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      Barcelona’s unrecognisable XI from last visit to Inter Milan three years ago, with NO players remaining in Xavi’s squad

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      BARCELONA travel to Inter Milan in a blockbuster Champions League clash on Tuesday night.The Catalan giants have kicked off their European campaign with a 2-0 defeat to Bayern Munich and a 5-1 win over Viktoria Plzen.
      Griezmann is still contracted to Barcelona but on loan at Atletico MadridCredit: AFP
      How Barcelona lined up the last time they faced Inter Milan at the San Siro
      Rakitic left Barcelona for Sevilla at the end of the 2019/20 campaignCredit: Reuters
      Inter have also lost to Bayern and beaten Plzen, so the clash at the San Siro promises to be a pivotal one when it comes to both sides’ Champions League hopes.
      It is three years since these two European giants faced off, with Barcelona going through a huge squad rejuvenation in that time.
      Despite their financial crisis, players have continued to move in and out of the Nou Camp at a frightening pace.
      And SunSport have identified that ALL 11 players who started away at Inter Milan in December 2019 are no longer at the club.
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      In goal was Brazilian keeper Neto – who is now plying his trade at Bournemouth.
      The back three consisted of Clement Lenglet, Samuel Umtiti and Jean-Clair Todibo.
      Todibo joined Nice last year, while Umtiti and Lenglet are out on loan at Lecce and Tottenham respectively.
      Left wingback Junior Firpo is now at Leeds, while right wingback Moussa Wague joined Croatian side Gorica in the summer.
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      Ivan Rakitic is now at Sevilla after leaving Barcelona in 2020.
      Arturo Vidal and Carles Alena are also no longer with the Spanish giants following transfers to Flamengo and Getafe.
      Then up front, Barcelona played the pair of Antoine Griezmann and Carles Perez.
      Griezmann has since gone back to Atletico Madrid on loan, while Perez joined Celta Vigo, before being loaned to Jose Mourinho’s Roma.
      That Barcelona team did get the job done in 2019 as they beat Inter Milan 2-1 at the San Siro.
      In fact, Inter have not beaten Barca in any of their previous five meetings – a run which stretches back to the 2009/10 Champions League semi-finals.
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      On that occasion, Inter won the first leg 3-1 before losing the return fixture 1-0 – a result which was enough to see them progress through to the final.
      The Italian giants then went on to beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in the final and lift the trophy for a third time. More

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      I’m a former LaLiga star and Lionel Messi gave me sleepless nights… he’s an alien who left me for dead on the pitch

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      LIONEL MESSI is often described as inhuman by football fans left in awe by what he can do with the ball at his feet.But even professional stars who the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner plays against are labelling the ex-Barcelona man as an alien.
      Former La Liga star Guilherme Santos has compared Lionel Messi as an alien
      Santos was helpless to stopping Messi when he faced him in his Barcelona heydayCredit: Getty
      Former LaLiga defender Guilherme Santos, 34, who faced Messi with Almeira in the late 2000s, admitted the now PSG man gave him sleepless nights.
      Santos told ESPN Brazil of his time in Spain: “When I went there, I didn’t sleep. I knew it was possible that I will be ashamed. I believed in my potential. But we have to respect [Messi].
      “The man was an ET [extra terrestrial]. The ball was with him at all times.”
      Santos recalled once pressing Messi and managing to steal the ball from him – something he later regretted.
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      He continued: “I always had a lot of strength. When I pressed, I won. I thought ‘This guy is not all that’. Why did I poke the guy? Are you crazy?
      “The last ball, he looked at me. In one he cut me, he cut in, out, in and out. I kept looking back like that. Where’s Mano [Messi]? I got lost.”
      Santos added: “Then, just when I thought he was going to kick, he cut. He did some things at the last minute, you know? And he couldn’t. It was really genius.”
      The defender is now plying his trade in the Brazilian lower leagues, but he isn’t the only person to compare the Argentinian superstar to an alien.
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      Former Barcelona boss Ernesto Valverde once said on Messi: “He is extra terrestrial in a way, because every time he takes the ball something extraordinary happens.”
      Over a decade on from Santos’ encounters with Messi, the PSG forward continues to produce out of this world performances.
      The 35-year-old has netted six times and provided eight assists in just 11 games to start the campaign.
      And he made it 12 goals for the season with a stunning free-kick past summer signing Kasper Schmeichel in Saturday’s clash with Nice.
      Messi has started his second season at PSG with a bangCredit: AP More

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      Barcelona set to offload three top earners including Busquets in bid to slash massive £546m wage bill by £150m

