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      How Real Madrid could line up with Kylian Mbappe and Eden Hazard up front with Koulibaly coming in to replace Ramos

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      REAL MADRID could be about to spend big this summer after a belt-tightening year out of the transfer market.
      The coronavirus pandemic and an expensive stadium rebuild has seen the team famous for its Galacticos splurges remain quiet in recent windows.

      How Real Madrid could line up after a plethora of new signings

      However there is a sense of the crouching tiger, hidden dragon about Los Blancos.
      With every LaLiga club bar Madrid and minnows Huesca told to cut their wage bill, now could be the time to release their savings.
      First on Zinedine Zidane’s list may be Kylian Mbappe, the Paris Saint-Germain star linked with Real ever since he emerged as a world-class talent.
      The latest reports out of Spain highlight the club’s desire to sign the French striker or fellow pedigree talent Erling Haaland.

      Mbappe’s PSG contract expires in 2022, making the next few months key in deciding his long-term future.
      French newspaper Le Parisien recently told of the £175million fee required to sign the 22-year-old.
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      Kylian Mbappe is a man in demand thanks to his impressive displaysCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Erling Haaland could be turned to if Mbappe does not sign
      However the Ligue 1 champions will fight tooth and nail to keep the star and a bumper new contract could be enough to tempt him into staying.

      Zidane could easily formulate a three-man attack out of Eden Hazard, Mbappe and Karim Benzema, or accompany the trio with an extra wide man such as Marco Asensio.
      Belgian winger Hazard is yet to showcase his talent at the Bernabeu but will continue to be given chances following Real’s £143m investment.
      A defensive revamp could also take place in the summer.
      Sergio Ramos is yet to agree a new contract to keep him in the Spanish capital.
      And Raphael Varane continues to be a top target for Manchester United, with Madrid reportedly considering a sale instead of renewing his deal.

      Allowing both men to leave could fund the signings of Kalidou Koulibaly, Ibrahima Konate and David Alaba, the latter on a free transfer that could feature a £400,000 weekly wage.
      Napoli star Koulibaly is a reported target for several teams, including Bayern Munich who have snapped up the in-demand Dayot Upamecano.
      That deal has led to Real, as well as Chelsea and Manchester United, looking to the centre-back’s RB Leipzig team-mate Konate.
      One other potential investment being considered by Los Blancos is Manuel Locatelli, following his star performances for Sassuolo this term.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      Barcelona 3 Sevilla 0 AET (3-2 agg): Barca reach Copa del Rey final with last-gasp equaliser and Braithwaite’s ET winner

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      BARCELONA needed extra-time to complete a stunning second-leg comeback against nine-man Sevilla and reach the Copa del Rey final.
      Gerard Pique scored in the 94th minute of normal time to make it 2-0 on the night and 2-2 on aggregate before Martin Braithwaite’s extra-time winner at the Nou Camp.

      Martin Braithwaite struck in extra-time to make it 3-2 on aggregate and send Barcelona into the Copa del Rey finalCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Gerard Pique scored an astonishing 94th minute goal to level the tie and sent it to extra-timeCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Ousmane Dembele got the comeback started in the 12th minuteCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring in the 12th minute to kick-start the comeback.
      It was a stunning right-footed effort into the top left corner after Lionel Messi had fed him in the box.
      But it was nearly all for nothing for Barca when Sevilla’s Lucas Ocampos was brought down in the box and the ref pointed to the spot in the 73rd minute.
      Ocampos got up and missed the penalty which would have been enough to see Sevilla through after their 2-0 first-leg win.

      The Catalans’ hopes were still alive and when Fernando was shown a second yellow for pulling back Trincao in the second minute of stoppage time, they smelled blood.
      Pique struck the killer blow just two minutes later – glancing home a Antoine Griezmann cross to level the tie and send it to the extra period.
      Things went from bad to worse for Sevilla in extra-time, Braithwaite getting on the end of Jordi Alba’s low cross with an impressive diving header in the 95th minute that saw the tie turned completely on its head.
      Luuk de Jong compounded the visitors’ misery eight minutes later – as he was shown a straight red for abusive language to the fourth official.

