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      England boss Gareth Southgate reveals reason why Fikayo Tomori missed out on Euro 2024 qualifiers

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      FIKAYO TOMORI must cut out the errors if he is to earn an England recall.Some Three Lions fans slammed boss Gareth Southgate for leaving the AC Milan defender out of the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine.
      Fikayo Tomori must cut out the errors if he is to earn an England recall.Credit: Rex
      Gareth Southgate explained his Euro 2-24 qualifiers team selectionCredit: The Times
      But Southgate reckons 25-year-old Tomori’s good display in the 0-0 Champions League draw at Tottenham led some people to get carried away.
      The England manager said: “There are a lot of players playing at a very similar level. We’re looking at a lot of data on that as well.
      “Sometimes players making fewer key errors leading to goals in that position can be important.
      “Fik had a good game at Tottenham the other day, which was in England and so had more spotlight.
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      “But there have been quite a few errors this season. The great thing is he is playing at a big club. There are high expectations every time.
      “He’s in a group that are close but at the moment we have one or two just ahead of him.”
      They include Harry Maguire — despite his lack of recent game time at Manchester United.
      World Cup winners Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez are Erik ten Hag’s preferred pair.
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      Southgate added: “We are where we were ahead of the World Cup. It’s not a perfect scenario.
      “Harry has two World Cup winners in the team ahead of him. That’s the benchmark.
      “He dealt with that brilliantly in Qatar, his performances were exceptional.
      “And he had a lot of pressure going into those games because that spotlight was on him.
      “He dealt with that exceptionally well and he was without doubt one of our best players in the tournament.”
      England boss Gareth Southgate and Harry MaguireCredit: Getty More

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      Raging England fans STRANDED after travel operator cancels trip to Naples for Euro 2024 qualifier at last-minute

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      ENGLAND fans have been left raging having been stranded after a travel operator cancelled a trip to Naples for the Euro 2024 qualifier at the last minute.The FA’s official travel partner Sportsworld pulled the plug just days before Gareth Southgate’s men are due to face Italy.
      A police car is set alight during clashes between fans and police ahead of the Champions League match between Napoli and Eintracht Frankfurt in NaplesCredit: Reuters
      England fans have been left stranded just days before Gareth Southgate’s men are due to face Italy in Naples in the Euro 2024 qualifierCredit: PA
      Some 2,500 supporters were expected to make the trip for the match on Thursday night, with many now likely to miss out.
      Naples is already on high alert after trouble broke out in the southern Italian city when yobs clashed with police.
      Footage appeared to show both sets of supporters attacking police.
      Travel company Sportsworld emailed fans late on Friday night to confirm that all arrangements had been scrapped.
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      The firm blamed the violence in Naples as a factor in the decision although it is believed uncertainty from the Italian authorities regarding return flights was the main reason, the Mail on Sunday reports.
      Supporters were told in an email, seen by the paper, that: “It is our policy never to cancel any trips, no matter the reason, but we unfortunately have no choice at this late stage.
      “We have been planning this trip for months, but the events in Naples this week have certainly impacted the situation.
      “We understand you may be angry and will feel let down at this news.
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      “We are also truly disheartened with the outcome and apologise for the inconvenience this has caused.”
      England fans have branded the decision as a “disgrace” and have urged the FA to sack Sportsworld as an official travel partner.
      Supporters have now been left with having to make frantic last-minute travel arrangements for themselves.
      Sportsworld initially emailed fans on Friday afternoon, saying they had not been able to confirm a return flight in time from Naples nor provide a clear transport plan during the day.
      It asked fans if they wanted them to find alternative arrangements or cancel the trip.
      Nearly 70 per cent of responses are believed to have wanted Sportsworld to proceed with finding other travel arrangements.
      The firm then sent another email just after 8pm to confirm the trip had been cancelled.
      It told fans they would refund the total cost of the trip, in excess of £350, plus an extra £41 per person, believed to be the cost of the match ticket.
      Despite this, some England fans say they are still out of pocket.
      Alan Houghton told the paper he was “annoyed and frustrated” and would not be travelling.
      He said he has had to cancel a £60 hotel room at Gatwick airport which was booked separately for the night before the flight, with no hope of getting a refund.
      Mr Houghton had originally made a booking with a different company, Sports Options, only for them to cancel plans three weeks ago because the authorities in Italy could not make a decision on return flights.
      One angry fan wrote on Twitter: “Cancelling the travel for the Italy v England game in Naples with just five days notice – what a disgrace.
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      “Won’t be using your company again and the FA should pull your official travel partner status.”
      When approached by the Mail on Sunday, Sportsworld did not respond to a request for comment on why it took so long to make their decision.
      An estimated 300 hooligans caused the chaos in Naples
      Chairs and flares were thrown at Italian cops More

