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      Lionel Messi has private jet stormed by Spanish tax agency on tarmac at Barcelona airport as he rages ‘it’s crazy’

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      LIONEL MESSI had his private jet stormed by the Spanish tax agency on the tarmac at Barcelona airport.
      And the Argentine hero labelled the fiasco ‘crazy’.

      Lionel Messi branded it ‘crazy’ after Spanish tax agency officers stormed his private jet at Barcelona airportCredit: Getty – Pool

      Messi, 33, returned from international duty on Wednesday.
      But before he even had the chance to head into the terminal, Marca report up to five officials boarded the customised aeroplane – complete with a kitchen, two bathrooms and the names of his family on the steps.
      They asked the Barca captain and the entire crew to provide documentation.
      And then as he headed through customs at Barcelona El Prat airport, Messi was ordered to pay a tax, the report adds.

      Speaking to reporters upon arrival, he said: “After 15 hours of flying, I come up against people from the tax agency asking questions.
      “It’s crazy.”
      Messi and his father Jorge were found guilty of tax fraud in July 2016 and originally handed suspended 21-month prison sentences. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner was also fined £1.5million.
      At the time he admitted he wanted to leave Spain over the mess.

      Messi’s private jet, with his No10 on the tail, was still on the tarmac at the airport when the officers came on board

      Messi was also quizzed by the media at El Prat around comments from Antoine Griezmann’s former agent.
      Eric Olhats claimed ‘deplorable’ Messi went out of his way to unsettle the Frenchman and oversaw a ‘regime of terror’ at the club.
      At that point Messi snapped, saying: “I’m tired of always being the problem.”
      And Messi’s growing frustration at his boyhood club could be Barcelona’s loss but Manchester City’s gain.
      As revealed by SunSport, the Etihad club are ramping up plans to make a move to land him in January.
      Messi almost quit Barca in the summer before making a dramatic U-turn to honour the final year of his contract at the Nou Camp.
      Barcelona’s debts of £437million mean they are in desperate need of cutting costs drastically.
      So the chance to bring in any fee, possibly less than £50m, rather than letting Messi go for free at the end of the season may be too good to turn down.

      Lionel Messi says he’s tired of always being the problem about everything at Barcelona More

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      Lionel Messi WILL leave Barcelona next summer amid Man City interest and ‘will be last season’, predicts Rivaldo

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      LIONEL MESSI will leave Barcelona next summer, predicts Barcelona legend Rivaldo, amid speculation linking him to Manchester City.
      The world-class Argentine failed to force his way out of the club in the last transfer window, but many believe he will finally get his wish next year when his contract runs out, with Man City positioned as favourites.

      The future of Lionel Messi will get everyone talking as the winter window approachesCredit: Getty – Pool

      Rivaldo is convinced it’s the end of an era in Catalonia for Messi Credit: Getty Images – Getty

      Rivaldo is one of those who believes this will be Messi’s last season at the Nou Camp and he thinks the star will have his pick of clubs.
      He wrote in his Betfair column: “Reaching an agreement to renew Messi’s contract is going to be tough with a reduced margin to increase his salary.
      “Of course, Messi will have better offers from other clubs, and was already trying to leave the club by the end of last season. I can’t see how our board will convince him to move back on that decision.
      “In my opinion, only winning the Champions League or LaLiga this season or having [Ronald] Koeman getting the team playing beautiful football can convince Messi to reconsider his options. 

      “Unfortunately, I’m afraid this will be his last season with the club.”
      Messi’s public attempt to free himself from Barcelona was the biggest football story of the summer.
      The 33-year-old has spent his entire footballing career at the Catalan club but was adamant about leaving following their Champions League humiliation in August.
      He believed he was free from his £629million release clause but the club challenged this and dug in for a bitter legal row before the forward eventually had to give in.