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      Lucas Ocampos missed a penalty in normal time that would’ve had Sevilla well on topCredit: Reuters

      Lionel Messi joined in with the celebrationsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Pique glanced a header into the bottom corner in injury timeCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Sevilla could not muster enough to pull one back and take it to penalties.
      Barca will face the winner of Thursday’s semi-final between Athletic Bilbao and Levante.
      The teams are level at 1-1 after the first leg.
      The final takes place on Sunday April 4.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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      How Barcelona could line-up with Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi up front plus Koulibaly coming in despite money woes

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      BARCELONA are set to plot their way through a financial storm – and are still eyeing some major signings.
      The future of the Spanish club will be set by the upcoming presidential elections with various promises made by the three candidates.

      How Barcelona may line up with Haaland, Bellerin and Koulibaly

      Toni Freixa, Joan Laporta and Victor Font are all desperate to oversee a turnaround in the Camp Nou side’s fortunes.
      A whopping £216million fund has been set out by Freixa, who recently name dropped Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe into his transfer plans.
      The prospect of Paris Saint-Germain star Mbappe leaving this summer is perhaps lower than that of Haaland.
      Borussia Dortmund face a fight to qualify for the Champions League and a price of £150m has reportedly been placed on the striker.

      Fitting Haaland into the Blaugrana XI would be very comfortable for Ronald Koeman, who has still not fully replaced Luis Suarez.
      Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele can run the flanks while Antoine Griezmann, Ansu Fati and Philippe Coutinho would also fit into this setup.

      A bid for Erling Haaland has been talked up by the Barcelona candidatesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Lionel Messi’s contract situation must also be solved this summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      Presidential frontrunner Laporta, formerly in charge at Barcelona from 2003 to 2010, has also pointed to the possible signing of Haaland.
      He said: “If we have to improve the team, I already have the cards ready for the players.

      “I have the cards to face all situations. Barcelona supporters can be sure that their club will soon be prosperous again.”
      With young stars such as Pedri, Riqui Puig and Frenkie de Jong coming through in midfield, the LaLiga giants may then turn to reinforcing defensively.
      Eric Garcia of Manchester City is expected to arrive and interest in Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin is reportedly ramping up.
      Furthermore, Napoli star Kalidou Koulibaly has long been linked with Barcelona and recent reports suggest Bayern Munich are ready to begin a bidding war for the centre-back.
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      Whoever wins the club presidency will have to tackle a serious debt problem.
      Barcelona have been ordered to make significant salary cuts, in contrast to rivals Real Madrid.
      The coronavirus pandemic continues to bite hard and the need to renew Lionel Messi’s contract is another factor pressurising the club’s tight budget.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Former FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is released after he was arrested due to allegations of improper management More

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      Ronald Koeman admits he was ‘devastated’ by ex-Barcelona president Bartomeu’s arrest after cops’ ‘Barcagate’ raids

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      BARCELONA boss Ronald Koeman has admitted that he was ‘devastated’ by former president Josep Maria Bartomeu’s arrest.
      The disgraced ex-chief, as well as three others, were detained on Tuesday night after being arrested as part of a corruption investigation.

      Josep Maria Bartomeu appointed Ronald Koeman last AugustCredit: AFP or licensors

      Barcelona’s offices were raided by police and four people were arrestedCredit: EPA

      The accusations, which Bartomeu denied last February, included paying 13 Ventures around £170,000 to target the likes of Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, Xavi and Pep Guardiola in an online smear campaign.
      Speaking today ahead of Barca’s Copa del Rey clash with Sevilla on Wednesday night, Koeman revealed that he ‘feels bad’ for his former boss, who resigned last October ahead of a vote of no confidence.
      He said: “When I heard the news I was devastated because I know Bartomeu and [CEO Oscar] Grau well.
      “I feel bad for them, I had good moments with them in a short space of time and Bartomeu has always been an exceptional person to me.

      “It’s not good for the image of the club but we have to wait and see what happens.
      “I wasn’t here then so I can’t talk about it, we just have to focus on our job and in turning the tie around tomorrow.”
      Koeman, 57, arrived at a club in turmoil last August, after leaving his role with the Netherlands national team.
      But he has insisted that he has no regrets over making the move.

