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      Karim Benzema’s Ballon d’Or win costs Real Madrid £870k as 13-year transfer clause is triggered

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      REAL MADRID have to pay Lyon £870,000 following Karim Benzema’s Ballon d’Or triumph, according to reports.The striker, 34, joined the Spanish giants way back in 2009 for a then French-record transfer fee of £30million.
      Benzema claimed the award at Monday night’s ceremonyCredit: Getty
      The deal had add-ons within it which could enable the price to increase to as much as £35.2m.
      And one of those was a clause which would see Lyon receive one million euros if he claimed the Ballon d’Or.
      Well over a decade on, L’Equipe understand that clause has now been triggered after the Madrid man claimed the award ahead of Sadio Mane and Kevin de Bruyne.
      Benzema has scored 329 goals in 616 appearances since joining Los Blancos.
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      And he was instrumental in helping the club lift the LaLiga and Champions League trophies last season, netting a remarkable 44 times in 46 games.
      Following Benzema’s Ballon d’Or win, Lyon’s president Jean-Michel Aulas hailed it as a special moment.
      He said: “It’s a great source of pride and emotion, because Karim is a kid from OL.
      “He is a child that we have seen grow up and that we have seen blossom.
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      “We have seen him succeed in almost everything he has undertaken.
      “And for us, who not only hired him, but also signed his first contracts with us, we are proud.
      “It’s a source of pride with a message, that of exemplarity, because having a youngster like Karim who only plays for two clubs in his entire career.”
      Before moving to Madrid 13 years ago, Benzema scored 66 times in 148 matches for Lyon, winning four successive league titles.
      And the Ligue 1 side’s supporters have not forgotten what he achieved with the club as they celebrated in the streets following his Ballon d’Or win. More

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      Watch Gerard Pique’s ‘shameless’ warm-up as Barcelona star goes viral after leaning on corner flag

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      THIS is the hilarious moment Gerard Pique performs a “shameless” warm-up on the touchline.And the Barcelona star even has a rest on the corner flag as team-mates are put through their paces!
      Gerard Pique warmed up for Barcelona by leaning against a corner flagCredit: Twitter @Reydelfutbol__
      Barca fans were not happy with Pique’s actions during their win against VillarrealCredit: Twitter @Reydelfutbol__
      Pique, 35, was a second-half sub in Barca’s 3-0 win over Villarreal on Thursday.
      Two goals from Robert Lewandowski and a third from Ansu Fati – all within seven minutes of each other – sealed victory for the Catalans after just one win in their previous four games.
      But the talking point was instead Pique’s laboured performance as he began to warm-up ahead of his late cameo – despite reportedly earning £19million a YEAR.
      As other pals ran up and down the touchline, while also incorporating other exercises to prepare for match action, Pique hilariously watched the match with his hands on his hips.
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      The former Manchester United defender then proceeded to put in a half-hearted walk to the corner flag.
      And brilliantly, Pique propped himself up against the pole while continuing to keep an eye on the action.
      At times, the former partner of pop star Shakira even let his gaze drift over towards the fans in the Nou Camp stands.
      Perhaps it was the thought of potentially having to wear his Colombian ex’s name on his shirt that put Pique off his stride.
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      But Barcelona fans were far from happy with Pique’s actions, with many questioning why he’s still at the club with his best days long behind him.
      And as some in the crowd jeered the veteran, others took to social media to vent their anger.
      One blasted: “This is how the best-paid centre-back in the world warms up. After the Champions League mess. Go on, keep applauding Pique.”
      Another cried: “Shameless. This really p***ed me off. Is this a professional player?”
      One yelped: “What kind of warm-up is this?”
      However, another came to Pique’s defence, adding: “These guys disrespect the player and are surprised he has no motivation.”
      Aside from four years at Man Utd and a season-long loan at Zaragoza, Pique has been at Barcelona since he was 10 years old.
      He’s scored 52 goals in 613 games for the Catalans while winning eight LaLiga titles and three Champions League crowns.
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      Pique, who has 102 caps for Spain, is also a Euros and World Cup winner.
      But he has played just four times in the league this term, hinting that his life as a Barca star could be coming to an end shortly. More

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      Ex-Real Madrid doctor revealed Gareth Bale is best athlete he’s ever seen over legend Cristiano Ronaldo

