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      ‘WWE would be proud’ – Watch Torres and Savic WRESTLE on pitch as pair sent off in Barcelona’s 1-0 win over Atletico

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      FERRAN TORRES and Stefan Savic were both sent off for WRESTLING during Barcelona’s clash with Atletico Madrid.The match turned feisty late on as home side Atletico hunted an equaliser.

      Stefan Savic and Ferran Torres wrestle each otherCredit: Getty
      The duo tussled in stoppage time of Atletico’s clash with BarcelonaCredit: AFP
      Barca had been ahead since the first half, when Ousmane Dembele swept them into a 22nd minute lead.
      Atleti had been upset with the goal, surrounding the referee after feeling that Gavi had got away with a foul in the build-up.
      Their claims were weak, however, and the effort was allowed to stand.
      Atletico remained frustrated as the game wore on, with Savic and Barca ace Torres eventually letting their tempers get the best of them.
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      After Savic dispossessed Torres on the halfway line, the duo fell to the ground together.
      As play continued down the field, Torres appeared to have a yank at his opponent’s tightly cropped hair.
      The Montenegrin took exception to this, momentarily appearing to get Torres into a head lock.
      Savic then shoved Torres off as they both got back to their feet, but the damage had been done.
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      Tempers flared towards the end of the matchCredit: Getty
      Both were shown red cards for their actions, and had to miss the final exchanges.
      Savic appeared to argue his case with the fourth official, almost going head to head with him as Atletico staff tried to calm him down.
      Tweeting out a video of the incident, ITV Football wrote: “The WWE would be proud of this…”
      And a fan responded: “That gets 6 stars in the Tokyo Dome.”
      Another Twitter user joked: “I like how the referee left them to enjoy their fight!”
      A third added: “Without the Jersey, you might call it a different sport. Wrestling I think.”
      The home side felt that they should have had a penalty moments earlier, when Alvaro Morata threw himself to the turf in the box.
      But nothing was given, and Barca held on for a crucial win.
      The three points saw Xavi’s side move three clear of rivals Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga, and 14 above fifth-placed Atletico.
      Both players received their marching ordersCredit: EPA
      Alvaro Morata felt he should have had a spot kickCredit: Getty More

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      Arsenal ‘want Barcelona wonderkid Alejandro Balde transfer but face competition from Newcastle for Spain World Cup star’

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      ARSENAL are interested in signing Barcelona wonderkid Alejandro Balde, according to reports.At 19, the full-back is already a regular in Xavi’s side.
      Alejandro Balde is in high demandCredit: Getty
      He has entered the final 18 months of his Barca contract, and the Catalan side are experiencing complications in trying to agree an extension.
      Xavi and Co want to offer Balde an extension that would keep him at the club until 2027.
      But due to their precarious financial situation and LaLiga’s salary cap rules, they would not be able to register him as a first-team player if he were to pen a new deal.
      According to Spanish paper Sport, the situation is “frustrating” Balde.
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      They understand that the youngster is eager to secure his future.
      And the situation has alerted Arsenal to his potential availability.
      Should he be up for grabs, the Gunners would face competition from moneybags Newcastle.
      Despite his contractual situation, Balde is unlikely to come cheap.
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      Barcelona are extremely reluctant to sell, and it could take an enormous bid to change their minds.
      Balde has made 25 first-team appearances for Barca, including 18 this term.
      He has also burst onto the scene for his country, earning a place in Luis Enrique’s 26-man Spain squad for the World Cup.
      Despite having been uncapped going into the tournament, Balde featured in all four of La Roja’s games in Qatar, as they were eliminated by Morocco in the round of 16.
      Balde, 19, played for Spain at the World CupCredit: Getty More

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      Man Utd transfer blow as Barcelona president reveals Frenkie de Jong won’t be sold ALL YEAR despite Old Trafford links

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      BARCELONA president Joan Laporta insists Frenkie de Jong won’t be sold at ANY point this year.And that comes as bad news for Manchester United who had been hoping to finally seal a move for the midfielder this month or at the end of the season.
      Manchester United are long-term admirers of Frenkie de JongCredit: Rex
      United were heavily linked with the Dutchman last year and spent most of the summer trying to sign him.
      Barcelona were said to be open to letting De Jong leave in an attempt to cut down their wage bill.
      But he ended up staying in Spain and has worked his way back into Xavi’s plans after finding himself on the bench in the early weeks.
      De Jong, 25, recently revealed his desire to move to Old Trafford, according to a surprise report from Fichajes.
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      That could have led to the Red Devils reigniting their interest in the ex-Ajax man and opening up the possibility of a reunion with Erik ten Hag.
      But Laporta has insisted that Barcelona’s stance hasn’t changed and he’s not on the market.
      Whether that be this month or in the summer, he clearly stated at any point this year.
      Laporta said: “Frenkie de Jong is not for sale.
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      “He wasn’t for sale in the summer and he won’t leave this year.
      “De Jong is a very appealing footballer, we know that, but I insist he’s not for sale.” More

