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      Rafa Benitez turned down more than TWENTY job offers and reveals key reason for taking over at Celta Vigo

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      RAFA BENITEZ turned down mega money and more than 20 clubs to be closer to home at Celta Vigo.Spaniard Benitez was unveiled as the LaLiga side’s new boss in the summer.
      Rafa Benitez took charge of Celta Vigo back in the summerCredit: AFP
      It was Benitez’s first job in home country Spain since he coached Real Madrid in 2016Credit: AFP
      Although he’s had a tough start to life with the Galicians, who sit third from bottom after nine games.
      However, the former Everton, Liverpool, Newcastle,  Chelsea and Real Madrid manager revealed when he took the job: “I had more than 20 offers for much more money — but coming to Celta is a source of pride.
      “I wanted to be in a top league, closer to my family and a project that allows me to grow. This offer was the most attractive.”
      The ex-Inter Milan and Napoli chief, 63, has one of the most impressive hauls of silverware for any modern-day boss.
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      He’s racked up triumphs in the Champions League, LaLiga twice, the Europa League, UEFA Cup, Club World Cup, FA Cup and Coppa Italia.
      The former Valencia manager previously bossed in his home country with Real in 2015-16.
      But he was axed halfway through that campaign when Los Blancos dropped to third in LaLiga, amid claims he was unpopular with fans and some players.
      Benitez last won a trophy when Newcastle lifted the Championship crown in 2017.
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      He then oversaw China’s Dalian Pro from July 2019 to January 2021.
      Next came his last job until now, seven months at Everton that began with a winning streak but ended in a dire run and the axe in January 2022.
      Celta were quick to boast of his pedigree when they appointed him back in June.
      When announcing his arrival, they posted: “Rafa Benitez is one of the most successful coaches in the history of our country and has coached world-class teams in the main European leagues.
      “(In) our Centenary season, an unforgettable event for Celta’s fans, (we will have) a formidable leader on the bench.” More

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      Jude Bellingham’s Real Madrid team-mate doubling up as his driver after texting him ‘almost every day’ about transfer

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      VINICIUS JR’S bromance with Jude Bellingham is so strong he reportedly drives him to training. Bellingham has settled well to life in Spain since his move from Borussia Dortmund in the summer in a deal worth £115million.
      Jude Bellingham in training with Vinicius JrCredit: EPA
      Brazilian Vinicius did his part in convincing the England international over to Madrid having text him several sales pitches.
      And now Bellingham is at the Bernabeu, Vinicius is one of his closest friends.
      According to the Athletic, the winger will drive Bellingham to training when the midfielder’s mum is unable to.
      The pair also go out for dinner together and were recently joined by defender Eder Militao.
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      Bellingham, 20, has got off to a flying start in LaLiga with ten goals in as many matches, with Madrid top of the table.
      But his international form has also been as good having put in a Man of The Match performance against Italy.
      Bellingham helped England secure Euro 2024 qualification and the playmaker revealed plans to commit his future to Madrid.
      He said: “I’ve said since I arrived it’s a club I want to be at for the next 10 to 15 years of my life. I love the club.
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      “When you’re around those types of mentalities and players with that quality every day – you see them in the gym; you see how they prepare for games, the analysis, the physio work they get done.
      “You see the work on the pitch, how competitive some of the training sessions are.
      “it just takes you to a new level technically.”
      Bellingham helped England secure Euro 2024 qualificationCredit: PA More

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      Jose Mourinho lined up for shock return to former club with ex-Chelsea manager set for Roma exit

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      JOSE MOURINHO is being lined up for a shock return to Real Madrid, according to reports.The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham boss, 60, looks set to leave Roma at the end of the season when his contract expires.
      Jose Mourinho is set to leave Roma at the end of the seasonCredit: EPA
      Carlo Ancelotti is expected to depart Real Madrid in the summerCredit: Getty
      It was claimed earlier this week that the Serie A giants have no intention of extending his deal as Antonio Conte seeks to replace him.
      But Mourinho may not be out of work for long as Real Madrid weigh up a possible move for the Portuguese coach.
      Los Blancos manager Carlo Ancelotti is expected to leave the Bernabeu in the summer to become Brazil boss.
      According to Mundo Deportivo, Mourinho could return for a second spell in the Spanish capital as Real consider him as one of three potential candidates.
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      Zinedine Zidane and Bayer Leverkusen head coach Xabi Alonso are the other names in the hat.
      Mourinho spent three seasons at Real Madrid between 2010 and 2013.

