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      Lionel Messi called a ‘hormonal dwarf’ and ‘sewer rat’ by ex-Barcelona board member in shocking abusive leaked emails

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      LIONEL MESSI was labelled a “hormonal dwarf” and “sewer rat” by an ex-Barcelona board member, according to a sensational report. World Cup winner Messi left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain upon the expiry of his contract in 2021.
      Lionel Messi was the subject of some unsavoury messages by Barcelona’s former boardCredit: Rex
      The leaked messages were directed at Barcelona president Josep BartomeuCredit: EPA
      Former legal chief Roman Gomez Ponti allegedly sent the scathing remarksCredit: AFP
      However, Barca chiefs were left infuriated by a press leak which shared details of the contract offered to Messi – which would have seen him net almost £500million – prior to his emotional exit.
      And Spanish outlet El Periodico revealed messages allegedly sent in a group chat between the club’s former hierarchy on January 31, 2021.
      The chat the messages were sent in included ex-president Josep Bartomeu, CEO Òscar Grau, directors Pancho Schroder and Javier Sobrino, executives Jordi Moix, Oriol Tomàs and David Bellver and legal chief Roman Gomez Ponti.
      Ponti, in particular, fired a sharp-tongued message to Bartomeu regarding his favouritism of Messi.
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      In his message he said: “Barto, really, you can’t be such a good person with this sewer rat.
      “The club has given him everything and he has dedicated himself to marking a dictatorship of signings, transfers, renewals, sponsorships just for him, etc.”
      Ponti ranted about Messi’s power at the club in demanding new deals for team-mates Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba.
      He then ranted about the renewal fee for Ansu Fati’s contract, which went to Messi’s brother and agent Rodrigo.
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      Ponti then went on to speak about “blackmail” and Messi’s lack of support as the Covid-19 pandemic hit.
      He added: “And above all the accumulation of blackmail and rudeness that the club and those who work have suffered from this hormonal dwarf that owes Barça life … ah!
      “But when they come badly given (pandemic) you receive the mythical WhatsApp: ‘presi, lower the salary to others, but do not touch me and Luis.'”
      Ponti then blasted Messi as a “pesetero,” meaning money-grabber.
      The financial difficulties of the club eventually saw Messi leave as Barcelona could not lower their wage bill enough to accommodate the 35-year-old.
      These difficulties have continued, and despite a summer which saw them trigger a number of “economic levers” to help them do business, recent reports still suggest they are £178m over budget in wages. More

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      Liverpool suffer new blow with World Cup hero Sofyan Amrabat set to snub transfer in favour of Atletico Madrid move

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      LIVERPOOL target Sofyan Amrabat wants to join Atletico Madrid, according to reports.The Moroccan played an integral role during his side’s amazing run at the World Cup in Qatar.
      Sofyan Amrabat starred at the World Cup for MoroccoCredit: Getty
      With Fiorentina star Amrabat a key cog in the heart of midfield, Morocco became the first African side ever to reach a World Cup semi-final.
      His superb performances in the Middle East attracted plenty of interest, with Liverpool said to be keen on recruiting him to bolster their midfield.
      According to Foot Mercato, however, he has his heart set on Atletico.
      A deal will not be easy to complete, however, with Fiorentina likely to demand a big fee.
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      During the World Cup, Amrabat already appeared keen to play for Atletico, gushing over the qualities of coach Diego Simeone.
      He told Spanish paper Marca: “What Simeone does, what he achieved… He coached Atletico de Madrid for many years.
      “I like his style of play. He won a lot and I have a lot of respect for him.
      “The players on your team are physically strong and aggressive. I like to play that way.”
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      Amrabat, 26, is under contract with Fiorentina until 2024.
      La Viola have made attempts to renew his deal, but face an uphill battle to keep him.
      Liverpool’s No1 midfield target, however, is England star Jude Bellingham.
      But Borussia Dortmund are set to demand upwards of £100million – with Manchester City, Real Madrid and Chelsea all also in the mix.
      Jude Bellingham is Liverpool’s No1 midfield targetCredit: Getty More