      REUNITED WITH PEP?
      Messi is still strongly linked with reuniting with Guardiola, who he won two Champions Leagues under, and the Spanish coach signing a new contract at the Etihad has added fuel to the fire.
      SunSport reveaked the Manchester club are ready to swoop in and get him as soon as January.
      With Barcelona financially struggling, officials at the Etihad are confident they can land him in a cut-price deal, with the Spanish side determined to get some fee.
      Messi, who has scored 640 goals in 741 games for Barca, has struggled to produce his sparkling best this season under new boss Ronald Koeman.
      But his Dutch manager insists the club still need his presence.
      He told Sport earlier this month: “Messi’s shown that he’s an ambitious person.

      “He has demonstrated to me that he’s a person that wants to win things, be the best and continue being the best, even though he’s had his problems with the club.
      “I want the best for the team. And the best for the team is that Leo is good, as he is now, motivated and involved. 
      “The team has to learn to look for the best for the team, but right now, Barça have been, are and will be a better team with Messi than without Messi.” More

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      PSG star Julian Draxler wanted by Hertha Berlin and Sevilla in January transfer after falling out-of-favour under Tuchel

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      PSG star Julian Draxler is wanted by Hertha Berlin and Sevilla in January after falling out of favour under his manager Thomas Tuchel.
      The attacker was once a highly-rated and linked to several Premier League clubs, but now is struggling to find a way into PSG’s star-studded team.

      Draxler has been linked to a number of clubs and will likely have his pick when his contract runs down next summerCredit: Getty – Contributor

      Italian outlet Calciomercato report that he is attracting interests from sides across Europe.
      Sevilla and Hertha Berlin are both believed to be monitoring the 27-year-old, who has started half of PSG’s 10 league games this season.
      It is not clear if they will try and pounce in January or wait till the summer, when he will be a free agent.
      Draxler has to compete with the talent of Angel Di Maria, Moise Kean, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe for a starting spot.

      And he has struggle for game time despite Neymar and Mbappe being absent for a handful of games already this campaign.
      The German was linked to Leeds while the window was still open.
      But despite the prospect of playing for Marcelo Bielsa, Draxler reportedly did not respond positively to the Elland Road club’s approach.
      It is claimed he had no intention of giving up his Parisian lifestyle with both he and his family settled.

      Draxler has netted two goals so far this season Credit: Getty Images – Getty
      And he is also believed to have rejected a number of approaches to return back to the Bundesliga.

      Back in April, Arsenal were also rumoured to be interested in Draxler.
      The ace was tipped to move to the Emirates after only making 12 starts that season for Paris Saint-Germain up to that point.
      He is believed to rake in a whopping £120,000-per-week at Parc des Princes which may have hindered Arsenal’s move.

      PSG star Draxler’s Wag Sethanie Taing is dancer and choreographer and posts bikini pics on Instagram More

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      Furious Barcelona fans surround Antoine Griezmann’s car and demand he show respect to Lionel Messi after bust-up

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      FURIOUS Barcelona fans surrounded Antoine Griezmann’s car to demand he show respect to teammate Lionel Messi.
      Frenchman Griezmann has failed to settle at the Nou Camp since his £108million move from Atletico Madrid in 2019.

      Barelona fans have demanded Antoine Griezmann respect Lionel MessiCredit: AFP – Getty

      Barca supporters showed Messi’s name at the French forward

      Fans hounded Griezmann’s car as he left the club’s training ground

      Part of those troubles stem from several reports that the 29-year-old has a fractured relationship with Barca captain Messi.
      Griezmann admitted last year that he has found it hard to strike up any relationship with the Argentine – because they barely talk to each other.
      Tensions reignited last week after the striker’s uncle took a dig at Messi by claiming Barca training sessions are designed to make him look good.
      But six-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi has already hit back to claim that he is ‘tired of always being the problem’ at the Catalans.