      He won the Copa del Rey in 2011, before scooping the LaLiga title and Spanish Super Cup the following year.
      Mourinho was linked with a second stint at the club in 2019 after Julen Lopetegui was dismissed.
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      But Real ended up securing the return of Zidane.
      Despite Mourinho being linked with the 14-time European champions, there is still some uncertainty around whether Ancelotti will stick around at the club.
      His deal ends at the end of the season, but it is understood he would accept a contract renewal if it was offered.
      Ancelotti is also yet to officially sign anything with Brazil as he is awaiting a final decision from Real Madrid. More

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      Barcelona set to play in bizarre shirt against Real Madrid as club takes Spotify deal to whole new level

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      BARCELONA are getting lippy with a one-off shirt against Real Madrid emblazoned with the Rolling Stones’ iconic logo.The Spanish giants can’t yet be Nou age rockers – as their famous stadium is being redeveloped – so they’ve come up with the next best thing as their sponsorship with Spotify hits a high note.
      Rolling Stones’ legends Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger and Keith Richards are ‘honoured’ their logo will adorn Barca’s shirt against fierce rivals RealCredit: Reuters
      Lamine Yamal, Jules Kounde and Fermin Lopez show how Barcelona’s Spotify-sponsored shirt normally looksCredit: Getty
      It was less tongue in cheek and more tongue on kit as legendary Stones Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Ronnie Wood paraded the special top – complete with the band’s cheeky emblem.
      The rock stars’ logo of big lips with a huge tongue sticking out will take centre stage on the home side’s shirt for El Clasico at Barca’s temporary Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys ground on October 28.
      The latest instalment of the club’s arrangement with streaming service Spotify sees Xavi’s men promote the Stones’ new album.
      In fact, it’s the British group’s first fresh material since 2005.
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      The band said: “We’re huge football fans and honoured that Spotify have brought our Tongue & Lips logo to grace the FC Barcelona shirt to celebrate the release of the Stones’ new ‘Hackney Diamonds’ album.
      “We’ll be cheering on the players on the pitch as well as fans around the world who will be tuning in to watch this iconic match.”
      Supporters will be glued to their screens as third-placed Barca attempt to hunt down LaLiga leaders Real.
      And Barca fans will pray keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen has Sticky Fingers too – to keep out Madrid’s prolific summer signing Jude Bellingham plus Vinicius Junior and Co.
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      As Jagger might say, with one eye on the Stones’ own most famous rivals The Beatles: “Hey Jude, don’t make it bad.”
      But whatever happens, El Clasico observers will hope to be as open-mouthed as Barcelona’s one-off logo… with excitement. More

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      Barcelona chief Deco says Lionel Messi will ‘DEFINITELY’ return to Nou Camp and calls old pal ‘greatest idol in history’

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      LIONEL MESSI will “definitely” return to the Nou Camp for Barcelona one day.That is according to Barca’s sporting director Deco, who is adamant Messi will come back to his beloved club for a farewell game.
      Barcelona legend Lionel Messi will return to the Nou Camp one dayCredit: Getty
      Deco described former Barcelona team-mate Messi as ‘greatest idol in history’Credit: 2010 AFP
      The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner established himself as arguably the greatest footballer of all time during a glittering 17-year stint with the Blaugrana.
      The star forward scored a staggering total of 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 appearances and won 10 LaLiga titles, seven Copa del Rey trophies and four Champions League honours.
      Just when it looked like the Argentina captain would end his career with the Catalan giants, he shocked the world by leaving in 2021 due to the club’s dire financial woes.
      However, Deco insists the Barcelona faithful haven’t seen the last of former team-mate Messi, whom he described as the “greatest idol”.
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      The ex-Chelsea star, though, admits there is no date lined up for the Argentine’s return.
      Deco told Lance: “He [Messi] will definitely play a farewell game at Barcelona, but when that will be, we don’t know.
      “He will always be the greatest idol in the club’s history. The club had great idols, like [Johan] Cruyff, Ronaldo, but he is perhaps the greatest of all.”
      Barcelona president Joan Laporta suggested Messi’s farewell match could take place next year in November.
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      The Spanish champions would like to combine the World Cup winner’s last ever match with the grand opening of their revamped Spotify Camp Nou.
      Laporta told Catalunya Radio: “It would be fantastic if he could be part of the Spotify Camp Nou re-opening.
      “It will be finished in June 2026 but we will be back in November 2024 and that could also be a good date. We’re going to see. We would like it to happen and I hope it does.”
      Messi was keen to return to Barcelona last summer after a turbulent two-year stint at Paris Saint-Germain came to a disappointing end.
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      Barcelona sporting director Deco insists Messi will have a farewell gameCredit: 2023 Alex Caparros
      However, a deal never materialised and he ended up joining Manchester United legend David Beckham’s MLS club Inter Miami, where he has scored 11 goals and five assists in 13 matches.
      The MLS outfit’s managing owner Jorge Mas even admitted that he is open to letting his team play in Barcelona to allow the ex-PSG star to compete one last time in front of his die-hard fans.
      Deco added: “I’ve been friends with Leo for a long time.
      “The issue of him going to the United States was something that had been planned for a long time.
      “He already mentioned this idea way back. What changed were those two years at PSG…
      “I wasn’t in the conversations [about Messi’s return]. Obviously, Messi is one of the greatest idols in the club’s history.
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      “He’s happy now and that’s what I think he had to look for in his career.
      “About returning to Barcelona, it would have been something spectacular, as he is the greatest player in history, but things ended up happening like this and you can see that he is happy. That’s what matters most.” More