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      Lionel Messi EQUALS Cristiano Ronaldo for most goals in Top 5 European leagues with 696 – but does it 88 games QUICKER

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      LIONEL MESSI has equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally of 696 goals for clubs in Europe’s top five leagues.The Argentine bagged his latest strike in Paris Saint-Germain’s 2-0 victory over Angers last night.
      Lionel Messi marked his return to club action with a goalCredit: Reuters
      Messi, 35, achieved the feat on his return to club action following his World Cup triumph last month.
      Europe’s top five leagues are the Premier League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, the Bundesliga and Serie A.
      He netted 672 goals in 778 appearances for former club Barcelona.
      And he has since added a further 24 strikes in 54 PSG outings.
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      This takes him to a remarkable 696 goals in 831 appearances for the two clubs.
      Ronaldo has also scored 696 goals… but in 88 more matches.
      After moving to Manchester United from Sporting Lisbon in 2003, he went on to bag 145 goals in 346 games across two spells.
      He scored an astonishing 450 goals in 438 appearances for Real Madrid, before adding another 101 goals in 134 Juventus outings.
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      Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo met many times during their illustrious careersCredit: AP
      This means that Ronaldo has scored 696 goals in 919 appearances in Europe’s top five leagues.
      Having signed for Al-Nassr last month, the 37-year-old is unlikely to add more to his tally.
      Reports circulated that his deal with the Saudi club contained a secret clause enabling him to join Newcastle, although they were subsequently denied.
      Ronaldo and Messi have faced off on many memorable occasions during their illustrious careers – particularly while fighting for trophies at Real Madrid and Barcelona.
      They could meet for a final time this month, when a Saudi all-star team consisting of players from Al-Nassr and Al-Hilal take on PSG in Riyadh on January 19.
      Al-Nassr boss Rudi Garcia has confirmed that Ronaldo is set to take part in the match.
      His debut for his new club is then set to take place three days later, when they take on Ettifaq on January 22.
      Ronaldo and his family were recently introduced to Al-Nassr fansCredit: AFP More

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      Chelsea star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang wants Barcelona transfer return just months after quitting amid season struggles

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      PIERRE-EMERICK AUBAMEYANG wants to return to Barcelona just FOUR months after he left to join Chelsea.The Gabon international has endured a nightmare return to the Premier League and is out of favour under Graham Potter.
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has struggled since arriving at ChelseaCredit: Getty
      The striker has not scored in his last 10 games in all competitionsCredit: Rex
      He’s hasn’t started a game since lining up against his former club Arsenal in November and has scored just three goals.
      And Aubameyang has looked a shadow of his former self in recent weeks, highlighted by the fact he was subbed off after being subbed on against Manchester City last week.
      As a result, AS claim the 33-year-old is unhappy at Chelsea and wants to go back to Spain.
      The report states that Aubameyang is so desperate that he would be willing to return to any cost.
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      And he’s even been in touch with manager Xavi.
      But a return to the Nou Camp is only likely to happen if Barca manage to offload Memphis Depay, who’s being linked with Atletico Madrid.

      Fabrizio Romano has also claimed that the La Liga leaders would “love” the idea of re-signing the striker, but only on a free and once more stated it would hinge on Depay’s future.
      Barcelona are the only club that Aubameyang can sign for because he’s already played for two teams this season.
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      Despite the frontman’s struggles, Potter confirmed that he’s back in the squad for Thursday’s West London derby at Fulham.
      And he’ll be hoping to end his TEN game run without a goal at Craven Cottage. More

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      Who is ENIGMA69? Fans baffled by mystery LaLiga star who wore wrestler mask to play in Gerard Pique’s 7-a-side league

