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      I’m a Real Madrid legend and beating Barcelona was like an orgasm – but losing gave me nightmares

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      REAL MADRID legend Mesut Ozil has such fond memories of his El Clasico showdowns that he insists beating Barcelona was like an “orgasm”.Former Arsenal superstar Ozil rolled credits on his 18-year career at the age of 34 due to recent injuries that have taken their toll on him.
      Real Madrid legend Mesut Ozil believes he played in the best era for El Clasico matchesCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      Real Madrid hero Mesut Ozil insists beating Barcelona felt like an “orgasm”Credit: Reuters
      And the ex-playmaker is now looking back at his celebrated career that saw him win the LaLiga and Copa del Rey trophies with Real, four FA Cups with the Gunners as well as the 2014 World Cup with Germany.
      But the German has a soft spot for the legendary clashes he had with Barcelona during his time under Jose Mourinho at Los Blancos.
      The former attacking midfielder insists he lived the “best period” with some brutal encounters that included stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi fighting it out from the first until the last second.
      The ex-Werder Bremen midfielder remembers the humiliating 5-0 loss to Pep Guardiola’s Barca in 2010 as well as all the “orgasmic” victories.
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      Ozil told Marca: “I think I lived through the best period of the Clasicos, Madrid-Barca at its peak.
      “Up to the Champions League semi-finals. They were parties that had it all. It was Mou [Mourinho] against Pep, Cristiano against Messi…
      “Nowadays El Clasico has lost intensity and emotion, I would say.
      “Beating Barcelona at that time was like an orgasm, because they were incredibly strong games.
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      “I also have to say that our 5-0 defeat in LaLiga in 2010 was one of my biggest nightmares on the pitch.
      “I have played many games, many derbies, but I think there will be nothing like those Clasicos.”
      Ozil joined Real from Werder Bremen in 2010 after a stunning World Cup campaign and spent three years at the Santiago Bernabeu before his move to Arsenal.
      The former Schalke star amassed a total of 27 goals and 81 assists in 159 appearances with the Madrid giants.
      Ozil has enjoyed four wins against Barcelona but also endured six losses in 16 matches during his time at Real. More

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      Arsenal fall behind Leeds in transfer race for ‘the next Riyad Mahrez’ with wonderkid set for Barcelona exit

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      ARSENAL have fallen behind Leeds United in their battle for ‘the next Riyad Mahrez’, according to reports.Despite the Whites being dangerously close to the bottom three, they are still looking at targets for next season.
      The 18-year-old Ilias Akhomach is reportedly close to signing a 4-year deal with LeedsCredit: EPA
      Leeds find themselves lagging 13 places behind Arsenal in the Premier League, but reports in Spain claim they are close to beating them to the signing of Barcelona wonderkid Ilias Akhomach.
      The teen won’t renew his relationship with Barcelona, instead looking to join a new club for next season with Sevilla, Club Brugge and AC Milan among those linked.
      He is out of contract in the summer.
      While the Gunners have been closely following the skilful winger, Leeds have apparently pulled out a lead, having been in advanced negotiations to sign Akhomach.
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      Spanish outlet El Chiringuito even claim Leeds have agreed a four-year deal with the 18-year-old, who has impressed with his stunning talent on the pitch.
      Akhomach has had a string of solid displays for Barcelona’s second string, earning comparisons to Manchester City ace Mahrez.
      He even got a call-up to the first team during the 2021-22 season, where he ended up making three appearances for the Catalan giants.
      His entourage are confident that Leeds will stave off relegation, but if they do drop to the Championship then he will STILL sign with them, according to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo.
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      The team managed to pull themselves back up the table after a win over Wolves last weekend.
      Arsenal may be set to miss out on the Akhomach, but they have been tipped to land some other big names.
      Real Valladolid right-back Ivan Fresneda is rumoured to be leaving for Arsenal in a £13million winter move, and West Ham captain Declan Rice is another key target for the Gunners this summer according to reports. More

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      Two-time Champions League winner once dubbed ‘next Messi’ retires at 32 and turns focus to completely different sport