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      GARETH BALE is a better athlete than Cristiano Ronaldo, according to ex-Real Madrid doctor Jesus Olmo.Manchester United star Ronaldo is famed for his physique and even maintains it at the age of 37 but Olmo reckons Bale is the best athlete he has ever seen.
      Gareth Bale is a better athlete than Cristiano Ronaldo, according to a former Real Madrid doctor
      Jesus Olmo claimed Bale is the best athlete he has ever seen despite Ronaldo being famed for his impressive physique
      Ronaldo is no stranger to showing off his physiqueCredit: Getty
      Having been team-mates during Olmo’s time at the Bernabeu, Bale and CR7 probably have their own ideas about who keeps in better shape but the Portuguese doc was in no doubt.
      The ex-Los Blancos doctor previously told Ideal in 2020: “Perhaps the best athlete I’ve ever seen is Bale.
      “Gareth Bale is a natural athlete who can excel in practically any sport.
      “He has incredible athletic skills, and I would also say technical skills.
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      “He is the one who impressed me most in all aspects.”
      The medical expert also said Real Madrid fans did not see the best of the Welsh wizard during his time in Spain, because he was suffering from several injuries.
      Bale, 33, played just seven games for Los Blancos last season and left to play in the MLS with Los Angeles FC.
      After Ronaldo leapt 8ft 5ins into the air to score a header against Sampdoria in 2019 he revealed his fitness secrets that keep him going and claimed he could play on until he was 41.
      His mum Dolores also backed up his claim earlier this year.
      The Madeira-based mum-of-four told presenter and comedian Guilherme Geirinhas: “I’ve already asked him if he wants to be a coach when he stops playing.
      “He told me he wants to enjoy life. He’ll play until he’s 40.” More

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      ‘They probably won’t admit it’ – Xavi reveals inside story on Lionel Messi’s iconic rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo

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      LIONEL MESSI and Cristiano Ronaldo drove themselves to become iconic stars – because of their intense rivalry.That is the opinion of former Barcelona midfielder Xavi, who was present when ex-teammate Messi tried to outdo Ronaldo, then of Real Madrid, across 30 El Clasico meetings.
      Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo met 30 times in the El ClasicoCredit: AFP
      Xavi believes the pair drove themselves to become icons due to their rivalryCredit: Getty
      The pair have NINE Champions League titles between them and collected 12 Ballon d’Or awards, an accolade that recognises the best players on the planet.
      Speaking in a new BBC documentary about Messi’s career, current Barcelona boss Xavi said: “Cristiano and Leo probably won’t admit it.
      “But Cristiano even gave him an extra push, an extra push to become a better player.
      “I am convinced they used to keep an eye on each other.
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      “If you’re competitive you want to be the best, that’s human nature.”
      Tomorrow night the BBC will broadcast a new doc called MESSI which pays tribute to the Argentine genius ahead of next month’s World Cup in Qatar.
      It carries contributions from Rio Ferdinand, Henrik Larsson and Cesc Fabregas, who either played with or against the 35-year-old superstar.
      Xavi, now the Barcelona boss, added: “Messi is a 10. This guy is a 9.2. This one is an 8.5. But a 10, this kid has set the bar. There’s nothing above that, that’s the highest.”
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      In three separate summers between 2014 and 2016, Argentina lost to Germany in the World Cup Final in Brazil and then were beaten in TWO Copa America finals by Chile.
      Messi – long compared to World Cup winner Diego Maradona – finally won a major title for his country when Argentina beat Brazil in the 2021 Copa America Final in Rio.
      And Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez reveals the inspirational team talk that captain Messi gave before he broke his international trophy drought.
      Martínez, 30, said: “It was like our victory was meant to be. We were supposed to play in Argentina but it was changed last minute to Brazil.
      “We had been 40 days away from our families and he said something about me, which I will never forget.
      “He said: ‘Emi saw his daughter born on FaceTime. He couldn’t even give her a cuddle. So let’s do it for him.’
      “I had butterflies in my tummy when he said that. He nearly made me cry just before the game had started.
      “At the end, I hugged him so hard. I said: ‘We did it.’ I was crying. I am a very emotional guy. I did grab him in the air like my boy. I love Messi.”
      MESSI will be available on BBC iPlayer at 6am tomorrow and then broadcast on BBC One on Saturday November 19. More