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      SERGIO BUSQUETS will be among the casualties when Barcelona offload three of their highest earners.It comes as Barcelona move to re-establish financial stability within the club after a summer of turmoil.
      Sergio Busquets is set to leave Barcelona when his contract expiresCredit: Getty
      Gerard Pique, left, Busquets and Jordi Alba, right, are all set to leave the Camp Nou next summerCredit: Rex
      The midfield general is set to be joined on the chopping board by defenders Jordi Alba and Gerard Pique.
      According to Spanish publication Sport, Barcelona chiefs want to reduce the clubs wage bill by a further £150million.
      The current bill stands at a whopping £546m, with the target figure between £376m and £402m.
      The trio of Barca captains all have bumper deals at the club, but while Busquets remains an integral figure Alba and Pique have been pushed to the side.
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      The trio have over 1,700 appearances between them, and a massive haul of trophies to boot.
      However, with the new direction the club are pressing towards under Xavi’s tutelage, their days are now numbered.
      A summer spend of £145m was partially funded by the restructuring of the clubs debt and the sale of the clubs TV rights going forward.
      This movement of capital allowed the club to raise the funds to bring in a host of new stars, including Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Raphinha.
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      While the loss of three popular veterans will be a big blow to the club and its fanbase, they could be appeased via the return of Lionel Messi.
      Barcelona’s economic vice-president revealed the Argentine’s return was economically viable, amid speculation surrounding the forwards future.
      SunSport exclusively revealed earlier this week Messi had no concrete offers currently on the table. More

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      ‘The leaks make me laugh’ – Suarez confirms Messi did demand VIP box for both their families in Barcelona contract talks

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      LUIS SUAREZ has confirmed that Lionel Messi demanded a VIP box in his Barcelona contract. Prior to his 2021 move to Paris Saint-Germain, Messi remained locked in contract negotiations with Barcelona.
      Lionel Messi and his wife alongside Luis Suarez and his wifeCredit: Instagram / @leomessi
      The two became best friends while at BarcelonaCredit: Instagram / @antonelaroccuzzo
      Reports had suggested the Argentine had requested a VIP box for both his own and Suarez’s families at the Camp Nou during the talks in 2020.
      And now Suarez appears to have confirmed these rumours.
      When asked about the demands, he said: “These are normal wishes for any elite player.
      “I had my own box in Atletico, and here in Uruguay too. All the leaks make me laugh.”
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      As well as these executive boxes, the 35-year-old wanted a signing-on bonus of £8.7million paired with a three-year deal with an optional extension.
      He also asked for a private jet to be laid on to allow he and his family to fly back to Argentina over Christmas.
      This was on top of the £65m in wages he wanted which would rise by 10 per cent every season – on top of a further annual interest worth three per cent.
      The package as a whole ended up being worth a whopping £492m.
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      Not that this deterred the Blaugrana, who had accepted all the terms except for the signing-on bonus and a release clause which would be set at just £8,700 – which would have given Messi freewill to terminate his deal whenever he pleased.
      With Barcelona struggling during Messi’s latter years, he was becoming unhappy.
      And then with the club selling Suarez to Atletico Madrid the situation only became worse.
      The irony in the present day becomes apparent however, considering Messi wanted to stay in 2021 but was forced out due to the club being over La Liga wage caps.
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      However, with his contract at the French champions up next summer it remains to be seen where he will end up.
      SunSport exclusively revealed earlier this week that Messi had no concrete offers on the table, with Messi set to decide on his future after the World Cup. More

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      Cash-strapped Barcelona have only paid Man City £2.6MILLION of the £48.4m transfer deal they agreed for Ferran Torres

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      BARCELONA have paid Manchester City just £2.6million of the £48.4m fee they agreed for forward Ferran Torres, it has been revealed.The Spaniard, 22, left the Etihad to join the Catalan giants back in January.
      Torres joined Barcelona from Man City back in JanuaryCredit: Reuters
      A deal was struck despite Barcelona’s well-documented financial crisis.
      And they then went on to sign Raphinha, Jules Kounde, Robert Lewandowski, Franck Kessie, Andreas Christensen, Hector Bellerin and Marcos Alonso in the summer window.
      Yet the Torres transfer payment is still far from complete.
      According to CCMA, less than £3m of the £48.4m fee has been given to Man City.
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      And the deal for Torres is just one of several fees which have not yet been paid by Barca.
      They owe Ajax £28m for Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong – who they signed back in 2019.
      Juventus are waiting on more than £31m for Miralem Pjanic’s move to the Nou Camp two years ago.
      And Barca also still need to pay Liverpool £12m for the 2018 signing of Philippe Coutinho.
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      However, they are waiting for nearly £9m from Aston Villa after they signed Coutinho permanently earlier this year.
      Torres has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 33 appearances for Barcelona.
      But he has started just two of six LaLiga matches so far this season, with the likes of Lewandowski, Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele preferred to the ex-Man City man. More

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      Cicinho apologised to Sir Alex Ferguson for snubbing Man Utd transfer in 2005 to join Real Madrid’s Galacticos