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      EX-BARCELONA hero Bojan Krkic has found a Nou gear – after quitting football at 32 to enjoy cycling.The two-time Champion League winner once dubbed the “new Messi” says his dreams are as powerful as the one he had aged 10 – to play for Barca.
      Bojan Krkic won LaLiga four times and the Champions League twice during three spells with Barca but is now retiring as a playerCredit: Reuters
      Spanish forward Bojan bowed out as a footballer with two years at Vissel KobeCredit: AFP
      The bike fan, who played for Stoke from 2014-2019, left Japanese club Vissel Kobe in January.
      And now the one-cap Spaniard has confirmed his retirement as a player, days after Barcelona legend Gerard Pique leaked the news by mistake.
      Bojan revealed he agonised over his decision but now plans to have fun trail riding.
      He posted on Instagram: “After traveling around the world, I return to my home to communicate to you one of the most deliberate, difficult and, at the same time, most important decisions of my life: I stop being a professional footballer because I feel that I have to start a new phase. 
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      “And I do it with the same enthusiasm as that 10-year-old boy who dreamed of playing at the Camp Nou with the Barça first team. Never stop dreaming. Never stop smiling. Thanks!”
      Bojan won LaLiga four times in the second of his three spells at the Nou Camp, also playing for Roma and Montreal Impact, plus having loan spells with AC Milan, Ajax, Mainz 05 and Alaves.
      And he’ll use much of his new free time for gravel cycling.
      Former Barcelona team-mate Andres Iniesta has joined him in promoting a new cycling brand, Guava.
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      Bojan said: “It is a good way to combine sport and social activity.
      “I could participate soon to be in some races. I’m going to prepare for it.
      “I have always liked the bike, even as a means of transportation, but for about five years I have loved gravel. Whenever I can, I go out to do my routes.” More

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      Real Madrid convinced Erling Haaland wants to join from Man City in 2024 and will SMASH world record with £200m transfer

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      REAL MADRID are certain Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland will join them in 2024 on a world record deal, reports suggest.Haaland has set the Premier League alight on his debut season with City as he has scored a staggering 42 goals and bagged five assists in 37 appearances across all competitions.
      Real Madrid are confident they will sign Manchester City star Erling Haaland in 2024Credit: Getty
      The star striker joined the reigning Prem champions last summer following a £51million deal with Borussia Dortmund, despite interest from some of Europe’s biggest hitters like Real.
      According to AS, however, Los Blancos are planning to reignite their bid for the Norway international and are confident they will have their man by next year.
      In fact, the Madrid giants are planning a world record offer in the range of £200m, which will eclipse Neymar’s £198m move to Paris Saint-Germain back in 2017.
      The reigning European champions are confident the 22-year-old has a release clause, which activates every year from 2024 until his contract ends in 2027 despite City denying it.
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      Carlo Ancelotti’s side plans to stay in touch with the Norwegian’s camp until next year in order to be in pole position when the time comes to swoop in.
      Real also believe Haaland can still leave the Etihad even if manager Pep Guardiola, who played an integral part in his signing, stays in Manchester.
      The Spanish champions have major plans for the coming years as they will move for the ex-Red Bull Salzburg star even if they get PSG superstar Kylian Mbappe.
      Real are planning to form a Galacticos-type trio to spearhead their attack consisted of Haaland, Mbappe and Vinicius Junior.
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      By the time they move for the two star strikers it is highly likely top earners like Karim Benzema, Luka Modric, Toni Kroos and Eden Hazard will be gone.
      That means they will free up at least €50m (£44m) per year in wages and will be able to meet Haaland and Mbappe’s financial demands.
      The two centre-forwards are seen as leaders that will take Real to the new era. More

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      Ex-Real Madrid star Isco unemployed and training at home after snubbing multiple transfer offers

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      EX-REAL MADRID star Isco has found himself unemployed and training on his own AT HOME.According to The Athletic, the attacking midfielder became a free agent in January after falling out with Sevilla’s director of football Monchi.
      Isco has been a free agent since leaving Sevilla back in JanuaryCredit: AP
      The former Spain international came close to a move to Union Berlin and flew to Germany where he passed his medical but circumstances changed at the eleventh hour.
      Isco initially wanted to join the MLS but any interested club would have had to make him a designated player in order to pay him something close to what he earned in Europe.
      Now he is without a club and training at home with the help of a personal trainer at the age of 30.
      It is quite a fall from grace for the ex-Malaga protege, who joined Real in 2013 as Carlo Ancelotti’s first signing.
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      The playmaker hit the ground running and went on to win four Champions League titles, while his performances earned interest from Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City and even Barcelona.
      That led to a new deal in 2017, which included a release clause worth a whopping €700million (£619m).
      However, Isco quickly fell out of favour as Real stopped using attacking midfielders.
      It all started when Santiago Solari took over from Julen Lopetegui in 2018.
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      Solari preferred to use young players like Vinicius Jr and Federico Valverde instead of stars with big contracts, such as Isco.
      The Spaniard had a public fallout with Solari, who then excluded him from his plans.
      Things didn’t improve upon Zinedine Zidane’s return and the situation remained the same when Ancelotti came back.
      Real tried to get his high salary off the payroll with a move to AC Milan in 2021 but the player wasn’t happy with the wage cut.
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      Former Real Madrid star Isco is unemployed and training on his own at homeCredit: Reuters
      That led him last year to Sevilla under Lopetegui, who urged the club to sign him despite transfer guru Monchi’s disapproval.
      However, the Spanish tactician was sacked and joined Wolves, while his successor Jorge Sampaoli quickly realised Isco doesn’t fit the team and would be preferable to get his lucrative wages off the books.
      And upon his departure from Sevilla, Monchi stated publicly it had been “a mistake” to sign him and “it would have been a further mistake to continue with the error” by not ending their relationship in January.
      Isco has received offer from clubs in Saudi Arabia and Turkey, while it seems like there is also interest from LaLiga. More

