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      I played with Messi for seven years at Barcelona but he wasn’t a great friend – we had to be separated during a bust-up

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      A BARCELONA legend – who could soon be their new manager – has lifted the lid on a row with Lionel Messi that forced Pep Guardiola to intervene.And he insists that both he and the icon Argentina forward were just merely work colleagues and not friends.
      Rafael Marquez became a legend at Barcelona and now coaches their B teamCredit: Getty
      He had a bitter falling out with Lionel Messi while at the Nou CampCredit: AFP
      The man in question is Mexican icon Rafael Marquez, who is now back at the Nou Camp as boss of their second team.
      The 44-year-old, who has been touted as the replacement for Xavi in the Barcelona dug-out this summer, spent seven years playing for the club until 2010.
      He won the LaLiga titel four times and the Champions League plus a number of other honours during that period as the then-teenage Messi burst onto the scene.
      However, Messi’s continual dribbling in training left Marquez fuming.
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      He has now revealed how it led to him losing his temper as a huge argument erupted between them.
      And he says it got so bad that ex-boss Guardiola, now in charge of Manchester City, had to step in.
      Speaking to Yordi Rosada, Marquez said: “We knew that Leo could dribble to three or four players, but sometimes exaggerated it a lot.
      “We tried to direct it, saying to him: ‘Here you dribble, here you don’t’.
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      “By my strong insistence in these instructions, started a problem between Messi and I.
      “We began to exchange words and Guardiola had to intervene to solve the problem.
      GRAPHIC-VID_LIONEL_MESSI
      “Messi and I were not big friends, we were colleagues.”
      Marquez had spells with New York Red Bulls, Leon, Hellas Verona and Atlas prior to hanging up his boots in 2018.
      Messi, meanwhile, left in 2021 to join Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer after smashing dozens of records at Barcelona, before moving on to Inter Miami, where he currently plays.
      Both players have starred in five World Cups, with the latter leading Argentina to glory in Qatar in December 2022. More

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      Jude Bellingham scores twice before going off injured as Real Madrid extend lead atop LaLiga with huge win over Girona

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      JUDE BELLINGHAM scored twice as Real Madrid made light work of title rivals Girona in a 4-0 win to move five points clear at the top of LaLIga.But the England star is sweating over his fitness after limping off the field with an apparent ankle injury.
      Jude Bellingham scored twice as Real Madrid made light work of GironaCredit: Getty
      The England star was forced off the field injuredCredit: Rex

      Bellingham and teammates burst out of the blocks against Girona, who started Saturday night just two points off LaLiga leaders Real.
      Vinicius Jr needed just six minutes to get off the mark as he fired home a rocket from outside the box.
      And Bellingham doubled Real’s lead 10 minutes before the break with a smart finish.
      Things got even better for the Birmingham legend when he doubled his tally in the 54th minute.
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      It was his 16th goal of the season, making him the outright top scorer in LaLiga.
      However, moments before his second strike, Bellingham went down in agony after a crunching tackle by an opponent.
      He writhe on the ground clutching his ankle in pain.
      And as soon as Bellingham completed his brace, Carlo Ancelotti hauled him off for Brahim Diaz.
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      Bellingham looked in pain on the bench as his ankle was wrapped up

      Bellingham was then spotted on the bench with a pained look on his face.
      A medic checked his ankle as it was heavily wrapped in bandages.
      Fans spot Jude Bellingham’s classy gesture after facing Greenwood’s Getafe as they say ‘England captain material’

      And Real now face a nervous wait to see if Bellingham is set for a spell on the sideline.
      But his absence didn’t affect teammates too much, with Rodrygo making it 4-0 to the hosts in the 61st minute.
      Real are now five points clear at the top of the table and will be feeling confident about their chances of regaining the title from Barcelona.
      They now travel to Germany to face RB Leipzig in the first leg of their Champions League last 16 tie.
      And all eyes will be on Bellingham to see whether or not he’s fit to feature. More

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      Man Utd ‘chasing Brazilian wonderkid Thalys, 18, but face competition from two of Europe’s most-prestigious clubs’

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      MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly monitoring Palmeiras wonderkid Thalys.The 18-year-old is one of the club’s top academy prospects.
      Man Utd are interested in signing ThalysCredit: Alamy
      Thalys has been likened to Endrick, who is set to join Real Madrid this summer in a £51million transfer.
      Endrick, 17, reached an agreement with the La Liga giants in December 2022 but is not permitted to complete the move until his 18th birthday.
      According to Spanish outlet AS, Palmeiras will demand a similar fee for Thalys.
      The striker, who has two years remaining on his contract, has already attracted interest from Italy.
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      And now Man Utd are keeping tabs on him.
      Barcelona and Juventus are also understood to be interested.
      United are expected to dip into the transfer market for a new forward this summer with Anthony Martial set to leave.
      The Frenchman’s contract is set to expire in June and the Red Devils have no intention to extend it.
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      Thalys could be introduced to provide support for Rasmus Hojlund in attack.
      Hojlund joined Man Utd in a £72m transfer from Atalanta in August.
      Man Utd fans love ‘dope’ Stone Roses kit but ask ‘WTF is Garnacho doing?’
      He is currently one of the club’s only out-and-out strikers.
      Meanwhile, Thalys has scored eight goals in 25 appearances for Palmeiras’ Under-20s since making his debut. More