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      Gareth Southgate explains Ben White’s omission from England squad after Arsenal star’s mysterious World Cup exit

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      ENGLAND manager Gareth Southgate revealed he omitted Arsenal ace Ben White because of too many other elite options.Southgate announced his team for the Euro 2024 qualifiers against Italy and Ukraine but left White out despite his prolific role in the Gunners’ Premier League title bid.
      Arsenal ace Ben White was left out of Gareth Southgate’s England squadCredit: Rex
      England boss Gareth Southgate left Ben White out due to other elite optionsCredit: PA
      The centre-back has been filling in at right-back for Mikel Arteta’s side but the England boss preferred Eric Dier, Marc Guehi, Reece James, Harry Maguire, John Stones, Kieran Trippier and Kyle Walker.
      The 52-year-old tactician insists Walker, Trippier and James are ahead of him as well as Trent Alexander-Arnold, who was also left out.
      Southgate said: “With Ben, it is similar for Ben and Trent.
      “We have players ahead of those two and we are blessed with talent.
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      “Kyle and Tripps [Trippier] were the ones who played during the World Cup and have been consistent while Reece has come back.”
      This comes three months after White suddenly left England’s 2022 World Cup camp early.
      The FA initially released a statement claiming the 25-year-old departed from Qatar before the Last-16 encounter against Senegal due to “personal reasons”.
      However, reports later suggested the Arsenal ace had a bust-up with England assistant manager Steve Holland.
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      Reports also claimed White became unhappy and struggled to mix with his team-mates.
      Southgate, though, refused to address the speculation in December as he didn’t want to risk giving it any “credibility”.
      He said: “What I’ve been shown was alleged and there was another word that was used.
      “I think by commenting on the story I could be giving it any form of credibility, really.
      “We explained why Ben left the camp and I think it’s important that that is respected, really.” More

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      Italy star’s girlfriend branded ‘world’s most beautiful Wag’ as she strips down to lingerie for steamy picture

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      SERIE A star Andrea Pinamonti’s girlfriend has been branded the “world’s most beautiful Wag” after she stripped down to lingerie. Dasha Lapushka is an artist and the Sassuolo man’s partner.
      Dasha Lapushka is dating Andrea PinamontiCredit: INSTAGRAM
      Dasha is an artistCredit: INSTAGRAM
      She often stuns on Instagram and has 409,000 followersCredit: INSTAGRAM

      She has left fans stunned by wearing revealing attire and posing for steamy snaps alongside the topless striker.
      Pinamonti held the stunner around the waist while she put her arm around him as the pair showed off their matching tattoos.
      Fans were left in awe, one wrote: “The most beautiful Wag is you, of all.”
      Another reacted: “How sweet.”
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      A third joked: “Pina, what a goal.”
      Dasha balances her time between Dubai and Rome, and she is no stranger to wowing on Instagram.
      Her 409,000 followers are often treated to glamorous snaps of her in luxury dresses and bikinis.
      Pinamonti has been capped once by the Italian national team.
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      He currently plays for Sassuolo on loan from Inter Milan and he has netted four goals in 22 games this season.
      The Black and Greens reportedly have the option to make his move permanent for £17.6million in the summer.
      The 23-year-old scored 13 last year for Empoli and he has also worn the colours of Frosinone and Genoa.
      Dasha Lapushka shows off her glam lifestyle onlineCredit: INSTAGRAM
      Andrea Pinamonti plays for SassuoloCredit: Getty More