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      I was dubbed the ‘Israeli Messi’ after coming through Barcelona’s academy.. I ended up playing 5-a-side in Stockport

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      HE WAS once dubbed the “Israeli Lionel Messi” and appeared to have the world at his feet.He was playing in Barcelona’s academy with dreams of breaking through and becoming a Nou Camp star for Pep Guardiola.
      Gai Assulin came through the academy at BarcelonaCredit: AP:Associated Press
      He was dubbed one of the best talents in La Masia and likened to Lionel MessiCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      Assulin, training with Carlos Tevez, was on the books with Manchester CityCredit: Reuters
      And he was on Manchester City’s books when Sergio Aguero scored THAT goal to win the Premier League title in 2012.
      But he ended up playing 5-a-side football on an indoor pitch in an industrial estate outside Stockport – without a single league appearance for either European powerhouse.
      That is the incredible story of Gai Assulin.
      Assulin said: “They like to compare in football. It is something they do all the time and for me it is a big compliment, but Messi is the greatest footballer in history.
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      “Sometimes it is not good if you take it in the wrong way, as the expectation is for you to go on to the pitch and do the same as Messi all the time.
      “Whichever club I went to, they saw I was compared with Messi, so they thought I was going to be Messi and score 50 goals a year, so that comparison at the time was not as positive.”
      The winger was born in the Israeli city of Nahariya in April 1991 and his impressed coaches at Shlomo Scharf suggested the 12-year-old’s parents took him to Barcelona for a trial.
      Assulin’s parents did exactly that and Barcelona liked what they saw, signing him for the La Masia academy in 2003.
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      He shone under a certain Guardiola, Barcelona B coach, and penned a three-year senior contract with a £17million release clause aged 16.
      And when Guardiola was promoted to first-team boss in 2008 having guided the B team to the league title, Assulin was tipped to earn a promotion with the likes of Thiago Alcantara and Jonathan dos Santos.
      Thiago even said his Barca youth pal was “the most talented player I’ve ever seen in La Masia”, where he earned his nickname comparing him to the Argentine maestro.
      After making his solo Israel cap in 2008, he missed almost the entirety of the 2008-09 season with injury, though, but recovered to make his first-team debut in the Copa del Rey against Cultural Leonesa.
      But that proved to be Assulin’s only appearance for Barcelona before his release in July 2010 when he rejected a new contract due to a lack of guarantee over first-team football and a reported rift with Barcelona B boss Luis Enrique.
      He signed for City that summer after advice from Yaya Toure but was restricted to reserve matches and a loan to Brighton before his release alongside Owen Hargreaves in 2012.
      A journeyman career followed taking Assulin back to the Spanish second division as well as spells in Israel, Kazakhstan, Romania and Italy.
      ‘STOPPING NOT AN OPTION’
      However, the former Football Manager wonderkid, now 31, returned to the North-West where his young daughter is growing up.
      He has not given up hope on a return to professional football again one day – but in the meantime keeps his sharpness with a regular kickabout in Cheadle Hulme.
      Speaking to The Guardian in 2021, Assulin added: “Football is something irreplaceable.
      “Everything I did in my career is obviously connected to the football I learned in Barcelona and especially coached by Pep.
      “I grew up as a kid in Israel, in a small town and my dream was to play first-team football for a professional club.
      “I gave everything with my dad, who pushed me the most because he really believed in me.
      “I never thought in a million years I would be playing for the first team at Barcelona – that was so far from my dream.
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      “I only dreamed to play for a normal club, but things got better and better, so I have achieved that, so that will always stay with me. I was the youngest player to represent the Israel national team, which is an unbelievable achievement.
      “When you can’t find a club, there are a lot of thoughts in your head, ‘What should I do? Should I stop?’ But it is not an option for me, as football is everything.”
      Assulin had a loan spell with Brighton from Manchester CityCredit: Action Images – Reuters
      He trained with Rangers but did not sign for the Scottish giantsCredit: Keith Campbell – The Sun Glasgow More