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      LaLiga clubs ‘consider going on STRIKE’ after Government passes law to help hated European Super League

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      LALIGA clubs are considering going on strike as pressure grows on the Spanish Government to block the European Super League, reports say. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez is desperate to revive his hated project, which fell apart within days 18 months ago.
      LaLiga fans could be deprived of seeing the league’s best stars, like Vinicius Jr, if it goes on strike on October 28Credit: Rex
      Barcelona remain one of the clubs in favour of the European Super LeagueCredit: Getty
      But La Liga clubs are determined to stop him as political parties become increasingly pulled into the debate.
      Fourteen sides in the top flight are reportedly threatening to strike unless the Government rejects the Super League.
      All 14 of the club presidents will meet Spain’s sports minister Miquel Iceta on Monday, where they are calling for reassurances.
      They want to see an update to Spain’s general ‘Sports Law’ that would see an official rejection to the controversial idea.
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      A potential LaLiga strike looms next week if they don’t get their way, according to Cope.
      They say LaLiga president Javier Tebas has informed clubs there is a “serious possibility” that they could call a strike on October 28.
      They add that 39 out of 42 clubs in the top two divisions in Spain reject the European Super League.
      Those believed to be in favour are Real Madrid, Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao.
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      The two Spanish giants, and Italian side Juventus, remain committed to the super league.
      The political situation in Spain has changed in recent weeks as governing PSOE and main opposition Partido Popular have both relaxed their opposition to Perez’s proposal.
      It had appeared doomed in April 2021 when all of the English clubs pulled out within hours of one another an extraordinary fan backlash.
      But Perez, Barca president Joan Laporta and Juventus chairman Andrea Agnelli are all still trying to push the unpopular idea. More

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      ‘Couldn’t be more proud’ – Ronaldo beams as Real Valladolid ace saves TWO penalties in row in bizarre VAR-fuelled chaos

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      BRAZIL legend Ronaldo could not contain his delight after watching his goalkeeper save TWO penalties to help Real Valladolid win.The man nicknamed R9, 46, was one of the world’s best strikers in his playing days and is now the Spanish club’s majority owner.
      Real Valladolid keeper Jordi Masip saved two penalties after VAR-fuelled chaosCredit: La Liga Santander
      Brazil legend Ronaldo, who owns a controlling stake in the club, tweeted his pride afterwardsCredit: EPA
      He purchased a 51 per cent controlling stake in Valladolid for £25million back in September 2018.
      They are one of Spain’s yo-yo clubs bouncing between the Segunda division and the top flight.
      However, they are currently enjoying life in midtable of LaLiga after yesterday’s thrilling victory over Celta Vigo.
      Valladolid took the lead just after half hour at their Jose Zorrilla Stadium on Wednesday.
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      However, they were pegged back seconds before the break as Oscar Rodriguez levelled.
      They regained the lead on the hour through Joaquin Fernandez and then Sergio Leon doubled the advantage.
      Leon then missed a penalty to make it four but made amends seconds later.
      Then came a bizarre moment involving ex-Liverpool flop Iago Aspas.
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      Keeper Jordi Masip guessed correctly as he dived low to his right to stop Aspas’ spot-kick.
      But the former Barcelona stopper was adjudged to come off his line, and after a VAR check, the kick was retaken.
      This time Aspas went the other way, but Masip was in no mood to be beaten, and he too dived the opposition direction and managed to grab home of the ball.
      Owner Ronaldo, a two-time World Cup winner, quickly took to Twitter afterwards to share snaps of the goal celebrations and penalty heroics.
      And he captioned them with: “4 goals, 2 penalties saved by Masip and a crowd that has been cheering until the end despite the rain.
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      “I couldn’t be more proud of this team.”
      Vallodolid are next in action on Saturday when they host Real Sociedad. More

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      Gerard Pique could have to wear Shakira’s name on his Barcelona shirt in awkward move after split from pop star

