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      Carlo Ancelotti’s genius tactics brutally expose Chelsea star as Real Madrid ‘eat him up’ for both goals

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      FANS claimed Chelsea full-back Reece James was “eaten alive” by Real Madrid’s tactics.Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo gave James a torrid night as Real saw off the ten-man Blues 2-0 in Wednesday’s Champions League quarter-final first leg.
      Vinicius Junior leaves Reece James in his wakeCredit: Getty
      Vinicius Jr and Co gave Chelsea right-back Reece James a torrid eveningCredit: Alamy
      Real Madrid chief Carlo Ancelotti seemed to target James as a weak linkCredit: Getty
      Ex-Three Lions centre-back Rio Ferdinand insisted Vinicius showed the defender “no respect” and Glenn Hoddle blamed James for Real’s second goal at the Bernabeu.
      Fans piled in too, saying the Chelsea wideman “got no mercy” as Real swarmed onto him, both when he had possession himself and when a winger took him on.
      Bernabeu chief Carlo Ancelotti’s ruthless approach was praised, with one observer posting: “High intensity football….these guys are top top quality.”
      Another wrote: “Real Madrid players absolutely ate up Reece like a pride of lions to win back possession for the first goal.”
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      Karim Benzema’s tap-in and sub Marco Asensio’s clinical finish sunk Chelsea, either side of Ben Chilwell’s straight red card for impeding goalbound Rodrygo.
      And of Asensio’s decisive moment, ex-Chelsea manager Hoddle said: “Look at Reece James, he turns his back.
      “The ball is being played, you are down to 10 men. Someone has to switch them on and demanding they are on. They switched off. They were a man down.
      “You have one man less. You have to readjust. Someone has to move out to the edge of the box.
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      Armchair observers noted the way Real swarmed around Reece James

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      “You’ve got players turning their back, walking towards the post, turning his back on the play when the ball is played. You can’t have that.”
      And former Manchester United hero Ferdinand said: “Vinicius Junior showed no respect to Reece James tonight.
      “Whenever Vini had the ball, he went straight at James. He will do the same at the Stamford Bridge. He and Rodrygo play wide and high.”
      Vinicius’ slippery skills were also given full credit.
      One fan posted: “I love James but there’s absolutely no player Vini can’t skin 1v1 if given 90 minutes and isolated. ” More

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      Chelsea fans convinced Carlo Ancelotti would get into their starting XI after Real Madrid boss’ keepy-uppy masterclass

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      CHELSEA fans believe Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti deserves to be in their starting line-up more than some of their stars.Ancelotti led Real to an easy 2-0 victory over the Blues in their Champions League quarter-final clash at the Santiago Bernabeu.

      Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti showed some stunning skillCredit: Getty
      Fans believe Ancelotti deserves a place in Chelsea’s starting line-upCredit: Getty
      The Italian tactician watched Karim Benzema and Marco Asensio fire Los Blancos at a position of strength ahead of next week’s second-leg at Stamford Bridge.
      But fans watching from home also got to see some skill from the 63-year-old head coach, who dazzled them with a stunning keepy-uppy masterclass.
      Ancelotti got a magnificent touch as the ball flew out for a free throw with his swanky leather shoes.
      The ex-Bayern Munich boss then put together four kip-ups like they were nothing with his left hand in the pocket of his expensive suit.
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      Social media users took to Twitter and quickly pointed out that the Real boss showed more skill than all the Chelsea players, who put together hapless performance and lost Ben Chilwell to a red card.
      One fan tweeted: “Chelsea is so BAD that even Carlo Ancelotti started playing football.”
      Another posted: “Super sub appearance from Don Carlo today!”
      A third commented: “At the age of 63 Carlo Ancelotti is still a better footballer than any Chelsea player.”
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      This fan said: “Ancelotti has more swag than any Chelsea player.”
      And that one wrote: “In summer he might get signed by Chelsea as a playmaker.”
      Ancelotti coached Chelsea for two years and won the double in 2010 before his departure in 2011. More

