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      in Soccer

      Man Utd snubbed Thiago transfer because David Moyes didn’t know enough about him and then signed Fellaini instead

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      MANCHESTER UNITED were close to signing Bayern Munich star Thiago in 2013 but David Moyes vetoed it.Instead the Scot signed Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini on deadline day.
      David Moyes vetoed Man Utd’s signing of Thiago in 2013
      The Scot instead signed Marouane Fellaini from Everton
      Thiago ended up signing for Bayern where he won seven Bundesliga titles and a Champions League.
      Whereas Fellaini only managed an FA Cup, a League Cup and a Europa League title with United.
      Sir Alex Ferguson had set up a £17million deal to sign Thiago from Barcelona before his retirement, according to ESPN.
      ⚽ Read our Man United live blog for the latest news from Old Trafford
      But once he had left Old Trafford the decision fell to his replacement – and now West Ham manager – Moyes.
      Thiago was said to be keen on a Nou Camp exit in order to play first-team football.
      But Moyes reportedly shut the move down because he did not know enough about the Spanish international.
      The Scot had been told by United chiefs they were planning a mega move that summer – with Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo being mentioned.
      And as a result he held off on giving the Thiago deal the green light.
      Four Premier League teams crack the top ten highest wage bills in Europe
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      United reportedly attempted to sign Thiago’s Barca team-mate Cesc Fabregas instead but that move also fell through.
      So having missed out on several targets, Moyes was forced to raid his old club and sign Fellaini on the last day of the summer transfer window.
      Thiago made a belated move to the Premier League joining Liverpool in a £25million deal in 2020.
      Darren Fletcher says Cristiano Ronaldo became the player he is thanks to former Man Utd No2 Walter Smith More

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      in Soccer

      Inside Karim Benzema’s rough Lyon suburb where he grew up with four sisters and three brothers in a hotbed of crime