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      Trippier reveals Atletico boss Simeone gave him just one word of advice to cope with Lionel Messi during time in LaLiga

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      ATLETICO MADRID manager Diego Simeone gave Kieran Trippier just one word of advice to help him deal with Lionel Messi.The defender joined the LaLiga side from Tottenham in 2019, which meant he would be coming up against the Argentine star.
      Kieran Trippier spent three years at Atletico Madrid before joining NewcastleCredit: AFP
      He was told to ‘pray’ when playing against Lionel Messi by manager Diego SimeoneCredit: Getty
      He spent three years in Spain before returning to England but revealed how his manager struggled to come up with a plan to stop Messi.
      The 32-year-old has revealed that Simeone would tell him to “pray” ahead of facing the former Barcelona star.
      Trippier told GOAL: “You can’t to be fair. It’s funny because obviously, Simeone was the manager [and] they are both Argentinian.
      “Even he would say before the meetings, just basically ‘pray.’ You just can’t do anything.
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      “You can’t organise or set up to stop him because he’s that unique.”
      Trippier enjoyed a successful spell with Atletico Madrid as he was part of the side that won the LaLiga title in 2021.
      The defender believes that he benefitted from the experience of playing abroad and thinks others should follow in his footsteps.
      He added: “Hopefully, many more English players do it because I learned so much experience playing out there with Simeone.
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      “I learned a lot about myself as well.
      “Go out and enjoy the game, go and enjoy the life out in Spain, the food, the weather. It was an incredible couple of years.” More

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      Real Madrid field unique team that shatters 121-year record for LaLiga clash vs Villarreal… and then lose 2-1

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      REAL MADRID broke 121-years of tradition by fielding a starting XI without a single Spanish player for the first time ever.Real named the shock side to take on Villarreal in a key LaLiga clash.
      Courtois (Belgium); Militao (Brazil), Rudiger (Germany), Alaba (Austria), Mendy (France); Kroos (Germany), Tchouameni (France), Modric (Croatia); Valverde (Uruguay), Vinicius (Brazil), Benzema (France)
      Real Madrid fielded a starting-line-up without a single SpaniardCredit: Getty
      Carlo Ancelotti became the first manager to leave all of his Spanish players on the bench, despite having the likes of Nacho, Marco Asensio, Jesus Vallejo, Lucas Vazquez and Dani Ceballos to call upon.
      Incredibly, over that time they’ve played 4,436 matches with at least one Spaniard appearing from that start in every game.
      Ancelotti opted for his usual 4-3-3 formation with Belgian Thibaut Courtois between the sticks.
      Brazilian Eder Milito was chosen at right-back with Frenchman Ferland Mendy on the other side.
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      Austrian David Alaba and German Antonio Rudiger teamed up at centre-back.
      German Toni Kroos, Frenchman Aurelien Tchouameni and Croatian Luka Modric linked up in midfield.
      And Uruguayan Federico Valverde, Brazilian Vinicius Junior as well as French captain Karim Benzema spearheaded the attack.
      The historic squad didn’t get the job done as they lost 2-1 to Villarreal at the Madrigal and dropped to second place in the LaLiga table.
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      Quique Setien’s team opened the scoring on 47 minutes with Yeremy Pino.
      Benzema equalised for the visitors in the hour-mark from the penalty spot.
      But Villarreal earned a spot-kick of their own that Gerard Moreno converted just three minutes later.
      Ancelotti ultimately brought Asensio and Vazquez on from the bench but the Sapin duo couldn’t help Real come back. More

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      Eden Hazard ‘in transfer talks to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr’ and end Real Madrid nightmare with move to Saudi

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      EDEN HAZARD could be set to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, according to reports.The Belgian forward, 32, has endured a torrid three and a half years at Real Madrid, playing just 73 times and scoring seven goals.
      Eden Hazard has struggled ever since arriving at the BernabeuCredit: Getty
      Cristiano Ronaldo is set to make is Al-Nassr debut later this monthCredit: AFP
      Last month, the former Chelsea man retired from international football following Belgium’s shock group-stage exit at the World Cup in Qatar.
      And according to Foot Mercato, his club career in Europe could be set to come to an end.
      The report states that Ronaldo’s new side, Al-Nassr, are interested in bringing him to Saudi Arabia.
      Manager Rudi Garcia previously worked with Hazard for four years at Lille.
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      And the Al-Nassr boss is said to have already made contract with Hazard to discuss the move.
      They certainly have the funds to bring the Los Blancos man to the Middle East after showing their lucrative wealth by handing Ronaldo, 37, a £173million-a-year deal.
      The move may also be of interest to Real Madrid as Hazard will enter the final year of his contract this summer.
      The Spanish champions will be keen to scrape back some of the £130m they paid for him before his deal runs out.
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      Meanwhile, Hazard is not the only European player Al-Nassr reportedly have their eye on.
      The Belgian’s ex-Chelsea team-mate N’Golo Kante, 31, has been linked with a move.
      And so has Ronaldo’s former Real Madrid colleague Sergio Ramos, 36, – who currently plays for Paris Saint-Germain.
      Meanwhile, Ronaldo is expected to make his debut against Ettifaq on January 22 after serving a two-match ban.
      Al-Nassr are keen for him to ignore the ban and play against Al-Shabab next weekend.
      But in order to do this they will need to sort out the issue of exceeding the Saudi league’s quota for foreign players – a problem which currently means they cannot register Ronaldo.
      The club will have to either sell or sack one of their foreigners before the Portuguese star is able to play. More