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      Chelsea owner Todd Boehly ‘to meet with Gavi’s parents’ as Blues step up free transfer chase for Barcelona star

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      CHELSEA have stepped up their pursuit of Gavi with Todd Boehly set to meet with his parents, according to reports.The wonderkid has impressed since breaking into Barcelona’s first-team and played a key role for Spain at the World Cup.
      Chelsea hope to sign Gavi on a free transferCredit: AP
      But he could be available on a free transfer in the summer despite penning a deal until 2026 last September.
      Barcelona’s financial issues means Gavi has been stripped of his contract and squad number and re-registered as an academy player on his previous contract.
      And it appears Boehly is trying to take advantage of his contract situation by luring the midfielder to Stamford Bridge.
      Chelsea have reportedly held talks with Gavi’s agent Ivan de la Pena.
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      And now Boehly is set to meet with his parents to outline Chelsea’s plans for the 18-year-old and their desire to make him a key part of the team, report AS.
      The Blues hope to pinch Gavi away from the Nou Camp on a free but it is believed the youngster would rather stay at Barca.
      However that could prove impossible if the Blaugrana are unable to cut a significant chunk off their wage bill.
      Chelsea could offer much more than Barca and could hand Gavi a huge signing-on fee.
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      And if the West Londoners were to bring in ex-Spain boss Luis Enrique as manager for next season, that could further sweeten the deal.
      Barcelona have been effectively placed under a transfer ban by LaLiga until they sort their finances out.
      Ten players could reportedly leave the league leaders as they need to raise £178million. More

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      Spanish journalist drops huge hint Real Madrid will hire Mauricio Pochettino, in blow to Tottenham and Chelsea

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      A SPANISH journalist has delivered a blow to both Chelsea and Tottenham by dropping a huge hint that Mauricio Pochettino The Argentinean manager, 51, is currently out of work having left Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
      A fresh update has hinted that Mauricio Pochettino could be off to Real MadridCredit: PA
      Pochettino is one of Spurs’ most successful and popular managers in recent history – despite failing to win a trophy with the club.
      He averaged 1.89 points per game – the most for any Tottenham boss in Premier League history with a minimum of 38 Premier League games in charge.
      The ex-Southampton chief capped off his five-year stint at White Hart Lane by leading Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final, where they lost to Liverpool.
      But he was sacked just months later following a poor start to the next campaign before eventually taking over at PSG in January 2021, winning the Coupe de France and Ligue 1 prior to his departure.
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      Since Antonio Conte was sacked last month, he has been heavily tipped to make a return to the Tottenham hot-seat at the end of the season.
      And he is also believed to be on Chelsea’s wishlist as they search for a permanent successor to the axed Graham Potter, with Frank Lampard currently in as caretaker for the remainder of the campaign.
      However, reporter Anton Meana has dropped a huge clue as to where his next job will be – and it is in Spain with Real Madrid.
      Current Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti’s future remains unclear despite leading the club to a LaLiga and Champions League double last season.
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      The Italian has even been linked with a shock move to take over the Brazilian national team.
      And Meana has now provided an update on his situation to the El Larguero show on Cadena SER, where he hinted Poch could be on his way to the Bernabeu.
      He said: “It would be big news if Ancelotti continued next year and even more so if he doesn’t win the Champions League. He knows that his future is up in the air.
      “I think that if Real Madrid had to choose between [Zinedine] Zidane and Ancelotti, they would choose Zidane.”
      He then added: “Pochettino did not want to coach Chelsea or Tottenham because he has something better and that smells bad to Ancelotti.
      “Ancelotti knows that they are questioning him, and that is why he has opened the door to Brazil.” More

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      Aymeric Laporte hints at transfer exit from Man City with cryptic post after losing place under Pep Guardiola