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      FORMER Manchester United target Cicinho said sorry to Sir Alex Ferguson for once turning down a move to Old Trafford. The retired Brazilian right-back revealed last year he was close to signing for Manchester United in 2005 before Roberto Carlos’ intervention.
      Cicinho has apologised to Ferguson for snubbing the chance to join Man UtdCredit: AFP
      Cicinho opted to sign for Real Madrid, while Ferguson led United to trophy-after-trophy in a glittering era for Man UtdCredit: PA:Press Association
      Legendary left-back Carlos put in a call to Cicinho and convinced him to join Real Madrid at the eleventh hour.
      Recalling the saga on Instagram, Cicinho, 42, jokingly apologised to Ferguson, but admitted he couldn’t turn down the chance to be a part of Madrid’s star-studded line up.
      He wrote last December: “Today marks the 16th anniversary of my introduction to @realmadrid.
      “Sorry, Sir Alex Ferguson, but in 2005 @officialrc3 (Roberto Carlos) called Cicinho and in the moment I had to answer.
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      “He asked me if I wanted to come and play with him for the Galacticos.
      “It was almost all right for me to go to Manchester United, but how could I say no to the chance to be friends with Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, (Zinedine) Zidane, (Luis) Figo, (David) Beckham, Robinho, Raul, Julio Baptista, (Iker) Casillas, Sergio Ramos and so on?”
      Cicinho ultimately chose Madrid over Manchester, signing for a reported £3.5million from Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo.
      But it was Ferguson who had the last laugh, as Cicinho was shipped off to Roma after just 18 months and 32 appearances for the club.
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      He won a LaLiga title playing alongside the famous Galacticos, but failed to really establish himself in a side packed full of legends of the game.
      Earlier this year Cicinho revealed he “drank 10 beers a day” and turned up to training drunk while at the Bernabeu.
      He was capped 15 times by Brazil, but a promising career faded into mediocrity after his troubled time in Madrid.
      At Roma he had spells on loan with Villarreal and former club Sao Paulo, before joining Turkish side Sivasspor to once again link-up with old pal Carlos.
      But the former defender must be left thinking what could have been had he signed on the dotted line with Manchester United. More

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      Arsenal and Man Utd in transfer blow as Barcelona make Ruben Neves top target to replace Sergio Busquets

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      BARCELONA want to sign Ruben Neves as a replacement for Sergio Busquets next summer, according to reports.The Barca stalwart, 34, is set to leave Catalonia for Inter Miami next summer after 15 years in his boyhood club’s first-team.
      Ruben Neves is among Barcelona’s key targetsCredit: EPA
      Sergio Busquets is set to finally leave Barcelona after 15 yearsCredit: Getty
      Barca chiefs see midfield as an area of weakness and are eager to find a suitable replacement for such an important player.
      According to Catalan paper Sport, Wolves star Neves, 25, has emerged as a key target for Xavi and Co.
      Manchester United and Arsenal were both linked with the Portuguese ace over the summer, although neither got close to agreeing a deal.
      And now they may be gazumped by Barcelona.
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      Despite keeping Frenkie de Jong and recruiting Franck Kessie last summer, the LaLiga giants still feel the need for more options alongside Pedri and Co.
      With Neves’ contract at Molineux running until 2024, Barca feel that a deal should be simple enough to do.
      The two clubs have recent history in negotiating together, with Wolves having loaned Adama Traore back to his boyhood club in January.
      Barcelona also want to take advantage of their strong relationship with Neves’ agent Jorge Mendes.
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      Should they fail to agree a deal, however, they are claimed to like Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, 23, as an alternate option.
      Zubimendi’s release clause currently stands at around £54m, but could soon rise to £80m if not met within a certain time frame.
      A previous report linked Barcelona with Jorginho, Rodri and Joshua Kimmich.
      The former is likely to be easier to get, with his Chelsea contract set to expire at the end of the season.
      But deals for Rodri and Kimmich would be much more complicated.
      Barca like Real Sociedad ace Martin ZubimendiCredit: Rex More

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      Watch as Eden Hazard dances with group of women at nightclub while on international duty with Belgium

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      EDEN HAZARD went clubbing to unwind while on international duty with Belgium.The Real Madrid star captained the Red Devils in Nation League matches against Wales and the Netherlands.

      Eden Hazard danced in a club with women
      The winger partied after playing twice for Belgium over the international break
      Hazard is hoping to go to the World CupCredit: Getty
      He also used his time away from his home in Madrid and his wife Natacha and four children to go partying.
      The winger was spotted in a nightclub dancing with girls while wearing a black t-shirt and baseball cap.
      He also shook hands with someone he knew and appeared to be loving life as he danced the night away.
      Hazard has struggled for game time at the Bernabeu this season but started both of Belgium’s matches and completed more than an hour in both games.
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      But he admitted he is in a “delicate situation” at Real Madrid ahead of the World Cup.
      He said: “There have been difficult times because I want to play and I don’t play.
      “I feel good at Real Madrid, I just play less. And when I play, I play well. It’s a delicate situation because I want to play more.”
      He then went on to add: “I know what I can do when I play.
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      “I want to play the maximum number of minutes and get to the World Cup in shape.”
      But some fans feel Hazard’s best days are behind him after a “worrying” training video emerged online.
      The former Chelsea star lacked the agility and dynamism he possessed at his peak and that means he may struggle to make Roberto Martinez’s side for the World Cup. More