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      Barcelona could be BANNED from Europe next season after Uefa chiefs open investigation into referee-fixing charges

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      BARCELONA could be BANNED from Europe next season after Uefa chiefs opened a formal probe into the ref-fixing charges against them.Spanish prosecutors had opened a legal case against the Catalan club, who are accused of paying the country’s referees’ chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira more than £6.5m over a 17-YEAR period.
      Barcelona moved 12 points clear at the top of LaLiga last weekend but could be in troubleCredit: Getty
      Barcelona are said to have made the payments between 2001 and 2018, including the four-year spell they were coached by Pep Guardiola – although there are no suggestions the Manchester City boss was aware of the agreement.
      But now Uefa is also on the case with a 12-month ban from playing in the Champions League written into the European football rulebook.
      In a surprise statement, Euro chiefs in Nyon announced: “In accordance with Article 31(4) of the Uefa Disciplinary Regulations, Uefa Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have today been appointed to conduct an investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework by FC Barcelona in connection with the so-called ‘Caso Negreira’.”
      Those rules give investigators the right to demand written or face to face answers from directors and officials and the power to order all documentation possessed by the club is handed over for inspection.
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      Barca and former Presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as Negreira, have all been hit with official corruption charges by the Spanish authorities.
      It has been alleged that Negreira, who was in charge of refereeing appointments over that period, gave gifts worth £450,000 including booze, toasters, food and lottery tickets to the officials, although Barca have fiercely denied any wrongdoings and issued legal letters against a number of Spanish media outlets. 
      Leaks from the Spanish Treasury initial investigation suggest the chief prosecutor has so far been “unable to prove  that the payments… had influenced the appointment of referees or altered the results of matches”.
      However, officials suggest that the “lack of explanation” could be “an indicator” that the invoices had concealed illegal services that did impact of appointments and match results.
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      Unsurprisingly, rival clubs, including Real Madrid, have demanded massive sanctions against the Nou Camp outfit.
      And while Spanish FA rules, which have a three-year statute of limitations on “serious” offences, mean that LaLiga and the national association cannot impose a punishment, Uefa regulations open the door to a ban from European competition if the charges are proved.
      It had been expected that Euro chiefs – who might see the situation as a wedge to drive between Barca and Real over their Super League involvement – would not consider any action until the end of the legal proceedings in Spain.
      But Uefa legal department asked the Spanish FA for a full report on what the investigation has uncovered last month and now have launched their formal probe.
      Uefa regulations say clubs must “refrain from any conduct that damages or is likely to damage the integrity of matches and competitions”.
      That includes anybody using a “third party” to act “in a manner that is likely to exert an illegal or undue influence on the course and/or outcome of a match or competition”.
      Any club breaching that rule is liable to a one season ban from playing in European competition.
      Real have already joined a private prosecution, adding to the pressure on Barca, which has also been told it has a budget of MINUS £200m this summer.
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      The opening of the investigation does not mean that the case will be dealt with swiftly as Uefa could still choose to wait for the outcome of the Spanish proceedings.
      But it is yet another shadow hanging over the Catalan club and adds to the sense of chaos surrounding Barca. More

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      Man Utd and Newcastle in Gabri Veiga transfer boost as Celta Vigo give up on trying to keep midfielder

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      CELTA VIGO will find it “impossible” to hold on to Manchester United and Newcastle target Gabri Veiga, reports suggest.Veiga has shone bright this season in LaLiga as he has bagged nine goals and three assists in 29 appearances across all competitions.
      Celta Vigo can’t keep Manchester United and Newcastle target Gabri VeigaCredit: Getty
      The attacking midfielder has a contract with Celta until 2026 but club president Carlos Mourino confirmed that he won’t be able to keep him at the Balaidos this summer.
      Mourino insists he wants hold on to the 20-year-old ace but his £35million release clause won’t allow him.
      Some of Europe’s top hitters have already matched the Spain Under-21 international’s asking price and Celta won’t be able to counter them with a better offer.
      Mourino said: “We want to keep Gabri Veiga but it will be impossible due to release clause.
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      “We know some bids he has, impossible to match”.
      United and the Magpies are keeping tabs on Veiga ahead of the summer transfer window.
      However, the Red Devils and Newcastle will face competition from Bundesliga clubs.
      Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano also claims Real Madrid are eyeing the Spaniard.
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      Veiga started out in Celta’s academy after a short stint at Santa Marina.
      The playmaker earned his first senior call-up at the age of 18 years old and shared his time between the first team as well as the reserves.
      However, Veiga has burst onto the scene this season and appears to be set for bigger things come June. More