Maurice deservedly made it 3-1.
      The result moved Lens to within four points of the league leaders.
      Last night, Marseille won a feisty clash at Montpellier, with Arsenal loanee Nuno Tavares scoring before being red carded in his side’s 2-1 triumph on the south coast.
      Kylian Mbappe looks on as Lens stars celebrateCredit: EPA
      Nuno Tavares went from hero to zeroCredit: EPA More

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      Arsenal flop Nuno Tavares sparks huge brawl after kicking out at rival before trolling Montpellier fans in Marseille win

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      ARSENAL flop Nuno Tavares sparked a huge brawl after kicking a rival in Ligue 1 last night.That’s before trolling opposition fans in wild scenes during Marseille’s 2-1 win at Montpellier.
      Nuno Tavares was sent off after started a brawl against MontpellierCredit: EPA

      Tavares, 22, swapped Arsenal for Marseille in a season-long loan deal last summer.
      And the left-back has been enjoying his spell in France with five goals in 22 games.
      But Tavares will now spend some time in the stands after receiving a late red card in last night’s win over Montpellier.
      Tavares, who scored his side’s opener in the 47th minute, made a wild challenge on an opponent with just three minutes of the game remaining.
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      It sparked a mass brawl on the field, with Tavares reacting angrily to Montpellier players getting in his face.
      The referee was forced to step in and cool things down between the players before showing Tavares a yellow card.
      But VAR had been doing checks in the background and quickly informed the ref that Tavares’ challenge, which was more of a KICK, was worthy of a red card.
      The official quickly rescinded the original booking before sending Tavares for an early shower.
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      And the Portuguese defender was jeered off the pitch by Montpellier fans as he exited.
      But Tavares had one last trick up his sleeve as he trolled home supporters by flashing the scoreline with his hands.
      Tavares could now be banned for up to three games if his foul was deemed violent.
      That would see him miss games against Troyes, Lorient and Monaco.
      And with Marseille third in Ligue 1 and looking to secure Champions League football, Tavares’ absence will come as a huge blow to boss Igor Tudor. More

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      Fans go mad for Neymar’s outrageous elastico nutmeg before being sent off and storming down tunnel for diving in PSG win

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      FANS went wild for a wonderful piece of Neymar trickery last night – before he was SENT-OFF for diving.The forward returned to club duty with Paris Saint-Germain 19 days after Brazil crashed out of the World Cup.
      Neymar found himself in the headlines on his PSG return last nightCredit: AP
      He produced this epic assist before later getting sent offCredit: Twitter @PSG

      And the 30-year-old certainly made his presence felt during the clash with Strasbourg.
      Neymar firstly had supporters in bits as he produced a brilliant elastico nutmeg that left Adrien Thomasson completely bamboozled.
      One fan commented: “Every match Neymar plays adds a new enemy to the group!”
      Another tweeted: “The king of samba back with another classic for us. Elastico nutmeg against Strasbourg. Neymar is a joke.”
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      While a fellow fan wrote: “The elastico nutmeg will end up in the history book of Neymar comps.”
      And another tweeted: “Neymar doing what he does the best. What a Nutmeg. Cheeky.”
      Neymar’s night suffered a miserable ending though when he was giving his marching orders on 63 minutes.
      He was first booked just past the hour-mark before he saw red for diving moments later.
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      With the scores level at 1-1 after Marquinhos had scored at both ends, Neymar tried to con referee Clement Turpin.
      But his attempt at trying to win a penalty went horribly wrong as he was penalised.
      Neymar got to the ball before the defender on the right side of the box before falling to the ground without major contact – leading to him being awarded a second yellow card for simulation.
      He had been looking to make a positive return to club football following his disappointing World Cup that was overshadowed by an ankle injury.
      But instead the forward was sent off for the FIFTH time in his PSG career.
      Fortunately for Neymar, his blushes were spared by Kylian Mbappe, who secured PSG’s sixth Ligue 1 victory on the bounce with a last-gasp penalty.
      The Brazilian will now miss the New Year’s Day trip to Lens, who PSG lead by eight points at the top. More

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      Saudi giants Al-Nassr ‘hope to complete Cristiano Ronaldo transfer on January 1.. and reunite him with Sergio Ramos’

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      AL-NASSR are allegedly hoping to confirm Cristiano Ronaldo’s signing on January 1 – and they want to reunite him with Sergio Ramos.The 37-year-old legend is plotting his next move after being released by Manchester United following a bombshell interview with Sun columnist Piers Morgan.
      Al-Nassr are hoping to confirm Cristiano Ronaldo’s signature on January 1Credit: Getty
      The Saudi club are also chasing Sergio Ramos from PSGCredit: Getty
      The forward claimed he felt United had “betrayed” him and revealed he had “no respect” for Erik ten Hag before heading off to the World Cup.
      Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr are now said to be closing in on a mega £173m-a-year contract with Ronaldo.
      However, MARCA are claiming that they also have a number of other big names in their sights.
      Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante has been mentioned as a possible target.
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      However, it now seems that after virtually securing Ronaldo, who has a medical scheduled, they are now after his former Real Madrid team-mate Ramos.
      They claim that Al-Nassr’s president and sporting director are planning for a trip to Madrid to work on a deal for the 36-year-old defender, who is currently at Paris Saint-Germain.
      The Spaniard has suffered a terrible time with injury ever since his departure from the Bernabeu to Parc des Princes in 2021.
      His contract runs out in France at the end of the season and the Ligue 1 side may decide to get him off their wage bill early next month once the transfer window re-opens.
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      Ramos and Ronaldo enjoyed huge success playing alongside each other in Madrid from 2009 to 2018.
      They lifted the Champions League a whopping four times as well as tasting LaLiga glory twice.
      Al-Nassr are one of Saudi Arabia’s most successful clubs and have been their domestic champions nine times, with their most recent title success coming in 2019. More