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      Jude Bellingham to Real Madrid transfer hits snag after boss Carlo Ancelotti goes public with view on signing him

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      REAL MADRID’S pursuit of Jude Bellingham is in doubt as manager Carlo Ancelotti claims he is happy with his current midfield.The Borussia Dortmund star, 19, has been heavily linked with joining the Spanish champions in the summer.
      Jude Bellingham is one of the most sought-after stars in European footballCredit: PA
      Recent reports have suggested Real Madrid are the frontrunners to sign the England international ahead of Premier League giants Man City, Liverpool, Man Utd and Chelsea.
      However, Ancelotti has insisted he is more than content with his existing midfield options.
      Los Blancos boast a plethora of talent in the middle of the park including Luka Modric, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga, Dani Ceballos, Fede Valverde.
      Toni Kroos is also still a part of the squad, although he will retire at the end of the season.
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      But the strength in depth in Ancelotti’s side has led to him dismissing a move for Bellingham.
      Speaking ahead of Real’s game with Villarreal on Saturday, he said: “Bellingham has shown at the World Cup that he is a great midfielder, but so have others.
      “Enzo Fernandez has played very well. Gavi and Pedri as well.
      “Bellingham is one of those very good midfielders, but I’ll stick with the ones we have.”
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      Ancelotti’s comments will be a boost to the host of English clubs chasing Bellingham’s signature.
      The latest reports are that Liverpool are becoming concerned by his price tag given Chelsea are attempting to sign Enzo Fernandez for more than £100million.
      Should the Blues complete a deal for the Argentine, 21, it would almost certainly inflate the Dortmund teenager’s value.
      Bellingham has contributed 19 goals and 21 assists in 112 appearances since arriving in the Bundesliga in 2020.
      He also shone for England at the World Cup, continuing to state his case as one of the best midfielders in the world.
      Dortmund currently sit sixth in the German top flight, nine points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich.
      They have qualified for the last-16 of the Champions League – where they will face Chelsea. More

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      Barcelona got £225m offer for Messi in 2006 from Inter – more than QUADRUPLE the world-record transfer fee at time

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      BARCELONA turned down a £225million Inter Milan bid for Lionel Messi in 2006, according to their former club president Joan Laporta.The Catalan politician served as the club’s chief between 2003 and 2010 before returning last year.
      Messi was already hot property back in 2006Credit: AFP – Getty
      Joan Laporta revealed the bid last yearCredit: EPA
      And Laporta, 60,was asked about the future of unhappy talisman Lionel Messi – leading to a stunning admission.
      Last April, he told Radio Onda Cero: “Nobody who loves Barcelona can have doubts about Messi.
      “We rejected a £225m offer coming from Inter in 2006. [Massimo] Moratti wanted to bring him to his club.”
      The offer dwarfed what was the then transfer world-record, which was the £46.6m that Real Madrid paid for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.
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      At the time, inspired by the likes of Javier Zanetti, Adriano and Luis Figo, Inter had just won Serie A – while Messi had picked up his first Champions League medal with Barca.
      The Argentine, now 35, has gone on to pick up three more – but not since 2015.
      Ultimately, Barcelona lost their talisman for nothing when he departed for Paris Saint-Germain once his contract expired before the beginning of the last campaign.
      And former club figure Jaume Llopis has hammered Laporta for his handling of the Messi and CVC investment saga.
      The transfer record was previously held by Zinedine Zidane at £46.6mCredit: AFP
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      The former Espai Barca member told Cadena SER: “The first contract was not accepted because, according to Laporta, it meant mortgaging the TV rights of Barcelona for the next 50 years.
      “But CVC were willing to negotiate. And they did not negotiate either.
      “Laporta was convinced by Ferran Reverter, the new CEO, that it was not possible to sign with CVC, and by Florentino Perez with the European Super League project.
      “It also happens that Ferran Reverter has a long-standing friendship with Florentino Perez and between them they convinced him and Laporta to radically change his mind and refuse to continue negotiating.” More