      And it seems Barca fans have sided with their main man after several supporters were filmed hounding Griezmann’s car as he left the club’s training ground on Thursday night.
      Footage captured by Spanish outlet Gol showed those who backed their captain shout ‘respect Messi’ at French International Griezmann.
      Yet other fans on social media felt the stunt went too far and rushed to defend the ex-Atletico Madrid star.
      One tweeted: “Messi is the best in history but Griezmann is accused of not respecting Messi when he has not opened his mouth.”

      Another said: “Imagine having nothing more interesting to do.”
      A third simply added: “Hypocrites.”
      Griezmann is set to face his former side Atletico this weekend having scored just two goals in Barcelona’s opening seven LaLiga games.

      Lionel Messi says he’s tired of always being the problem about everything at Barcelona More

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      Arsenal missed out on Diogo Jota transfer after he turned down ‘several offers’ to join Atletico Madrid instead

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      ARSENAL missed out on signing Diogo Jota after he turned down ‘several offers’ to instead join Atletico Madrid, reports say.
      The Portuguese forward was making a name for himself in his native country with Pacos Ferreira at the time.

      Arsenal missed out on signing Diogo Jota after he turned down ‘several offers’ to join Atletico MadridCredit: AFP or licensors

      And the Gunners – managed by Arsene Wenger at the time – were among those believed to have sent scouts to watch him play.
      And they would later rival West Ham in a transfer battle which eventually ended with Jota joining Atletico in Spain, according to The Athletic.
      Jota, 23, said: “Atletico’s way of presenting their offer seemed serious to me.
      “The financial offer was the same as the others. I liked how the club’s owner went about it.”

      Ultimately the move did not pay off for Jota, who failed to make a single appearance for Diego Simeone’s side.
      He was loaned out to Porto in 2016 and spent the following season at Wolves.
      There, he scored 18 goals in 46 games to help them seal promotion to the Premier League.
      Jota then made the move permanent in 2018 and went on to help Nuno Espirito Santo’s Wolves finish in seventh place two seasons running.

      The form caught the eye of league champions Liverpool, as they signed the 23-year-old for £41million this summer.

      Jota has since made 11 appearances, scoring seven goals, as he hit the ground running at Anfield.
      He is loving life alongside star strikers Sadio Mane and Mo Salah, while he competes with Roberto Firmino for a place in the starting line up.
      Jota said: “They are two world class players, we all know that quality, and it makes it easier for me to do my job because they are outstanding players.
      “We played a great game together.”

      Ray Clemence dead aged 72: England, Liverpool and Spurs legend passes away More

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      Barcelona looking to make ‘young jewels’ into stars with transfer funds low including Pedri and Ilaix Moriba

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      BARCELONA are reportedly ready to turn to youth in a bid to revive their prospects in LaLiga.
      The Catalans are enduring a turbulent period under new boss Ronald Koeman, with Lionel Messi reportedly edging close to an exit as results on the pitch vary.

      Mundo Deportivo claims Barcelona are turning to youth after being hit by low transfer funds

      Mundo Deportivo claims Barcelona are now struggling to find enough transfer funds for a major squad rebuild due to the coronavirus pandemic.
      And as a result, Koeman has now agreed to delve into the famous La Masia academy to unearth the next Messi, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, while also making the best of those already at his disposal.
      Here, SunSport looks at six youngsters – both club-grown and signed from outside – who have been highlighted by Mundo Deportivo as ones to watch out for.

      Ansu Fati has already established himself as an important Barcelona playerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      ANSU FATI – FORWARD
      PROVING experience isn’t always necessarily needed, 18-year-old whizkid Fati has already become one of Barcelona’s most impressive players.

      He scored eight goals in 33 games last season, and managed five in ten this term before suffering a knee injury ruling him out for four months.
      Fati has broken a number of records for Barca already, becoming their youngest-ever goalscorer as well as second-youngest debutant.
      And despite his tender age, Fati has also won four caps for Spain, becoming their youngest debutant and goalscorer too.
      The stats show Fati is already outscoring Messi at the same age, and Barca showed just how valuable he is by handing the star a new contract with an eye-watering £376million release clause in September.