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      BARCELONA defender Gerard Pique could be forced to wear the name of his ex Shakira on his shirt in an awkward situation at the Nou Camp.Reports in Spain say the Colombian singer could be the next to benefit from the Catalan club’s sponsorship with Spotify after they opted to wear the OVO owl on their jersey in Sunday’s El Clasico.
      Pique could be awkwardly forced to wear Shakira’s name on his shirtCredit: Getty
      Shakira is set to strike a deal with BarcelonaCredit: Getty
      The owl is the symbol of music artist Drake’s brand and he recently made history by becoming the first artist to reach 50 billion streams.
      Shakira is about to release her new single Monotonia and has already sparked speculation it reflects her acrimonious split with Pique after 11 years – with the pair having two children together.
      Barcelona-based sports journalist Moises Llorens’ claims a deal is close to being sealed with the singer-songwriter which would see her feature on the Barcelona shirt.
      And leading Spanish news website El Espanol reported overnight: “Barcelona is planning the ‘reunion’ of Gerard Pique with Shakira.”
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      There has not yet been any official comment from the singer or Barcelona – who are keen to bring football and music together through its Spotify partnership.
      Ex-Manchester United man Pique has had to endure jibes from opposition fans who have sung Shakira’s name during matches following their split.
      One of the Colombian’s hit songs was played over a loudspeaker at Majorca’s Son Moix stadium at the beginning of October as Pique and his teammates warmed up before the start of a league match, sparking laughter from fans.
      The former couple recently attended their eldest son’s baseball game and appeared to not speak or even look at each other.
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      Pique, now dating Clara Chia Marti, 23, has been left out of several games this season by manager Xavi Hernandez but played in the club’s 3-3 Champions League draw against Inter Milan last week.
      Shakira, who faces a tax fraud trial in the coming months, has teased her new song with cryptic social media posts which fans and critics have claimed allude to her split with Pique.
      In a clip of a video she has shared – which shows a beating heart – she sings in Spanish: “It wasn’t your fault or mine, it was the monotony’s fault. I never said anything but it hurt me. I knew it would happen.” More

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      Zinedine Zidane cannot stop smiling as he hands Karim Benzema Ballon d’Or and congratulates Real Madrid star

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      ZINEDINE ZIDANE was beaming like a Cheshire cat as he awarded fellow countryman Karim Benzema the Ballon d’Or.Juventus and Real Madrid legend Zidane, 50, was the last Frenchman to win the coveted prize when he collected the gong back in 1998.
      A glowing Zidane presented Benzema with the Ballon d’OrCredit: Getty

      The two French legends embraced on the stageCredit: Reuters
      Benzema posed with Zidane, Chelsea icon Didier Drogba and journalist Sandy HeribertCredit: EPA
      Zidane continued to beam from ear to ear as he congratulated Benzema backstageCredit: TWITTER / SARA_2437
      But Benzema ended that 24-year wait on Monday as he beat Sadio Mane and Kevin de Bruyne to the accolade.
      Zidane presented the Real striker with the trophy – which Benzema claimed after leading the Spanish giants to LaLiga and Champions League glory last season.
      And the former Los Blancos boss, who coached Benzema for a total for five years, could not contain his joy at seeing his ex-player receive the honour.
      He was seen wearing a huge smile as the 34-year-old came up to claim the award.
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      And he then continued to show just how jubilant he was backstage after the ceremony as a clip emerged of Zidane embracing Benzema once more.
      Reacting on social media, one person said: “Look at how happy Zinedine Zidane is for him. What a beautiful moment. ❤️”
      While another added: “Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful. Zidane and Benzema, legends.”
      A third said: “Zidane tried so hard to hold back the excitement after seeing Benzema’s name 😂❤.”
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      And a fourth added: “When the entire world criticised Zidane for playing Benzema during his bad form, he didn’t listen to the media or the fans. He believed in Benzema when no one did.
      “Five years later, Benzema wins his first ever Ballon d’Or and Zidane handed it over to him like a proud father.”
      Benzema credits Zidane and Brazilian Ronaldo as the players he idolised when he was growing up.
      He then won three Champions Leagues in a row under the management of Zidane between 2016 and 2018 – although the limelight was often given to Cristiano Ronaldo instead.
      But last season Benzema finally received the credit he deserves as he scored 44 goals in 46 games on the way to Real lifting the LaLiga and Champions League trophies.
      Zidane looked thrilled from the moment Benzema stepped up on stageCredit: Rex
      Benzema was honoured to collect the award and pledged to retire at Real MadridCredit: Getty More