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      Juventus legend Chiellini confesses he was a ‘fool’ to snub Arsenal’s £66k-a-year offer when he was just 16-years-old

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      FORMER Juventus centre-back Giorgio Chiellini has lifted the lid on his failed move to Arsenal in 2001 and says he was a “fool” to reject the club.The ex-Italy international claims the Gunners offered him a huge salary when he was just 16, but felt it would be a betrayal to leave Livorno.
      Giorgio Chiellini has revealed he turned down the chance to join Arsenal in 2001Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      Arsene Wenger was keen to bring the defender to North London, but Chiellini has revealed he was too loyal to Livorno, a decision he now regrets.
      The nine-time Serie A champion has stated that he was offered a whopping 200million Italian Lira-a-year by Arsenal, which was roughly around £66,000-per-year.
      Speaking to So Foot via Goal in February 2021 about his failed move, the 38-year-old said: “In hindsight, I was a fool to decline that offer.
      “I was 16, I played in Serie C, I got a huge offer for just under 200 million lira-a-season.
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      “I didn’t feel ready. If I had accepted, it would have given the impression of betraying Livorno.”
      Chiellini would leave the following year for Roma, before linking up with Juventus 15 years ago.
      He received 117 caps for Italy before retiring from international football earlier this year.
      The centre-back then also bidded farewell to Juve in 2022, as he joined Los Angeles FC.
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      Chiellini could have ended up at Arsenal later in his career after Robin van Persie revealed he urged Wenger to sign him, however his plea was ignored.
      On the Effe Relativeren Podcast last year, the ex-Gunners skipper said: “At a given moment I felt called upon to say what Arsenal could do better in order to win the league.
      “I felt we lacked a winning mentality, and asked Arsene Wenger to sign Giorgio Chiellini.
      “I have played against him a few times, and he is a genuine winner. You could see that when he played against Holland a few weeks ago.
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      “He is 36-years-old, but he’ll dish out nine elbows every game with a smile on his face. He’ll keep smiling and never get a yellow card.
      “You need those types of winners and killers in your side. I felt we should get him.” More

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      Brighton face battle to keep De Zerbi in summer with Premier League rivals and host of top European sides interested

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      BRIGHTON face a battle to keep a hold of manager Roberto De Zerbi, according to reports. The Brighton boss was appointed after ex-boss Graham Potter was poached by Chelsea in September.
      Roberto De Zerbi could leave Brighton less than one year after his appointmentCredit: Getty
      De Zerbi has consolidated the building blocks Potter put in place at Brighton.
      The Seagulls are currently competing for a spot in Europe, sitting in seventh in the league and level on points with Liverpool.
      The Telegraph have reported a number of top teams in Italy are interested in signing De Zerbi as they contemplate their own managerial changes.
      Roma, Inter Milan, Juventus and AC Milan are the teams said to be interested in bringing De Zerbi back to Italy, with the 43-year-old previously impressing in Serie A with Sassuolo and Benevento.
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      Furthermore, the uncertain future of Antonio Conte could see Tottenham make a swoop for him.
      Reports in Italy suggest De Zerbi has an £11.5million buyout clause in his deal at the Amex Stadium.
      The reports also claim he was left unhappy at being able to sign any new players in January in order to boost Brighton’s European hopes.
      Instead, the window was spent trying to retain some big talents.
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      Brighton repeatedly rejected Arsenal approaches for Moises Caicedo, while World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister also courted interest from some big hitters, including Tottenham and Chelsea.
      De Zerbi is desperate to give Brighton a first-ever taste of European football.
      As those hopes took a dent following a 1-0 defeat against Fulham last weekend, De Zerbi lost his temper and was sent off in the tunnel following the game. More

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      Watch star score fastest goal in Italian football history in just 3.81 SECONDS with strike straight from kick-off