      Sergino Dest has impressed since arriving from Ajax over the summerCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      SERGINO DEST – DEFENDER
      SIGNED for around £20m from Ajax over the summer, Dest arrived as a replacement for Wolves-bound Nelson Semedo.
      The USA international, 20, was also wanted by Bayern but opted for Barca to link up with ex-teammate Frenkie de Jong.
      Dest has shown glimpses of his unquestionable talent in six games as a marauding right-back.
      And Koeman will be hoping he can add a few goals to his game just like predecessor Dani Alves.

      Pedri has made his mark as the main playmaker at just 17 years oldCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      PEDRI – MIDFIELDER
      HE’S just 17 years old but Pedri is already making a big impact for his new club.
      Signed from Las Palmas in 2019, Pedri linked up with Barcelona this summer and has already scored twice in ten games.
      A versatile attacking midfielder, Pedri looks destined to become the team’s new playmaker as he evolves on the pitch.
      And the way he has taken to LaLiga after spending last term in the second division shows Barca have a real gem on their hands, with the club giving Pedri a staggering £360m release clause.

      New USA international Konrad De La Fuente is yet to make his senior debut for BarcaCredit: Reuters
      KONRAD DE LA FUENTE – WINGER
      A NEWLY capped USA star, De La Fuente has been at Barcelona since 2013.
      He is regarded as a pacy wide-man capable of blasting past his marker.
      De La Fuente, 19, is yet to make a senior appearance for the Catalans.
      But three goals in nine games for the B side shows he is more than capable of making a mark when called upon.

      Ilaix Moriba could be the best of Barcelona’s new youngstersCredit: Rex Features
      ILAIX MORIBA – MIDFIELDER
      A GIANT of a player with strength, technique and pace, Moriba could be the best of the lot.
      Joining Barcelona in 2010, the 17 year old has made a name for himself in the youth divisions as a natural star.
      Moriba netted a hat-trick against Real Madrid’s U19s when he was just 15, and was reportedly set to make his senior debut for Guinea before the coronavirus pandemic struck.
      Moriba was wanted by Man City and Juventus when he was 16, but Barca ensured he remained one of their own by handing him a contract with a whopping £90m release clause.

      Ilias Akhomach is making waves playing against old footballersCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      ILIAS AKHOMACH – FORWARD
      AT just 16 years of age, he is the youngest put forward as one of Koeman’s new jewels.
      Akhomach is already playing for the U19s despite his age.
      And his ability to play anywhere on the front line means there is a strong chance he could get a senior debut at some stage this season.

      Lionel Messi says he’s tired of always being the problem about everything at Barcelona More

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      Lionel Messi has private jet stormed by Spanish tax agency on tarmac at Barcelona airport as star rages ‘it’s crazy’

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      LIONEL MESSI had his private jet stormed by the Spanish tax agency on the tarmac at Barcelona airport.
      And the Argentine hero labelled the fiasco ‘crazy’.

      Lionel Messi branded it ‘crazy’ after Spanish tax agency officers stormed his private jet at Barcelona airportCredit: Getty – Pool

      Messi, 33, returned from international duty on Wednesday.
      But before he even had the chance to head into the terminal, Marca report up to five officials boarded the customised aeroplane – complete with a kitchen, two bathrooms and the names of his family on the steps.
      They asked the Barca captain and the entire crew to provide documentation.
      And then as he headed through customs at Barcelona El Prat airport, Messi was ordered to pay a tax, the report adds.

      Speaking to reporters upon arrival, he said: “After 15 hours of flying, I come up against people from the tax agency asking questions.
      “It’s crazy.”
      Messi and his father Jorge were found guilty of tax fraud in July 2016 and originally handed suspended 21-month prison sentences. The six-time Ballon d’Or winner was also fined £1.5million.
      At the time he admitted he wanted to leave Spain over the mess.