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      FOOTY fans have been left baffled after a LaLiga star donned a disguise to play in Gerard Pique’s seven-a-side league.Barcelona legend star Pique recently announced the formation of the Kings League – a competition in which 12 teams comprised of former players and Spanish influencers compete for top spot.
      A mystery LaLiga player took part in the matches while wearing a Lucha Libre maskCredit: Getty
      Gerard Pique’s Kings League got underway last weekendCredit: GETTY
      The player also donned a black compression top to hide his identityCredit: GETTY
      The Kings League pits teams of former players and influencers against one anotherCredit: GETTY
      The league kicked off last week and was a resounding success, with thousands of people tuning in to watch the matches on Twitch.
      And several of them were left scratching their heads trying to identify a player in the match between XBUYER TEAM and Kunisports who donned a Lucha Libre wrestling mask to hide their identity.
      The mystery player also wore a black compression top to hide the tattoos on his arms so as not to be identified by viewers.
      Prior to the match, Pique revealed the man in the mask is a player currently under contract with a LaLiga club.
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      He tweeted: “Primera Division [LaLiga] footballer under the age of 30 will play wearing a Mexican wrestling mask to hide his face and long sleeves to cover tattoos.”
      To add to the mystery, the LaLiga ace donned a shirt with “Enigma” and the number 69 on the back.
      And footy fans couldn’t help but try to guess the identity of the star, who was seen arriving in a chauffeured car before the match.
      The names of Real Madrid and Arsenal stars Isco and Dennis Suarez were repeatedly mentioned by fans.
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      Although Suarez denied being the masked man during a live stream with a Spanish journalist, saying: “It’s not me.”
      The recently-released Nano Mesa was also mentioned, as was Elche’s Pol Lirola.
      Fans also suggested Girona’s Rodrigo Riquelme could’ve donned the Lucha Libre mask, although there was no evidence to suggest it was him.
      Despite there being a huge demand for the identity of the player to be revealed, Pique is adamant he’ll keep it a secret for the time being.
      The Kings League has already had some big-name players compete in it.
      World Cup winner Joan Capdevila and former Manchester United hitman Javier Hernandez have played in the competition, which determines squads through an NFL-style draft.
      Former Manchester City and Argentina hitman Sergio Aguero is the president of XBUYER TEAM.
      Kings League matches take place every Sunday and they consist of two twenty-minute halves.
      Additionally, teams have to play one another twice.
      But the kick-offs are arguably the most bizarre part of the league, with players charging towards one another from their respective goal lines after the ref blows the whistle.
      Although the opening round of Kings League fixtures were watched by a whopping 800,000 people, it’s done little to impress LaLiga bigwig Javier Tebas
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      He said: “I can’t imagine doing the Enigma thing in LaLiga. It’s a circus.
      “It’s not a matter of attracting a young audience or not. I’ve read that they compare and they’re wrong.” More

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      Chelsea forced to delete Joao Felix transfer announcement after embarrassing gaffe called out by fans

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      CHELSEA were forced to delete their Joao Felix transfer announcement as it contained an embarrassing mistake.The 23-year-old arrives on loan from Atletico Madrid until the end of the season and the Blues proudly unveiled their new man.
      Chelsea’s unveiling of Joao Felix didn’t go to planCredit: Getty
      Joao Felix arrives on loan from Atletico MadridCredit: Getty
      However, fans noticed an error that resulted in Chelsea’s official Twitter account having to delete the initial post and re-write it, although it had already been seen by thousands.
      The announcement showed Felix in a blue shirt for the first time and the upload welcomed “the artist” to Stamford Bridge.
      They put a hashtag with it that read: “#HolaFelix”
      The word ‘Hola’ means hello in Spanish, but Felix is Portuguese and they don’t speak the language of their neighbouring country.
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      Chelsea should’ve dropped the ‘H’ as the Portuguese for hello is ‘Olá’.
      Fans picked up on the mistake, one said: “He’s Portuguese, not Spanish, you numbskulls. What is that hashtag?”
      A second realised the gaffe: “‘Hola’ is Spanish, Joao Felix is Portuguese…”
      One joked in reference to Jose Mourinho: “You’d think that a club whose most successful manager was Portuguese would know the difference.”
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      Felix joins Graham Potter’s side for a loan fee of £10million, the deal does not contain an option for Chelsea to make the switch permanent.
      The player has extended his contract at Atletico for an extra year, meaning his deal now runs until 2027 at the LaLiga side.
      The former Benfica star was supposedly on the wishlist of both Arsenal and Manchester United this month but snubbed them for the West Londoners.
      Felix is hoping to rejuvenate his career after a tough year under Diego Simeone where he has started only 44 per cent of league games.
      He joined Atleti back in 2019 for a massive £112million but he has failed to meet his potential, netting 34 times in 131 games. More