      by

      KARIM BENZEMA left the troubled streets of Bron-Terraillon 26 years ago.But he still calls the beautiful chaos of this sprawling Lyon  suburb home.
      SunSport travelled to Lyon to visit where Real Madrid superstar Karim Benzema grew upCredit: Getty
      Benzema has enjoyed an incredible season with 39 goals from 40 gamesCredit: AFP
      The house where Benzema grew up in Bron-Terraillon, a suburb of Lyon
      Benzema as a young boyCredit: Instagram / @karimbenzema
      SunSport travelled to Benzema’s first football club and the house he grew up in to see where it all began for the Real Madrid striker, 34.
      The French star was a “timid and skinny” kid who was drowned out by the shrill of 50cc motorbike engines, boy-racers and sirens in the streets of his neighbourhood.
      Benzema lived 50 metres from his first club, SC Bron-Terraillon, with his four sisters, three brothers and their parents, nestled in a tangle of social housing.
      Like many of France’s ‘banlieues’, the area — built in the 1960s mostly for North African immigrant workers and their families — is seen as a hotbed for crime.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}CRISTIAN AID .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Ronaldo should pray in the morning & say ‘thank you, Benzema’, claims Cassano
      Yet these same  suburbs have provided all the ingredients for footballers like Benzema to age like fine wine into some of the world’s most potent strikers.
      Frederic Rigolet, who was Benzema’s first coach in 1995 and now teaches his nephews, said: “He was small and skinny, his brother was more muscular and taller.
      “He didn’t speak and was very timid. He was always like that, didn’t speak much and he still doesn’t.
      “When he was younger he just played football and always had a ball in his hand.
      “He played in front of the wall and just passed to himself alone.
      “Even when he was a bit older at Lyon around age 14, 15, he would come back and train alone in front of the wall when he didn’t have training.
      “He’s very loyal, he has always had the same friends from Bron and it is the same now.”
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      The Benzemas no longer live around the corner from the club but for many of the family it is still their inner sanctum.
      His sisters stand on the sidelines, dressed in low-key clothes, looking like any mums watching their kids at  football practice.
      But it is easy to spot the striker’s nieces and nephews training in their brand new Real Madrid kits with ‘Benzema 9’ on the back, given to them by their uncle who they hope to one day follow in his footsteps.
      Rigolet added: “They are just normal people. His family come here because they know people won’t bother them.
      “We knew them before Karim became a star and we don’t care about the glamour.
      “He’s just a guy from our area. Honestly, we couldn’t imagine he would become the player he is. I liked coaching him but I didn’t know he would become the star he is.”
      Benzema (back left) in his Lyon youth team
      Frederic Rigolet – who coached Benzema in 1995 – with dozens of old pictures
      Benzema’s mother, Wahida, was born and raised in Lyon but his father, Hafid, emigrated to France from the same part of north-east Algeria as  Zinedine Zidane’s parents.
      They settled beyond Lyon’s metro lines in the socially and economically neglected suburbs — but they kept  Benzema on the straight and narrow.
      When he joined Lyon in 1997 they made sure the French side provided him with digs at the club to keep him off the streets.
      Rigolet said: “It’s called a priority zone, so it’s quite dangerous, but we have always lived here and it has never been a problem.
      “His parents took care of him. His mother asked Lyon to let him stay permanently with them, so he lived at the training ground and didn’t come back.
      “He could not stay in Bron, they did it for his protection.
      “Normally, Lyon wouldn’t do that because they prefer to give the rooms for people who come from far away but for Karim they did it.”
      Former Real keeper Iker Casillas described Benzema as both ‘Spiderman’ and ‘Wolverine’, while Rio Ferdinand suggested the Ballon d’Or will soon have his name engraved on it.
      The striker is in the form of his life at the ripe age of 34 and is set to make his 600th Los Blancos appearance against Manchester City on Tuesday.
      He’s just a guy from our area. Honestly, we couldn’t imagine he would become the player he is. I liked coaching him but I didn’t know he would become the star he is.Youth coach Frederic Rigolet
      Real fans will be hoping for a repeat of his Champions League masterclass against Chelsea.
      Rigolet said: “All Bron people are behind Real Madrid and tomorrow if he leaves the club then automatically we will be with the new team.
      “Karim’s brother-in-law has a snack bar so we can go and see the match there or we will watch it at the club on the TV all together.”
      Benzema has scored 13 goals in his last seven matches and 37 for the  season, his best-ever return.
      He has never even made the top three Ballon d’Or nominees but at least this year he will be at the World Cup. The lost years with France following the Mathieu Valbuena sex tape blackmail scandal have stained his career.
      It seems he is finally escaping the ghosts of his past, having scored nine times since returning to the fold ahead of Euro 2020.
      Although the fiercely loyal citizens of Bron-Terraillon will never forget his axing.
      Benzema came through for local side LyonCredit: EPA
      Rigolet said: “We could not imagine the French team not taking him.
      “When Karim was not in the national team, people in Bron didn’t watch France play. They didn’t care about it.
      “When he came back in we didn’t speak about it, he didn’t want to speak about it so we just called him and congratulated him.
      “He was happy to go back but he said, ‘I have no problem with Didier Deschamps or the selection’.
      “No one understood why he couldn’t play with the French team. It is outside football, it’s nothing to do with the sport.
      “That’s why his family don’t speak to journalists any more.”
      SunSport’s Isabelle Barker (centre) with the current crop of players at SC Bron-Teraillon
      At the end of the season Benzema will hopefully lift his fourth LaLiga trophy before jetting back to Bron in his private jet.
      But he is still the same quiet kid from the streets who let his feet do the talking.
      Rigolet added: “He comes back discreetly and does what he has to do. Sometimes he gives us boots and asks us to give them to people who need them or signs some shirts.
      “When he has free time you can be sure he will come back to Bron to see his mother and family and spend time with us.
      “All the kids want to be him, he is their hero.” More

    • 263 Shares119 Views

      in Soccer

      Erik ten Hag ‘targets shock reunion with ex-Ajax ace Frenkie de Jong to solve Man Utd’s midfield woes as first transfer’