      Messi’s private jet, with his No10 on the tail, was still on the tarmac at the airport when the officers came on board

      Messi was also quizzed by the media at El Prat around comments from Antoine Griezmann’s former agent.
      Eric Olhats claimed ‘deplorable’ Messi went out of his way to unsettle the Frenchman and oversaw a ‘regime of terror’ at the club.
      At that point Messi snapped, saying: “I’m tired of always being the problem.”
      And Messi’s growing frustration at his boyhood club could be Barcelona’s loss but Manchester City’s gain.
      As revealed by SunSport, the Etihad club are ramping up plans to make a move to land him in January.
      Messi almost quit Barca in the summer before making a dramatic U-turn to honour the final year of his contract at the Nou Camp.
      Barcelona’s debts of £437million mean they are in desperate need of cutting costs drastically.
      So the chance to bring in any fee, possibly less than £50m, rather than letting Messi go for free at the end of the season may be too good to turn down.

      Lionel Messi says he’s tired of always being the problem about everything at Barcelona More

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      Top ten ‘selling clubs’ revealed with Benfica kings of the transfer window with £1BILLION earned from players

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      BENFICA have cashed in a stunning £1billion from selling players over the past decade.
      The transfer market has continually grown ever more bonkers and top clubs’ spending has hardly been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

      This summer saw ludicrous amounts spent on players by several teams, with those happy to part ways making a big profit.
      Leading the way are Benfica with several Serie A, Premier League and LaLiga clubs also doing well in this regard.
      Here, SunSport details the top ten selling clubs since the 2009-10 season began, with data collected from Transfermarkt.
      Surprisingly, only a few teams managed to make a transfer market profit despite their high price tags…

      #1 – Benfica – £1billion
      Not only have the Portuguese giants tipped into ten figures for their transfer income, they have won six league titles in this period.
      This summer saw Ruben Dias depart for Manchester City in a £64million deal following previous years’ deals involving Ederson (£35m) and Joao Felix (£101m).
      Nemanja Matic (£21m), Axel Witsel (£34m) and Victor Lindelof (£32m) have also bid farewell to reach a mega profit of £539m.
      Strangely, this summer saw Benfica spend more than they made with Brazilian prospects Everton, Gilberto and Pedrinho adding to a total £85m outlay.

      Joao Felix and Ruben Dias made Benfica a pretty pennyCredit: Getty – Contributor
      #2 – Atletico Madrid – £953million
      One club said to be worried by the coronavirus pandemic’s financial crisis are Atletico Madrid.
      Alvaro Morata, Santiago Arias and Thomas Partey all left this year amid minimal incomings.
      That helped tip Los Rojiblancos into second place of the selling table – although they have spent £45m than they have made since 2009-10.
      Top sales include Antoine Griezmann (£107m), Diego Costa (£32m) and Radamel Falcao (£51m).

      Antoine Griezmann remains Atletico Madrid’s record saleCredit: AP:Associated Press
      #3 – Juventus – £900m
      No club on this list has sold more players than Juventus.
      A whopping 582 footballers have been moved on by the Italian giants while 591 have arrived, most of which via their massive academy system.
      Paul Pogba broke the transfer world record when moving back to Manchester United for £89m in 2016.
      Leonardo Bonucci (£37m), Arturo Vidal (£35m) and Moise Kean (£24m) have all been big earners for the Bianconeri.

      Paul Pogba cost Juventus virtually nothing before he was sold for £89millionCredit: Getty – Contributor
      #4 – Chelsea – £886m
      A Fifa transfer ban saw Frank Lampard switch Chelsea’s focus to young players last year with a massive sell-off occurring at the same time.
      The summer of 2019 saw £113m banked by the Blues, a record since Roman Abramovich bought the club.
      Eden Hazard remains the most expensive exit from Stamford Bridge at £150m, before Oscar (£52m) and Diego Costa (£50m).
      That has partly funded Chelsea’s huge spending spree in the past decade, totalling £1.45billion.