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      AYMERIC LAPORTE has hinted at a move away from Manchester City on social media.The defender has fallen down the pecking order under manager Pep Guardiola and could want a move to earn more game time.
      Aymeric Laporte has hinted at an exit from Manchester CityCredit: Alamy
      He posted on Instagram saying ‘new beginning’Credit: https://www.instagram.com/stories/laporte/3079326487042727081/?hl=en
      Laporte, 28, has attracted interest from LaLiga giants Barcelona recently.
      He has only featured 16 times in all competitions this season, with Guardiola preferring Ruben Dias, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji to the Spanish international.
      Laporte has fuelled his exit talk on Instagram as he posted a video of himself in a car on his story.
      And it was accompanied by a caption hinting at a move.
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      He wrote: “After the rain, a rainbow; after a storm, the calm; and after an end, a new beginning.”
      However, a move could prove difficult due to the Catalonian side’s financial difficulties.
      The club have effectively been hit with a transfer ban this summer because of their inability to rein in costs.
      Barca have spent wildly in recent years and tried to balance the books by effectively mortgaging future TV and other incomes by selling off a stake in the club.
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      LaLiga chief executive Javier Tebas, speaking at the FT Business of Football summit in London, confirmed in March: “Barcelona doesn’t have any room in its budget to spend in the upcoming transfer window.
      “Barcelona has been involved in questionable behaviour which has had an impact on LaLiga – and we are acting accordingly. We have ruled that they can no longer sign more players.
      “We have strict economic controls. At the end of each window, we tell all the clubs in LaLiga what they can spend.
      “They have to reduce their investment in players and we have encouraged them to sell players because for every amount they raise in sales they can spend 40 per cent of that.”
      This means that if he was to join Barcelona, the club would not be able to register him and he could find himself in footballing limbo. More

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      Meet the stunning Chelsea and Real Madrid Wags as two European giants collide in tasty Champions League clash

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      CHELSEA and Real Madrid are set to go head to head in a mouth-watering European clash.The Spanish side will be heavy favourites over the two legs with the Blues enduring one of their worst seasons in the modern era.
      One of the newer girlfriends is Ben Chilwell’s stunning partner Cartia MallanCredit: Instagram
      Thibaut Courtois has been with Mishel Gerzig since 2021Credit: Instagram
      Cheering on both teams will be the players’ stunning wives and girlfriends.
      They will be hoping to give their partners the final push over the line in the fascinating Champions League grudge match.
      Chelsea
      Belle Silva, other half of Thiago, has been left frustrated by Chelsea’s struggles this seasonCredit: Splash News
      Belle is very active on social mediaCredit: Instagram @bellesilva
      Izabel Kovacic has been married to Mateo since 2017Credit: Instagram
      Kovacic is set to face his former side as Chelsea travel to the BernabeuCredit: Instagram / @izakova
      Kai Havertz has spoken about the pressure that football has placed on his relationship with Sophia WeberCredit: Instagram
      The glamorous Paige Milian is the childhood sweetheart of Raheem SterlingCredit: Getty
      Few Blues Wags have made more headlines in recent months than Thiago Silva’s beautiful wife, Belle Silva.
      She has rarely been shy about giving her opinions on the club’s failings and seemed to have particularly little patience for ex-manager Graham Potter.
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      Belle has even left fans speculating on the defender’s future with some of her social media posts.
      Less active on social media is the girlfriend of Kai Havertz Sophia Weber.
      The misfiring German forward, 23, revealed last month how his lack of form has effected her due to the “pressure on our shoulders”.
      The pair are believed to be childhood sweethearts and have been together longer than Ben Chilwell and his girlfriend.
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      The left-back, 26, went Instagram official with Cartia Mallan on Valentine’s Day.
      Fans have since been gushing over the Australian model’s beauty with Chelsea supporters flooding her social media comments.
      Mateo Kovacic’s stunning wife Izabel is also popular.
      She married the midfield ace in 2017 and they had their first child together in October 2020.
      Croatian legend and former Real Madrid teammate Luca Modric is the godfather.
      Another well-known Wag is Raheem Sterling’s fiancee Paige Milian.
      The pair have been engaged since 2018 and Paige was regularly seen in Qatar cheering on the former Manchester City ace.
      Real Madrid
      Mishel Gerzig is the beautiful fiancee of Thibaut CourtoisCredit: Instagram
      Sandra Garal is believed to have met Marco Asenso when she worked at Real MadridCredit: Instagram / @ssandragaral
      Real Madrid Wags met up for tapas a little over a year ago just before Los Blancos went on their now infamous Champions League knockout stage run.
      The club may well need to do it again if they are to land major silverware this season as the league title already looks out of reach.
      The biggest supporters of club stars will be their wives and girlfriends, including Thibaut Courtois’ fiancee Mishel Gerzig.
      The pair have been dating since the summer of 2021.
      Cheering on Marco Asensio is Sandra Garal. The pair are engaged and it is believed they met when she was working as a public relations officer at Real Madrid.
      Meanwhile, David Alaba is with long-term girlfriend Shalimar Heppner.
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      She is the daughter of famous German chef Frank Heppner.
      Asensio and Sandra Garal are engagedCredit: Instagram / @ssandragaral
      David Alaba’s partner Shalimar Heppner has a father who is famous in GermanyCredit: Getty More