      by

      NEWLY appointed Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is reportedly plotting a reunion with Frenkie de Jong at Old Trafford. The 24-year-old starred under Ten Hag at Ajax, before moving to Barcelona in the summer of 2019 in a blockbuster £76million deal.
      Frenkie de Jong previously played under Erik ten Hag at AjaxCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Ten Hag is reportedly plotting a reunion with the Barcelona midfielderCredit: Getty
      Now though Ten Hag is said to be targeting a shock reunion with his former star.
      Spanish outlet Sport claim the 52-year-old wants De Jong as one of his first signings at Manchester United.
      The Barca man fits the bill perfectly, with the Red Devils in desperate need of midfield reinforcements.
      Paul Pogba and Nemanja Matic are set to leave at the end of the campaign, while both Fred and Scott McTominay have struggled with injuries as of late.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}MAN UTD NEWS .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Kalvin Phillips talks, Ronaldo back in training, Maguire bomb threat latest
      Barcelona boss Xavi had claimed in January that De Jong would be at the Nou Camp for “many years” to come.
      And it’s also understood the midfielder is currently happy at the club.
      But Erik ten Hag’s appointment at Manchester United plus Franck Kessie’s impending arrival at Barca, could change that.
      The Dutch international has been ever-present for Xavi this season, making 42 appearances in all competitions – registering four goals and providing five assists.  
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      And it remains to be seen whether Ten Hag will be able to tempt his former player to the Premier League.
      Reports suggest Ten Hag will be given a £200million war chest in his first transfer window in order to begin the rebuilding process at Old Trafford right away.
      England internationals Harry Kane and Declan Rice are both said to be on United’s transfer shortlist.
      Elsewhere RB Leipzig’s Christopher Nkunku is a target, while Benfica striker Darwin Nunez and Wolves midfielder Ruben Neves are also being looked at. More

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      in Soccer

      Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus face Champions League bans after huge court defeat over rebel Super League row

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      SUPER LEAGUE rebels Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus face Champions League bans after a huge defeat in a Spanish court.Uefa President Aleksander Ceferin had promised to make the three remaining insurgents pay for their role in pushing the breakaway plan even after the Prem Big Six staged their embarrassed retreats from involvement 12 months ago.
      Aleksander Ceferin has vowed that Uefa will take action over the three breakaway clubsCredit: PA
      Real Madrid and Barcelona may be punished, along with JuventusCredit: Getty
      The three clubs vowed to press on with their breakaway scheme despite the huge public backlash that forced Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Spurs and both Manchester sides to pull out of the plot.
      But the Madrid Mercantile Court, viewed by many as an in-house division of Real Madrid, had agreed with the club case that Uefa’s proposed sanctions unfairly prevented the trio from pushing on with their plot.
      Now, though, a senior judge overturned that ruling, which had prevented Uefa taking any disciplinary action against them for their continued involvement in the doomed project. 
      Judge Sofía Gil of the superior Spanish Commercial Court quashed that legal stay and appears set to dismiss the rebel’s case entirely at a pre-trial hearing slated for June 14, which would open the door for Uefa to take action.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}BOMB THREAT .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Harry Maguire tells pals ‘angry fan’s’ bomb threat won’t force him out of Man U
      In her 18-page ruling, Judge Gil stated that Real, Barca and Juve were “perfectly aware of the possible consequences” of their actions in defying Uefa.
      The Judge added: “Uefa and Fifa are associations that control and organise sporting competitions.
      “For them to have to give prior authorisation for any alternative competition is reasonable and justified, in order to preserve sporting merit and equal opportunities for participating clubs.”
      In response, a spokesman for the Nyon-based governing body said: “Uefa has today received the order of the Madrid court, lifting the precautionary measures in their entirety.
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      “Uefa welcomes this decision and is considering its implications. Uefa will not be making any further comment for the time being.” More

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      Kylian Mbappe’s mum flying to Doha and Madrid for contract talks this week with Real and PSG in £150m bidding war