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      LaLiga star shoved onto pitch by own coach after ‘falling in love with TV host & forgetting there was 2nd half to play’

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      A LALIGA star had to be pushed onto the pitch by his own manager after spending too long being interviewed on the touchline.Cadiz star Robert Navarro spoke to a DAZN reporter during half-time of their clash with Real Betis.
      Robert Navarro lost track of time as he was interviewed at half-time
      A Cadiz coach had to push the winger onto the pitch
      The reporter saw the funny side as fans poked fun at NavarroCredit: DAZN
      But he clearly lost track of time as the match was about to restart with Navarro still in full flow.
      He received a shock reminder of his duties when a Cadiz coach shoved him back onto the pitch, with Navarro quickly taking up his position.
      The reporter flashed a smile at the camera as fans poked fun at the winger.
      One replied saying: “You can tell by his face that he was falling in love with the interviewer.”
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      Another added: “Bro found love at first sight 😂”
      A third wrote: “Man lost himself in those eyes.”
      And another commented: “He was hoping for a bit of extra time.”
      Navarro and his team-mates clearly where not ready for the second half as former West Ham star Pablo Fornals doubled Betis’ lead a minute after the break.
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      The match ended 2-0 to Manuel Pellegrini’s side, a result that moves them up to sixth in LaLiga and into a Europa Conference League qualification spot.
      Meanwhile Cadiz remain in the relegation zone – three points and one place from safety.

      Fans spot Jude Bellingham’s classy gesture after facing Greenwood’s Getafe as they say ‘England captain material’ More

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      Barcelona to rival Man Utd and Arsenal for Amadou Onana transfer… but can get nowhere near Everton’s asking price

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      BARCELONA will join the race to sign Amadou Onana – but only if Everton drop their £51m asking price.Like the cash-strapped Toffees, Barcelona have their own financial issues and cannot afford to go beyond £34m as things stand.
      Barcelona have joined the chase for Everton’s Amadou OnanaCredit: Getty
      But the Spanish giants are monitoring the midfielder’s situation closely.
      Everton will hope to generate an auction for Onana this summer.
      Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea are all among the clubs to have him on their shortlist.
      The 22-year-old Belgian international arrived at Goodison Park from Lille for £33.5m after snubbing West Ham in August 2022.
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      He instantly became a key player under Frank Lampard.
      And he remains an integral part of the Toffees team under Sean Dyche as they fight relegation.

      Onana is under contract at Everton until 2027 after penning a five-year deal upon his arrival.
      Man United boss Erik ten Hag is also still keen to revive interest in Barcelona’s Frenkie de Jong.
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      The Old Trafford club have been linked with a £120m double swoop for De Jong and Nou Camp team-mate Ronald Araujo.
      If Barca received a big fee for one or both players, it would give them a better chance of competing for Onana without risking a breach of FFP rules.
      Every Premier League stadium ranked by the number of pubs nearby with one boasting over 130 local boozers More

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      Chelsea ready to hijack Man Utd’s bid to finally seal Frenkie de Jong transfer as Blues line up massive bid

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      CHELSEA have reportedly joined Manchester United in the race to sign Frenkie de Jong from Barcelona this summer.De Jong, 26, is finally open to leaving the La Liga giants at the end of the season.
      Chelsea could hijack Man Utd’s pursuit of Frenkie De JongCredit: Getty
      According to journalist Lluis Canut, the Dutchman is underwhelmed with Barcelona’s current state both on and off the pitch.
      And for the first time since arriving at the Nou Camp in 2019 he is “no longer closing the door on leaving” the club.
      Man Utd pushed to sign him in the summer of 2022, shortly after Erik ten Hag took over as manager.
      Following extensive talks, Barcelona accepted a huge bid worth £71.5million, but De Jong rejected the move.
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      United are now set to re-enter the race for the midfielder, but they face competition from Premier League rivals Chelsea.
      According to Spanish outlet Sport, the Blues are prepared to table a bid worth up to £85m for De Jong.
      While Paris Saint-Germain have also expressed an interest in signing him.
      The Dutchman joined Barcelona in a £64m transfer from Ajax in 2019 and has since made 205 first team appearances.
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      De Jong has been a key first team player for Barcelona this season
      Barca chiefs allegedly want to tie him down to a new contract until 2029, but they have found it “impossible” to reach an agreement.
      Xavi’s side currently sit third in the La Liga table, eight points adrift of leaders Real Madrid.
      Top 10 highest paid footballers in the world revealed with no Premier League players making the top five More