      Barcelona chiefs have been under investigation for the last yearCredit: AFP or licensors

      Police seized evidence on MondayCredit: AFP or licensors

      Bartomeu stepped down as club president in OctoberCredit: EPA
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      He continued: “You never know what’s going to happen in the future. When Barca called me I was convinced I had to take the job.
      “I knew it was a difficult moment, the club was losing money and had to make changes to the squad and put its faith in young players but I have tried to do my best and what I felt was right.
      “Life is full of ups and downs and opportunities and problems and you have to try and resolve them.”
      On Monday, police seized evidence and arrested four individuals, with further arrests not ruled out according to Catalan radio station Cadena SER.
      Bartomeu was reportedly detained along with former advisor Jaume Masferrer – fired by the club in October for his role in the scandal – chief executive Oscar Grau, and legal head Roma Gomez Ponti.
      Police were pictured raiding the club offices, namely the legal, financial and compliance departments.

      It’s a disgrace the club actually spent money to criticise us
      Gerard Pique

      Speaking last year, Messi confessed to finding the situation ‘strange’ while Pique slammed the club’s actions.
      He said in October: “It’s a disgrace the club actually spent money to criticise us.
      “It’s an atrocity as a Barcelona player to see my club spending money – money they’re now asking for from us – to criticise not just external people with a previous relationship to the club, but players still here.”
      Barcelona host Sevilla on Wednesday, hoping to overturn their 2-0 first-leg deficit in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.

      Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique were among those reportedly targeted by the smear campaignCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Former FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is released after he was arrested due to allegations of improper management More

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      Kieran Trippier back for Atletico Madrid ahead of huge title showdown against Real after serving 10-week betting ban

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      KIERAN TRIPPIER is available for Sunday’s Madrid derby after serving his 10-week betting ban.
      The Atletico Madrid star, 30, was suspended in December for breaching betting rules.

      Kieran Trippier is available to face Real Madrid after serving a 10 week ban for breaching betting rulesCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      And he numerous games, including the first-leg Champions League last-16 defeat to Chelsea, after having an appeal rejected by Fifa in January.
      Trippier was also fined £70,000 after his friend Oliver Hawley placed ten separate bets on the full-back joining Atletico.
      After placing one bet, Hawley sent Trippier a message reading: “6/1 Athletico (sic) Madrid”, to which Trippier responded with three laughing emojis.
      On July 12 Trippier texted Hawley: “It’s happening”, shortly before Hawley placed two more bets on the move to the Spanish side.

      On July 14 another friend, Matthew Brady, met Trippier at a wildlife park and later texted to ask: “Shall I lump on you going there?”.
      Trippier later said: “Lump on if you want mate.”
      But with his 10 weeks served, Trippier can now return to the Atletico XI for Sunday’s clash against Real Madrid.
      Atleti are top of the table and five points clear of their city rivals with a game in hand.

      Victory could see them gain an unstoppable lead in the title race.
      And Trippier will be hoping to play some part in the game.
      Whether he remains at Atleti past the end of the season is also unclear.
      Manchester United abandoned a move for Trippier in January after his betting ban.
      But reports claim Ole Gunnar Solskjaer remains keen on bringing the ex-Spurs star back to England this summer.

      Kieran Trippier’s WhatsApp messages that led to ten-week ban revealed as he told pal to ‘lump on’ Atletico transfer More

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      Set-piece specialist Lionel Messi does NOT practice free-kicks in training, reveals ex-Barcelona team-mate Nelson Semedo

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      LIONEL MESSI never practices free-kicks in training, according to his ex-Barcelona team-mate Nelson Semedo.
      The Wolves right-back also believes the Argentine’s phenomenal talents are just ‘natural’.

      Lionel Messi never practices free-kicks in training

      That is according to his former Barcelona team-mate Nelson SemedoCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Messi has scored a staggering 55 direct free-kicks in his career.
      But Semedo – who left Barca for Wolves last summer – said his genius is God-given.
      Asked what it was like to play and train alongside Barcelona’s greatest ever player, he told the Telegraph: “Wow. I really don’t have many words that can describe how good he is.
      “You know what makes him even more amazing? I never once saw him take a free-kick in training, in all of the time I was there. I swear he never did.

      “We always used to practice shooting from distance but Messi never took a free-kick. For him, it was just natural.
      “They say practice makes perfect – with him it was no practice and it was still perfect.
      “An unbelievable player, you can’t explain it to anyone really. The free-kick against Liverpool [in the Champions League semi-final in May 2019], I was standing right behind him.
      “In one of my first games in Barcelona, he got the ball and went past three, four and then five players.