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      KYLIAN MBAPPE’s mother is sparking a nine-figure bidding war by jetting to meet chiefs from Real Madrid and PSG.Fayza Lamari has been in Qatar this week for talks with the French side’s owners.
      The star striker’s contract is up this summer and there’s a bidding war between PSG and Real MadridCredit: Getty
      Mbappe’s family is reportedly in Qatar for a holiday but talks are taking place with PSG owners before a business trip to MadridCredit: Getty
      Now it has emerged she will head straight to the Spanish capital next as the battle for the World Cup winner intensifies.
      Mbappe’s contract expires in the summer and was widely expected to be heading to the Bernabeu in a stunning free transfer.
      However, PSG have not given up on keeping their star asset, and their Qatari owners are determined to have him for at least one more season to coincide with the World Cup on their shores.
      Club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi is believed to be so desperate for the superstar to stay that they are willing to offer him a whopping £150million signing-on fee.
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}BOMB THREAT .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Harry Maguire tells pals ‘angry fan’s’ bomb threat won’t force him out of Man U
      Marca report that PSG are “optimistic” of a deal being completed.
      And Sport in Spain reckon that Madrid may now struggle to match the Parisian’s economic offer.
      It is reported that his party have asked for a whopping £100m MORE than was previously agreed last year.
      This would be enough to force Los Blancos to pull out the deal and line up a stay in Paris.
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      BETTING SPECIAL – GET FURY AT 30/1 OR WHYTE AT 100/1
      Carlo Ancelotti’s side tried to sign him in the summer but couldn’t agree a deal with PSG.
      Now the Ligue 1 side’s huge signing-on fee offer may delay the transfer again.
      PSG’s current offer includes a £21m annual salary according to journalist Guillem Balague.
      He also reports that PSG had already put a £125m signing-on fee deal on the table but are now willing to up it by £25m.
      Speaking earlier this month after a brace versus Lorient, Mbappe said: “I haven’t made my decision, there are new elements to consider.”
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.nk-headline-heading{color:rgba(71,30,121,1);}.css-1uyse24:before{content:”;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;overflow:hidden;position:absolute;z-index:1;}.css-n392go{border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-1p5s3t0{padding:0;border-width:0 1px 1px 1px;border-style:solid;border-color:rgba(155,201,183,1);padding:12px;max-height:104px;min-height:98px;}.css-124tga5{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-5jzxpx{overflow:hidden;-webkit-line-clamp:3;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;display:-webkit-box;word-wrap:break-word;line-height:1;}.css-i1acvs{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,99,73,1);text-transform:uppercase;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}KILLER MUM .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Vile mum GUILTY of killing son, 7, left to die in garden while ‘gasping for air’
      Mbappe has scored an incredible 33 goals this season as PSG sit comfortably at the top of Ligue 1.
      But the so far elusive Champions League is what they aim for and keeping hold of Mbappe is key in bettering their chances of European glory. More

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      in Soccer

      Gareth Bale ‘in talks’ over shock free transfer to DC United with MLS side willing to pay him more than Wayne Rooney

      by

      GARETH BALE could reportedly be set for a sensational switch Stateside to sign for MLS outfit DC United on a free transfer.The 32-year-old will depart Real Madrid at the end of the season when his contract at the Bernabeu expires.
      Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale is said to be in talks to link up with MLS side DC UnitedCredit: AP
      Spanish media have stated that the Welsh winger could join another LaLiga club in the summer as he enjoys living in the country.
      But according to The Washington Post’s Steven Goff, Bale could be poised to make the move to a different continent ahead of the 2022 World Cup.
      The reporter has declared that the forward is in negotiations with the American side about a potential transfer.
      And he has even suggested DC United would be prepared to make him their highest-paid player in history after Wayne Rooney.
      It has been claimed that Bale could earn more than what Wayne Rooney did at Audi FieldCredit: USA TODAY Sports
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      Rooney is believed to have pocketed around £300,000-a-week at Audi Field after arriving in 2018 from Everton.
      Commenting on Bale’s future, Goff tweeted: “D.C. United in talks with Gareth Bale’s reps about move to MLS, I’m told.
      “(They actually spoke months ago but didn’t go anywhere.) Sides exchanging proposals but unclear whether It will pick up speed.
      “DCU prepared to pay more than Wayne Rooney in 2018. Bale leaving Real Madrid.”
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      BETTING SPECIAL – GET FURY AT 30/1 OR WHYTE AT 100/1
      He added: “Certainly seems very far-fetched but maybe some hope for DCU, given talks have resumed after long pause.
      “Team has been seeking a third DP to join [Edison] Flores and [Taxiarchis] Fountas. We’ll see.”
      Bale was recently urged by his ex-Wales international team-mate Jack Collison, who is the head coach of Atlanta United 2, to make the move to the MLS.
      He remarked: “It would be nice, wouldn’t it? It would be great if he came over here to Atlanta. The fans would certainly enjoy seeing him play.
      “He’s had such a fantastic career and I’m sure he feels he has so much football left in him so it could be a match made in heaven.
      “You look at the competitiveness in the MLS now and some of the players that the league has attracted.
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      “I’m sure he is a name that is at the top of most teams’ hitlists and it would be great if he made the trip to Atlanta.
      “Maybe I could get him in the second team for a couple of games where he could find his feet!” More