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      A FIFTH TIER footballer scored the fastest goal in Italian football history straight from kick-off.SC Mazarese were taking on Nissa in Italy’s Eccellenza Sicily division – a league which can gain promotion to Serie D.
      Mazarese captain Gioacchino Giardina scored from kick-offCredit: Reddit
      The goal set an Italian record – beating Rafael Leao’s goal of 6.2seconds against SassuoloCredit: Reddit
      The ball caught the keeper out after he was spotted out of his goalCredit: Reddit
      And their captain, Gioacchino Giardina, decided to try his luck from the first whistle.
      Giardina caught the opposition goalkeeper out with a shot which took just 3.81 SECONDS to hit the back of the net.
      It was a new Italian record, beating the fastest goal scored by AC Milan’s Rafael Leao against Sassuolo in just 6.2 seconds.
      A report in Italy says Giardina’s strike missed out on beating the world record held by Scotsman Gavin Stokes, who in 2017 during Maryhill-Clydebank scored after just 2.1 seconds.
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      After Giardina led by example, his Mazarese team went on to win the game against Nissa 2-1.
      The 34-year-old told tuttocampo.it on his goal: “The idea to kick immediately came to me instantly, nothing prepared.
      “I looked up, looked at the goalkeeper, saw that he was on the penalty spot and that he was slightly distracted.
      “So I asked my partner to move and not to touch the ball and immediately after the whistle I kicked directly.”
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      Giardina continued: “Actually after kicking I looked up but I was dazzled by the sun. 
      “So I understood only from the roar of the crowd that the ball had entered the net. 
      “And from there I began to think I had scored a Eurogol!”
      Giardina says he didn’t manage to speak with Nissa’s keeper after the wonder goal.
      He added: “In the locker room and, even after the match, we all joked together and they showered me with compliments until late at night, while honestly I didn’t get to see the opposing goalkeeper again.”
      Giardina also revealed that he didn’t know he had broken the Italian record until friends “from all over Italy” called him.
      He said: “I still think I didn’t realize what I really did, also because I received a myriad of phone calls and I didn’t even have time to stop and think.
      “Friends from all over Italy called me, I was contacted by various newspapers, for which I am also a little dazed. But very happy!”
      Fans have also been left stunned by Giardina’s goal.
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      One said on Reddit: “I love how the defenders react, like ‘well s***’.”
      Another added: “Feel sorry for the keeper. Wasn’t even coming out of the sun.”
      Giardina is in the Italian football record booksCredit: Facebook / S.C.Mazarese More

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      Arsenal fans just realised Jorginho will be only their second ever Italian outfield player… can you name the first?

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      JORGINHO has joined Arsenal on deadline day – and become only the club’s second outfield Italian signing. Despite Italy producing several world-class stars, very few have ever played for the Gunners.
      Jorginho has swapped 10th-place Chelsea for league leaders ArsenalCredit: Getty
      Only one Italian has ever played outfield for the club before – and it make take even die-hard fans a few minutes to recall who.
      Arturo Lupoli is the only Italian to have worn an Arsenal shirt previously outside of goalkeepers.
      The striker made a handful of first-team appearances for the club in the 2005/06 season after emerging from Arsenal’s youth side.
      Lupoli joined their academy in 2003 from Parma’s Under-17s and proved to be a prolific goal-scorer.
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      He netted 45 goals in 23 academy games and impressed coaches with his form.
      While he could not replicate that level in the first-team and failed to nail down a first-team place, Lupoli did score a brace in the League Cup against Everton.
      The forward would go on to have loan spells at Derby, Norwich and Sheffield United before spending most of the remainder of his career in the Italian lower leagues.
      Arsenal have actually had more Italian goalkeepers than outfield players in the history of their club.
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      Lupoli played alongside Arsenal legend Thierry Henry during his few Arsenal appearancesCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
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      The likes of Vito Mannone and Emiliano Viviano have previously stood in between the sticks for the London club but were never regulars.
      Jorginho will be hoping to make a bigger impact with Arsenal once his move is confirmed.
      The midfielder has been at Chelsea since 2018 but is now set for a London switch after Brighton managed to cling onto Moises Caicedo.
      Jorginho, 31, will now be hoping to land the Premier League trophy with table-toppers Arsenal, something which eluded him at Stamford Bridge.
      But he did win the Europa League in 2019 and Champions League in 2021. More