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      Football club come up with unique ‘cheat code’ kick-off as fans compare it to ‘FIFA glitch’

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      A SPANISH second division side have gone viral for their bizarre approach to taking kick-offs.Racing Santander currently sit eighth in La Liga 2 with 18 points from 11 games.
      Racing Santander have been using a bizarre kick-off methodCredit: reddit
      The ball is passed back to another player, who sends it longCredit: reddit
      Several Racing Santander players then chase it down and put pressure on defendersCredit: reddit
      But the Green and Whites recently became popular among fans for their unorthodox kick-off method.
      Some are even branding it as a “cheat code”.
      Instead of keeping the ball, the player receiving it from the kick-off flicks it up before sending a long pass forward.
      The technique puts the opposition under some early pressure while at least four players press high in a bid to win the ball.
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      Fans were left stunned after noticing the consistent theme, with some taking to social media to have their say.
      One person commented: “Fifa kickoff glitch with a twist.”

      Another added: “Rugby kick. I rate it. It probably works well in lower leagues, but you probably should not do that against City.”
      While a third wrote: “That’s what kick offs used to be like in the early days of Association Football, before passing took over.”
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      Paris Saint-Germain tried a similar trick last season and it resulted in Kylian Mbappe scoring after just eight seconds.
      The PSG stars played three passes between themselves in the centre circle before the ball was sent long to Mbappe, who scored with his first touch of the game. More

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      Chelsea fans hail ‘huge’ deal as club secretly trigger clause in youngster’s contract to fight off Barcelona interest

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      CHELSEA have triggered a secret clause in Ian Maatsen’s contract, according to reports.The club have taken the decision to extend the 21-year-old’s deal by one year, tying him down to 2025.
      Ian Maatsen has extended his contract at Chelsea after the club triggered a secret clauseCredit: Getty
      Reports from the Evening Standard claim Maatsen has rejected two contract offers in recent weeks and Chelsea have therefore activated the extension clause.
      This comes after supposed interest from Barcelona with the Catalan giants considering making a bid for him in January.
      Maatsen’s longer contract could force Xavi’s side to pay more for the Dutch left-back.
      He spent last season on loan at Burnley and the newly-promoted side saw a loan offer with an obligation to buy worth £31.5million accepted over the summer.
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      However, Maatsen rejected the transfer as he hoped to force his way into Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
      But he has played just 83 minutes in the Premier League this season amid competition from Ben Chilwell, Levi Colwill and Marc Cucurella.
      Consequently, Maatsen is reportedly considering his future at Stamford Bridge.
      Chelsea fans are delighted the club has taken up the option to add a year to his contract.
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      One said: “Huge, hopefully we can tie him down on a long-term deal soon.”
      Another added: “Smart move.”
      More wondered: “Does this mean he will get game time or are they trying to protect his value and sell?” More

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      Man City star Julian Alvarez targeted by Barcelona as long-term transfer replacement for Robert Lewandowski

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      JULIAN ALVAREZ is the subject of transfer interest from Barcelona reports suggest.The Manchester City star has enjoyed an electric start to the season, scoring six goals and adding five assists.
      Julian Alvarez is being eyed as a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski by BarcelonaCredit: Getty
      However, Pep Guardiola may soon come under pressure to keep the 23-year-old.
      According to Spanish outlet Sport, Barcelona are looking at Julian Alvarez as a long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.
      Like Alvarez, Lewandowski has had an impressive start to the season with six goals and four assists, but with a 12-year difference in age the pair are at the opposite end of their respective careers.
      Sport’s report suggests both Barca boss Xavi and sporting director and ex-Chelsea star Deco admire Alvarez, with Xavi particularly impressed by his versatility and eye for goal.
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      The forward was a key member of the Argentina team which lifted the World Cup in Qatar.
      City completed the signing of Alvarez for just £14million from River Plate in January 2022 off the back of him being named the South American Footballer of the Year for 2021.

      It is claimed Alvarez has a release clause worth £43.4m (€50m).
      Despite the transfer links, Guardiola and City technical director Txiki Begiristain have no intention of parting ways with him.
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      Alvarez has a contract with last season’s Treble winners until 2028.
      While he is more than capable of playing as an out-and-out striker, Alvarez has been deployed behind Erling Haaland in a slightly deeper role this season, partly owing to the injury of Kevin de Bruyne.
      Man City host Brighton on Saturday at 3pm, before a Champions League trip to Swiss side BSC Young Boys and the Manchester derby.
      Xavi is said to be a huge admirer of AlvarezCredit: Getty More