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      Xavi is the right man to bring Barcelona back to the top, says club legend Albert Ferrer

      by

      ALBERT FERRER believes Xavi is capable of bringing the glory days back to Barcelona. The Barca legend has had an instant impact at the club since taking over from Ronald Koeman in November. 
      Barcelona have gone from 9th to 2nd in La Liga since Xavi took over from Ronald Koeman in NovemberCredit: AFP

      LaLigaTV expert Albert Ferrer played over 200 games for Barcelona between 1990-98Credit: Getty

      A 15-game winning streak saw the Catalan giants go from ninth to second in La Liga as Xavi brought a feel-good factor back to the club. 
      Thrashing Real Madrid 4-0 at the Bernabeu last month left Barca fans in dreamland as they felt the good times were making a comeback at the Nou Camp. 
      But in the last week, Barca have been brought back down to Earth after crashing out of the Europa League to Frankfurt before a 1-0 defeat to relegation-threatened Cadiz on Monday. 
      Despite the setback, former Barca defender Ferrer believes Xavi is the right man for the job. 
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      The LaLigaTV expert said: “He’s the right man to do it. 
      “He has come from the academy and he gives confidence and minutes to the youngsters like Gavi or Pedri who he has made the leader of the teams. 
      “There were some doubts when Xavi was appointed because of his lack of experience in the top picks but it is his experience playing for Barcelona. 
      “He understands the youngsters that they want to succeed at Barcelona because he did too.” 
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      Xavi made over 500 appearances for Barcelona, winning eight La Liga titles and four Champions League trophies during his 17 years at the club. 
      His most famous period was under Pep Guardiola between 2008-2012 where Xavi formed a formidable partnership with Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi. 
      As a manager, the former midfielder has put faith in academy products Pedri, 19, and 17-year-old Gavi while also playing Ansu Fati when fit. 
      And Ferrer believes the Barca boss has the foundations to build a side which can be at the top of European football for the next decade. 
      Albert Ferrer is a LaLigaTV expert
      Ferrer, who featured over 200 times for Barcelona between 1990-98, added: “When you play in the middle of the park and all the balls come to you, it is much easier to understand what the team needs. 
      “It is similar to Pep Guardiola when he was at Barca.
      “ All the attacking moments of the team went through five influential players – with Xavi it is almost the same. 
      “Seventy to eighty per cent of the first 11 are youngsters, they can grow from that. 
      “If Xavi does well and things are good – they have a team between five and ten seasons.” 
      Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has netted ten goals for Barcelona since signing from Arsenal in JanuaryCredit: AP
      Signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at the eleventh hour on deadline day has been key for Xavi dragging the club back into the Champions League places. 
      After hitting ten goals already this season, Ferrer added: “Aubameyang has been crucial. 
      “Since Luis Suarez left the club, Barcelona needed that number 9 to finish. 
      “Aubameyang can be both false 9 and the killer in the box.” 
      Don’t miss Albert Ferrer’s analysis on LaLigaTV, the only channel in the UK offering every LIVE match from LaLiga .
      Sign up to LaLigaTV with Premier Sports on Sky Ch. 427 / Virgin TV Ch. 554 or via streaming with Amazon Prime Video Channels. More

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      in Soccer

      Barcelona star Pique insists ‘everything is legal’ after his company earned £20MILLION for moving Spanish Super Cup