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      Roberto Firmino ‘could be offered shock transfer lifeline by Real Madrid’ after Liverpool exit

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      REAL MADRID are considering a shock move for Roberto Firmino at the end of the season, according to reports. The Brazilian joined Liverpool in 2015 from German side Hoffenheim and has made 359 appearances for the club but will leave in the summer after turning down a new contract.
      Firmino will leave Liverpool in the summer having been at the club since 2015Credit: Reuters
      Interest in Firmino is expected to be high given the attacking options he can offer and that he’s available on a free transfer.
      Spanish publication El Nacional have reported that Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is aware of the situation around Firmino and may look to convince the 31-year-old to move to the Spanish capital.
      Star striker Karim Benzema’s contract is up in the summer although reports suggest an extension has been verbally agreed.
      The report adds that there are not many strikers that Madrid can sign because the club don’t trust them or they are too expensive.
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      El Nacional claim that Perez has ‘learnt a lesson’ after Madrid spent £52million on Luka Jovic who is now at Fiorentina after struggling at the Bernabeu.
      Madrid are also looking to spend big this summer on Borussia Dortmund’s midfield star Jude Bellingham with the Bundesliga outfit set to ask for in excess of £100m for the England international.
      Since joining Liverpool in 2009 Firmino has scored 109 goals winning everything under manager Jurgen Klopp.
      The Brazilian formed part of a lethal front three with now Bayern Munich forward Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
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      The additions of Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Coady Gakpo have seen his first team opportunities limited.
      Firmino is still Liverpool’s second highest goalscorer in the Premier League this season with his most recent strike the equaliser in last weekend’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal. More

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      Man Utd transfer boost with Barcelona ‘ready to sell Red Devils target Ansu Fati and keep two ex-Prem stars’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED have received a transfer boost with Barcelona plotting to sell Ansu Fati, according to reports.The wonderkid has been on the radar of several Premier League clubs since breaking through at the Nou Camp.
      Barcelona are open to selling Ansu FatiCredit: AFP
      He has mostly featured as a substitute for Xavi’s side this term but has contributed seven goals and three assists in all competitions.
      However Barcelona’s dire financial situation means they could be forced to sell one or two prized assets this summer.
      And Fati could be sold for a big fee according to Sport.
      The report claims Barca would rather keep ex-Premier League stars Ferran Torres and Rapinha, and sell Fati instead.
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      But it is believed Barcelona would rather sell a player they paid no money for, such as Franck Kessie or Andreas Christensen, both of whom arrived on a free last summer.
      Fati could also be included since he is an academy graduate.
      United could look to pounce this summer with the 20-year-old reportedly offered to several European clubs by his agent Jorge Mendes.
      Fati was even urged to quit Barcelona by his father, who believes he is not getting enough game time to progress his career.
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      Fati is also believed to have attracted interest from Arsenal and Liverpool.
      And the pair have reportedly been in contact with the forward’s representatives, along with United. More