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      Messi has scored 55 direct free-kicks in his career

      “Subconsciously I was there on the pitch thinking ‘how can this guy do this?’ He makes good players look bad.”
      Despite his impressive free-kick haul, Messi does not even make the top-10 highest direct free-kick scorers of all time.
      He’s not even the top Argentine… he also sits behind his own BOSS, Ronald Koeman, and a goalkeeper on the list.
      Instead, Messi ranks 11th.
      Last year it emerged that despite his absolute genius on the pitch, Messi has no interest in most games in the first few minutes as he is observing the opponent’s defenders.
      Talking to the Financial Times, his former Nou Camp boss Ernesto Valverde revealed why Messi ‘ignores’ the ball early on.
      He says the No10 ‘takes a reconnaissance walk’ around the opposition defence.
      There, he notes exactly each man’s position. Valverde said: “Then, as the game advances, he gets in little by little.
      “But he knows perfectly where the rivals’ weaknesses are.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Lionel Messi stuns Elche goalkeeper Edgar Badia by asking for his shirt after Barcelona’s 3-0 LaLiga win More

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      Zidane explodes at constant Sergio Ramos contract questions blasting ‘it’s madness’ as Real Madrid star’s deal runs down

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      ZINEDINE ZIDANE has finally exploded after constant questions regarding Sergio Ramos’ contract, blasting it as ‘madness’.
      The Real Madrid boss faces the prospect of losing his captain on a free transfer with his current deal expiring this summer.

      Sergio Ramos’ future continues to attract plenty of attention for Zinedine ZidaneCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      And despite the defender being out injured since January, press conferences are dominated with questions about Ramos.
      Speaking ahead of the LaLiga clash with Real Sociedad – in which Vinicius Junior scored an 89th-minute equaliser – Zidane was quizzed once more, this time losing his cool.
      The Frenchman said: “You always ask me the same thing, it’s madness. That’s impressive mate.
      “I want him to get fit, but apart from that, nothing else. Tomorrow we have a game.

      “What more should I say about it now? I have no idea.
      “I just said that we are only thinking about the game. I want that to be sorted out as soon as possible.”
      Ramos joined Real Madrid in 2005 and has made 668 appearances for the club, scoring 100 goals.
      But contract negotiations have stalled with the defender thought to want more than just the one-year extension Los Blancos usually offer.

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      Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are the two sides heavily linked with securing Ramos on a free should no new deal be agreed at the Bernabeu.
      United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is desperate to bolster his defence in the summer – and Ramos could bring both quality and trophy-winning experience into the dressing room.
      At PSG, meanwhile, Mauricio Pochettino may view the 113-cap Spain international as the ideal signing with his four Champions League winner’s medals.

      Zidane’s centre-back is out of contract at the end of the season and his future is still unclearCredit: EPA

      Sergio Ramos makes it look easy as he shows off his fantastically fast feet in training More

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      Real Madrid ‘ready to sell Raphael Varane to Man Utd’ with defender set to snub offer to become club captain for exit

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      REAL MADRID are reportedly ready to sell Raphael Varane to Manchester United.
      The Frenchman looks set to snub the offer of the Real club captaincy which will force the Spanish giants to cash in this summer.

      Real Madrid are ready to sell Raphael Varane to Man UtdCredit: Rex Features

      The 27-year-old defender has entered the final 18 months of his contract at the Bernabeu where he has been for 10 years.
      And he is dragging his feet over whether to commit his future to the LaLiga giants.
      With fellow centre-back and United target Sergio Ramos, 34, becoming a free agent in June, Real have made it a ‘priority’ to tie down Varane long-term.
      But the two parties are said to be too far apart on salary expectations despite Real including the club captaincy as part of the deal to try and tempt him.

      As a result, Real will cash in at the end of the season rather than lose him for nothing next summer, according to MEN.
      Real’s debt level is said to have risen to £779million as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
      And they also need to free up cash to sign top target Kylian Mbappe.
      United’s interest in the defender has stretched back to 2018 when he first considered walking away from the Bernabeu.

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      Ed Woodward is said to have sanctioned a £100m deal but Real valued him at more than that given his success at the 2018 World Cup with France.
      United also made enquiries in 2019 when Zinedine Zidane’s return convinced Varane to stay.
      But with the Real boss under-pressure himself, the France legend’s presence may not be a factor this time.
      Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been linked with a host of defenders as he looks for someone to partner skipper Harry Maguire at the back.
      Both Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are also keen on the former Lens ace.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

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