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      Arsenal ‘considering shock Eden Hazard transfer move’ with 32-year-old ex-Chelsea star mulling over Real Madrid future

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      ARSENAL are considering a shock move for Real Madrid star Eden Hazard, according to reports.The former Chelsea winger is supposedly holding showdown talks over his future with the LaLiga side open to letting him leave.
      Real Madrid seem to be willing to let Eden Hazard leave the club this monthCredit: Getty
      And he could have a surprise offer from the Gunners as they look to bolster their squad for the title race.
      Outlet Mediafoot claims that Hazard could go to Arsenal if their proposed transfer for Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykhailo Mudryk doesn’t materialise amid competition from Chelsea.
      Reports suggest that initial contact between Mikel Arteta’s side and representatives in the Spanish capital has been made.
      Hazard’s contract expires at the end of the next season and there has supposedly been interest from MLS teams, Fenerbahce and Al-Nassr.
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      The 32-year-old has found minutes hard to come by at Real Madrid this season, being an unused substitute on 16 occasions.
      He has featured only seven times, managing to score just once in all competitions.

      His big money move to Los Blancos back in 2019 has not gone to plan as he has suffered a number of injuries and because of the emergence of Vinicius Junior.
      Hazard was even recently mocked by a fourth-division player in the Copa del Rey as he was hooked off by boss Carlo Ancelotti in the 67th minute.
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      Demanding Real Madrid supporters also slammed his performance in the rare start.
      Hazard’s best days came in England with Chelsea, helping the Blues win two Premier League titles and two Europa Leagues.
      He would offer Arsenal experience and he is hoping to rejuvenate his career having also retired from international football with Belgium after a disappointing World Cup More

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      Barcelona ‘ready to sell three stars including Man Utd transfer target Ansu Fati… but make two players untouchable’

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      CASH-STRAPPED Barcelona are reportedly ready to have a firesale of stars as they look to balance the books.The club spent a combined figure of around £150m to bring in Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Jules Kounde in the summer.
      Barcelona are reportedly willing to consider offers for a number of players to balance the booksCredit: Getty
      And in order to do this, they were forced to take drastic measures such as selling a 25 per cent stake of their in-house production company, as well as ten per cent of their TV rights for the next 25 years.
      To ensure they don’t end up in the same situation this summer, the club are willing to consider the sale of a number of big name players.
      Brazil international winger Raphinha is one of them, with the club hoping to recoup the £55m they paid to sign him from Leeds.
      Ferran Torres is also reportedly allowed to leave for the right price, having joined from Man City for £55m two years ago.
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      And perhaps most surprisingly, the club are said to be prepared to listen to offers for 20-year-old Ansu Fati.
      Fati was previously a top target for Man Utd, with the club reportedly agreeing a £135m deal to sign him in 2020 before Barca pulled the plug.
      Such was the high regard that the Spain starlet was held in, that the club handed him Lionel Messi’s number ten shirt following the World Cup winner’s departure.
      But journalist Jose Alvarez told El Chiringuito that Barca have not been satisfied with the performances of Fati and the two other players and could consider an offer in order to keep Robert Lewandowski and Ousmane Dembele.
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      Alvarez’s report labelled the 34-year-old Pole and World Cup finalist Dembele as the club’s only “untouchables” in the coming two transfer windows.
      Lewandowski has been in fine form since joining Barca, netting 18 goals in 20 games.
      And despite a disastrous performance which saw him hauled off before half time for France in the World Cup final, Dembele’s exploits for Barcelona have been much improved under Xavi.
      Ansu Fati could be sold in a surprise decision from the La Liga leadersCredit: AFP
      Raphinha could be sold after failing to impress since joining from LeedsCredit: Getty
      ‘Untouchable’ Robert Lewandowski will not be sold by Barca for any priceCredit: Getty More