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      Fans divided as ‘Super Ballon d’Or’ rankings revealed with Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo GOAT debate finally settled

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      SUPPORTERS have been left torn after a fan created and revealed “Super Ballon d’Or” rankings for the last 32 years.The accolade has only ever been given out once in the history of the game.
      Lionel Messi has come top of a new list ranking the ‘Super Ballon d’Or’Credit: Getty
      The list will also settle the GOAT debate between Messi and Cristiano RonaldoCredit: AP
      Real Madrid legend Alfredo Di Stefano received it in 1989 to mark the 30th anniversary of France Football magazine.
      It was that outlet that announced the winner, which only players from Europe were eligible to win.
      Argentinian Di Stefano qualified through his Spanish citizenship and pipped Dutch icon Johan Cruyff and French star Michel Platini to the prize.
      A host of footy fans have been calling for the gong to return in order to celebrate the greats and achievements of players from the current era.
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      That has led to Reddit user @mkx696969x calculating how the list might look based purely on Ballon d’Or performances from 1990 onwards.
      And if his calculations are correct, then it surely puts the GOAT debate between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to bed for good.
      Messi, who finally got his hands on the World Cup this month, has won the Ballon d’Or a record seven times compared to Ronaldo’s five.
      And therefore it should come as no surprise to see the Argentina talisman top the list – with a host of surprise names making the top 30.
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      The rankings were decided on how players have placed in the Ballon d’Or votes over the past three decades.
      However, while the Messi and Ronaldo debate was the main topic, it was the placing of other icons that also got people talking.
      Brazilian legend Ronaldo came in behind the above two, leading to one person commenting: “R9 being 3rd shows just how much better he would have been than everyone else without the injuries.”
      Another wrote: “Mane has no business being on this list, Beckham next to Buffon what a joke.”
      A fellow fan commented: “Shevchenko was a monster one of the greatest 9’s ever seen. Ronaldinho top 10 despite everyone saying his prime lasted 2 years.”
      While another said: “From a quick glimpse, Suarez at #30 is probably the most controversial for me.”
      Here’s the list in full: More

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      ‘It’s annoying and stressful’ – Kylian Mbappe bizarrely changes his voice in interviews, moans Adrien Rabiot

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE bizarrely changes his voice in interviews, claims France team-mate Adrien Rabiot.The duo both starred for Les Bleus in Qatar as they reached the World Cup final earlier this month.
      Adrien Rabiot and Kylian Mbappe both starred for France at the World CupCredit: Alamy
      Mbappe, 23, ‘changes his voice’ in interviewsCredit: Getty
      Mbappe in particular was the main man, bagging a sensational hat-trick in the final.
      The pair go way back, having also been club team-mates at Paris Saint-Germain between 2017 and 2019.
      Quizzed by Le Media Carre upon his return to Juventus, Rabiot was asked if anything about Mbappe irritates him.
      In response, the 27-year-old joked: “Kylian annoys me when he changes his voice in interviews.
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      “When we are together, he speaks normally, but when you watch the interview, I don’t know why, his voice changes.
      “It’s annoying and stressful.”
      Rabiot grinned as he gave the cheeky response.
      Mbappe, 24, returned to training just THREE days after his World Cup final heartache.
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      PSG are back in action tonight as they take on Strasbourg at Parc des Princes.
      Rabiot, meanwhile, is set to be out of contract at Juve in the summer.
      According to The Times, Tottenham are particularly keen on the 27-year-old midfielder, with boss Antonio Conte demanding experienced signings.
      Rabiot would cost around £13.5million to sign next month.
      Rabiot and Mbappe played together at PSGCredit: AFP or licensors More

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      Messi ‘verbally agrees’ new PSG contract after rejecting transfer offers from Barcelona and Inter Miami

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      LIONEL MESSI has reportedly agreed to extend his contract with Paris Saint-Germain.The superstar signed a two-year deal when he joined the club last year.
      Lionel Messi has verbally agreed to extend his PSG contractCredit: Reuters
      And with his contract set to expire next summer PSG have been keen to tie down Messi’s future.
      According to transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Messi has verbally agreed to extend his contract.
      But both the player and the club will meet again to discuss the length of the deal and salary.
      A lot of speculation has surrounded Messi’s future with reports suggesting he was ready to quit PSG.
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      Inter Miami were heavily linked with the Argentinian’s signature and were said to be in negotiations.
      Barcelona were also reported to be closing in on a deal to seal a stunning return for Messi.
      But according to Romano Messi never entered talks with Barca and a proposed move collapsed before entering an advanced stage.
      Despite that, the Spanish giants have not given up on reuniting with the World Cup winner and will try to compete with the terms offered by PSG, report Mundo Deportivo.
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      There were suggestions Messi would quit international football after winning the World Cup with Argentina.
      But he intends to continue representing his country, stating he wants to “continue playing as a champion”. More