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      Enzo Fernandez ‘wants to leave Chelsea and offers himself to Barcelona despite having 8 YEARS left on contract’

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      CHELSEA midfielder Enzo Fernandez is keen on joining Barcelona, according to reports.Fernandez, 23, signed for the Blues in a £107million transfer from Benfica last winter.
      Enzo Fernandez allegedly wants to join BarcelonaCredit: Getty
      He completed the switch just one month after winning the World Cup with Argentina and signed an eight-and-a-half year contract upon his arrival at Stamford Bridge.
      However, the midfielder is now understood to be open to a move away.
      And according to Spanish outlet Sport, he wants to join Barcelona.
      The La Liga giants consider Fernandez a top target, but their financial issues will likely prevent a deal from happening.
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      His current contract runs until 2032 so Barcelona would have to table a significant offer for Chelsea to even consider selling.
      Recent reports have claimed that Fernandez is unhappy at Stamford Bridge, largely due to Chelsea’s poor run of form.
      After finishing 12th in the Premier League table last season, the Blues have failed to make much progression.
      They currently sit 11th, behind the likes of Wolves, Newcastle and Brighton.
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      But Fernandez appeared to squash the exit rumours on Wednesday during Chelsea’s FA Cup fourth round replay against Aston Villa.
      After scoring a stunning free kick to put the Blues 3-0 up in the 54th minute, the midfielder held his shirt up to the cameras and pointed to his name.
      Chelsea’s 3-1 FA Cup win at Aston Villa was the team’s best performance of the season, says Mauricio Pochettino
      Chelsea boss Mauricio Pochettino later said: “Today, Enzo showed why he’s here and he showed his quality.
      “But we didn’t have any doubts about him, or about Caicedo or about different players, young players that arrived here with expectation to win titles and to score with every single touch!

      “He is a world champion player. Look, when he signed one year ago, he arrived after nearly two years with no holidays, no rest, with the pressure, still young, different environment, different language, different culture, a team that needs time to build.
      “All of these types of circumstance, you need time. I don’t want to annoy the people. For me, it’s not an excuse. I want to be here because I really believe in the project, I really believe in the player.
      “But please, stop to create expectation that does match to the reality and help the players that are here to try and build something.
      “Of course, if that happens again, we will be there to help. It does not surprise me because Enzo has the quality, not only to score this type of goal, but to perform in the way today he performed.” More

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      Fans stunned after former Premier League star scores worldie on Betis debut as they say ‘shame what Moyes did to him’

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      PABLO FORNALS split both the net and social media – with an outrageous solo goal on his Real Betis debut.Some West Ham fans were shocked by his brilliance – while others blamed their boss David Moyes for not getting the best out of the midfielder.
      Pablo Fornals conjured a wonder goal first time out for Betis in LaLiga

      Fornals left Cadiz keeper Jeremias Ledesmas with little chance
      The six-cap Spaniard weaved in from the right to curve a laser left-footer inside the far corner.
      It rounded off a 2-0 win at struggling Cadiz that put Betis sixth – into one of the two Europa League places.
      The ex-Villarreal star, 27, had ended his five years at West Ham on transfer deadline in a £7million return to his home country.
      Fornals exited the London Stadium after 23 goal and 19 assists in 203 games – but also with question marks over his ability in the Premier League.
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      However, after seeing his confident footwork and curling goal, one fan posted: “Shame what Moyes did to him.”
      Another said: “Good luck to him. Was fantastic for us. It’s our loss tbf.”
      A third wrote: “Who would have thought he could play CM?!”
      And a fourth moaned: “The amount of players that have left West Ham and then scored on their debut at their new club is wild.”
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      Fornals returned to Spain after five years at West HamCredit: Getty
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      But other viewers reckon Fornals’ stylish technique and attacking style is more suited to LaLiga than the English top flight.
      One observer claimed: “Lovely goal, would never get the space to do that in the Prem though, but obviously people will have a meltdown about this.”
      Every Premier League stadium ranked by the number of pubs nearby with one boasting over 130 local boozers
      Another suggested: “Lovely fella but couldn’t hit a cow’s a*** with a banjo for us.”
      And a fellow doubter was seemingly shaking with disbelief as he shared a clip of the goal and added: Yes, Pablo Fornals actually just did that.”
      The ex-Malaga ace struck Betis’ clincher on 46 minutes following a surging run from Brazilian striker Willian Jose, who had fired a brilliant opener. More