      Shanghai SIPG splashed considerable cash on Brazilian playmaker OscarCredit: AFP or licensors
      ⚽ Read our Chelsea live blog for the very latest news from the Bridge
      #5 – Monaco – £868m
      Dmitry Rybolovlev’s millions made Monaco a major force for a brief period in the 2010s.
      Kylian Mbappe, Thomas Lemar, James Rodriguez and Anthony Martial have all graced the Ligue 1 club, who can now boast one of Europe’s top academies.
      Those four players earned a combined £316m when departing the principality.
      And Monaco are the only non-Portuguese team to make a profit on this list – perhaps explaining their 17th and ninth-placed finishes in recent seasons.

      Kylian Mbappe was just one member of a golden generation coming out of MonacoCredit: AFP or licensors
      #6 – Barcelona – £862m
      Quality over quantity is certainly the mantra of sixth-placed Barcelona and seventh-placed Real Madrid in the selling club leaderboard.
      A staggering £862m was recouped by the Blaugrana from just 148 players in this period, while they won seven LaLiga titles and two Champions League crowns.
      Paris Saint-Germain made Neymar the world’s most expensive player when signing him from Barcelona for £198m in 2017.
      The Catalans have still made an overall loss of £613m since 2009-10, the biggest on this list, and now face a financial meltdown.

      Barcelona had little choice but to sell Neymar after PSG met his release clauseCredit: AFP or licensors
      #7 – Real Madrid – £823m
      Much like their Clasico rivals, Real Madrid pick their market moves very carefully and didn’t even sign anyone in the summer of 2020.
      Achraf Hakimi (£36m), Sergio Reguilon (£27m) and Oscar Rodriguez (£12m) all left though with Los Blancos still not a true ‘selling club’.
      Nevertheless, Cristiano Ronaldo (£89m) and Angel Di Maria (£59.7m) were fairly chunky sales to flesh out the club’s coffers.
      Making up the £823m figure are the departures of only 138 players, compared to Benfica’s 427, with 141 signed by Real.

      Cristiano Ronaldo made a surprise move to Juventus in 2019Credit: AP:Associated Press
      #8 – Roma – £788m
      If you want to see the quality of players who have passed through the Stadio Olimpico in recent years, just look at the reigning Premier League champions.
      Liverpool could not have won the title without Alisson Becker and Mohamed Salah, who cost a combined £92m when signing from Roma.
      Radja Nainggolan (£34m) and Kostas Manolas (£32m) have also made healthy profits for the Serie A club.
      Amazingly, Roma have only two Coppa Italia trophies to show for this period despite actually making an overall market LOSS of £39m.

      Mohamed Salah found his feet at Roma before signing for LiverpoolCredit: Getty Images – Getty
      #9 – Porto – £785m
      Porto are further proof of Portuguese football’s amazing ability to produce stars and pluck talent from South America.
      Eder Militao (£44.5m), that man Rodriguez (£42m), Hulk (£35m) and Eliaquim Mangala (£32m) were all brought in as youngsters and moved on for big margins.
      Second only to Benfica, the Primeira Liga side have snapped up a £393m profit in the past ten seasons.
      And their rivalry has yielded a share of the spoils with Porto taking five league crowns and a Europa League in this period.

      Porto certainly got the better end of the deal to take Eliaquim Mangala to Manchester CityCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

      #10 – Liverpool – £730m
      Jurgen Klopp’s success as Liverpool manager has arrived following the clear end to the Reds’ days as a selling club.
      The German’s side was built with the cash made from Philippe Coutinho (£130m), Luis Suarez (£72m) and Raheem Sterling (£57m).
      Extra money was banked this summer with Rhian Brewster (£18m) and Dejan Lovren (£11m) allowed to leave.
      And the significant investment in Liverpool’s title winning side means a market loss of £294m has been racked up – something Reds fans will agree was very much worth it.

      Raheem Sterling upset many a Liverpool fan when leaving for Man CityCredit: Action Images – Reuters

      Man City plot Lionel Messi transfer pursuit when window opens in January after failed summer swoop More