      by

      BARCELONA star Gerard Pique insists ‘everything is legal’ after his company reportedly earned £20million from the Spanish Super Cup’s move to Saudi Arabia.Spanish footy chiefs announced in 2019 that the competition would be expanded to four teams while taking place in Jeddah.
      Gerard Pique’s company Kosmos earned £20m from the Spanish Super Cup’s move to Saudi ArabiaCredit: Getty
      Pique insists he’s done nothing wrong over the Super Cup’s moveCredit: AFP
      And El Confidencial claims leaked message from 2019 show Pique’s company Kosmos earned £20m from the move.
      That’s after Barcelona defender Pique himself convinced the Spanish FA to make the controversial decision.
      The Spanish Royal Football Federation reportedly signed a deal guaranteeing themselves £33.2m for each tournament, with Kosmos pocketing £3.3m-a-year for the next six years.
      Pique founded sports investment group Kosmos in 2017.
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      And just a year later Kosmos teamed up with the International Tennis Federation for a £2.3BILLION shake-up of the Davis Cup.
      Pique is reportedly heard saying in leaked audio about the Spanish Super Cup, currently held by Real Madrid: “If it’s about money and Real Madrid would go for €8m (£6.6m), then they get paid €8m and Barcelona get paid €8m too.
      “Then the others get paid €2m (£1.7m) and €1m (£800,000).
      “That’s €19m (£15.7m) and you, the federation, keep €6m (£5m). We could even push Saudi Arabia for more, saying that if not, then Real Madrid might not come.
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      “Rather than you hosting it in Spain, where you won’t even make €3m (£2.5m), think about this.”
      However, Pique is adamant he’s done nothing wrong, insisting the deal was above board and no illegal acts have been committed.
      He responded: “Everything we have done is legal, I’m going to expose my part in the conflict of interest, I want to show my face because I have nothing to hide. I am proud of what we do at Kosmos.
      “We wanted to change the format of the competition and make it more interesting for the viewer. That has repercussions on income. The president, Luis Rubiales, really liked the idea.
      “Saudi Arabia was not the only option. The United States and Qatar were on the table. In the end, they decided to go to Saudi Arabia.
      “The commission? In the world that we live in, it’s relatively normal.
      “It moves between 10 and 15 per cent and we believed that it was in line with what agencies charge for carrying out this type of management. The commission is in line with the market.
      “I brought an opportunity for the RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation). Before changing the format, they earned €120,000 for the competition, after the movement they earned €40m.
      “Regarding the recordings, it’s an audio taken out of context. I simply help the president to find a formula that makes sense. It’s an audio taken out of context.
      I don’t care. I don’t have to hide from anythingGerard Pique
      “I know how to separate what is a commercial agreement from what I have done all my life, which is to play football.
      “I have never received any help. If you tell me that a sane commercial agreement will affect the competition, you have no idea who I am.
      “El Confidencial called me a week ago and told me that this will come out. I told them that I don’t care. I don’t have to hide from anything.”
      Pique continued: “You don’t have to be very smart to know who is behind the leaks.
      “I’m here so that all the journalists ask me all the questions. I want to emphasise that it’s a company, that it’s not me personally.
      “This company has been dedicated to this for a long time. Operations have been carried out between other companies.
      “Why did it come out now? Investigate it, you are the journalists.
      “Officially, we collect the commission directly from the Saudi Arabian government.
      Nothing wrong has been done, morally or legallyGerard Pique
      “In no case do we collect anything from the RFEF: €4m (10 per cent of the €40m of the agreement). I don’t have any commercial agreement with the RFEF.”
      Pique added: “I don’t want to think about whether they’re going after me. It’s a malicious leak. What is news is the audio leak itself, which has been illegally leaked. Not the information in it.
      “Retiring? No, far from it. This whole situation gives me a few more years to compete.
      “In 2019 the news came out. Kosmos will collect an amount of money and the RFEF will collect €40m as well.
      “I recognise that it’s not usual for a player to be involved in this type of business because a player doesn’t do these things until he retires, but I like it.
      “Do I have to apologise? For this? Well, I’m not going to do it, from here on let everyone think what they want.
      “I have not gotten into Kosmos and doing business for money. As you can understand I have earned a very good living and I could spend my whole life stretched out on a sofa doing nothing.
      “In the society in which we live, generating money means success and I like that.
      “Football belongs to the fans, obviously, but there are fans all over the world. Yes, Barca were aware of what was happening in 2019 with the negotiations and everything was fine.
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Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-i1acvs:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}FAMILY’S PAIN .css-8h3gc3{margin:0;padding:0;color:rgba(34,37,38,1);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:The Sun;font-size:18px;line-height:1.333;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0%;font-stretch:normal;display:inline;}.css-8h3gc3:hover:not(:disabled){-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}Ronaldo shared heartbreaking moments of joy at BBQ before son’s tragic death
      “Since the relationship with Rubiales from my time as a player with the national team, I understood that there was the confidence to start those conversations.
      “I do not regret it because we have done a very good job. Nothing wrong has been done, morally or legally.” More