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      in Motorsport

      Inside Red Bull’s Christian Horner & F1 rival Toto Wolff’s toxic feud… & how wives Geri & Susie battle to keep the peace

      by

      IT’S a rivalry as fierce as that between the drivers on the track – and as the new Formula One season approaches it’s set to crank up a gear yet again.But Red Bull boss Christian Horner and Mercedes chief Toto Wolff’s feud dates back to long before Max Verstappen clinched that controversial world title back in 2021.
      Rivals Toto Wolff and Christian Horner have been involved in ‘mud slinging’ matchesCredit: PA
      Toto and his wife, Susie Wolff, are one of F1’s top power couplesCredit: Getty
      Christian and Geri Horner have been rocked by allegations about his behaviour
      This week Wolff couldn’t resist a dig at his rival – who is under investigation over allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” by a female colleague, which he denies.
      The Austrian, 52, called for “transparency” amid the probe, adding that it has repercussions for F1 as a whole.
      He said: “I think for Red Bull it started as an independent investigation, if this is done in the right way with transparency and with the rigour, I think that’s something that we need to look at whatever the outcomes are.”
      Wolff and Horner are renowned for trading insults – often shown on the Netflix hit Drive to Survive, the new series of which drops today – and at times their wives Susie Wolff and Geri Horner have stepped in to help simmer tensions.
      READ MORE ON F1
      As both men try to focus on pre-season testing in Bahrain, we reveal how their feud has played out over the years – and looks to continue firing on all cylinders.
      Red Bull’s beef with Mercedes can be traced back to 2014, when rule changes saw them emerge as the most dominant team on the grid.
      Wolff was at the helm when the team – having made a triumphant return to F1 in 2010 – clinched its first world title with Lewis Hamilton.
      Mercedes won the Constructors’ title with a 296 point lead over Red Bull Racing.
      Most read in Motorsport
      At the time Horner was pushing for changes to the rules which would allow teams to keep developing their cars throughout the season, with no limits.
      Rules stated teams could only change 92 per cent of their designs.
      F1 fans in meltdown over ‘that Lewis Hamilton bit’ as trailer for Netflix series Drive to Survive released
      Horner’s pleas angered Wolff, who raged: “Nobody can really be in favour of an all-out engine war from 2016.
      “No serious company would allow that to happen and none of the current engine suppliers could allow that to happen because costs would escalate totally out of control.”
      A year later Horner was still banging the drum, claiming people would lose interest in F1 if the FIA made no changes to halt Mercedes, to which Wolff hit back: “Just get your f*****g head down, work hard and try to sort it out.”
      ‘Meddling’ with Max
      Team principal Horner celebrates with driver Max Verstappen in 2021
      Red Bull have knocked Toto and Lewis Hamilton off their perch in recent seasonsCredit: Getty
      Tensions have boiled as the Mercedes team has fallen awayCredit: Rex
      Things came to a head in 2016 when Wolff phoned Vertstappen’s dad Joss to discuss Max’s aggressive driving following his crash with Nico Rosberg.
      Horner was furious, stating: “It’s totally wrong. They’ve got their own business. To be meddling in other teams’… maybe he does that with Ferrari, but he shouldn’t do it.
      “He’s got no right to tell Max how he should drive and conduct himself.”
      Things really boiled over in 2021, with Wolff branding Horner a “windbag who just wants to be on camera” during a row over Red Bull’s so-called ‘bendy wing’.
      He added: “It’s about being punchy – it’s easy to be punchy when you’re on top of the timesheet, but he should be a little bit more modest I think.”
      It’s totally wrong. They’ve got their own business. To be meddling in other teams’… maybe he does that with Ferrari, but he shouldn’t do itChristian Horner on Toto Wolff
      It came after Horner warned Wolff to “keep his mouth shut” and “be careful what you wish for” after hinting Red Bull could decide to protest Mercedes’ flexi front wings, alleging they looked “a bit worse than ours”.
      During the close-run season, Wolff seemed rattled, at one point telling Hamilton over the team radio following a sprint race: “F**k them all.”
      Horner added fuel to the fire, adding: “We worked hard to get into this position. It’s the first time they [Mercedes] have been challenged. It’s interesting to see how people react when they are under pressure, when they are challenged.”
      When Hamilton and Verstappen collided at the British Grand Prix, both bosses rigorously defended their drivers.
      It led to a “heated exchange” between the two principals, according to Horner.
      Tensions then reached fever pitch when Verstappen snatched the world title from Hamilton on the final lap in Abu Dhabi thanks to a controversial safety car decision.
      The moment Verstappen snatches the world title from Lewis Hamilton in 2021
      Horner and Wolff rarely see eye to eyeCredit: Getty
      Horner told Tom Clarkson on the F1: Beyond the Grid podcast: “It really permeated at Silverstone where suddenly there was an awful lot of dialogue from Toto to [then race director] Michael [Masi].
      “Then he’s (Wolff) sending him an email, and then he’s coming up. And I thought: ‘Right, okay, I’m not having that, I’m going up.’
      “I felt it was incredibly one sided that a team principal should not be able to lobby and influence the race director and with hindsight, Toto and I had a fairly heated exchange in Race Control.
      “At that event, where Toto was obviously arguing his corner that his driver shouldn’t be penalised, and I’ve got a driver in hospital and the car taken out of the race and was obviously feeling pretty aggrieved by it.”

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      Horner claimed he was surprised by his main rival’s behaviour during the season, telling The Telegraph: “You could see that it boiled over in the garage next door on a few occasions.”
      He admitted he enjoys winding up Wolff, telling the Guardian in October 2021: “The more Toto gets wound up, the more fun it becomes.”
      Former Benetton driver Johnny Herbert called out the two bosses for their squabbling a month later, telling the Sunday Mirror: “I think many want to tell him ‘grow up’.
      “They look like two eight-year-olds arguing in the schoolyard. One points to the other and says, ‘Look what he’s doing’.”
      Cheating claims
      The following year Red Bull was accused of cheating after it was found guilty of breaching the budget cap in 2021.
      Wolff made it clear he didn’t feel the team’s £5.5m fine and 10 per cent reduction on aerodynamic development time was a harsh enough punishment.
      He quipped: “I think they [Red Bull] have done a very good job last year in having a car out there that was half a second or more quicker than anyone else.”
      Meanwhile Horner was seen on camera telling his drivers: “[It’s]fun and games with Mercedes over all this cost cap s***. I mean it’s unbelievable how much s*** Toto says.”
      Susie Wolff keeps her husband Toto smilingCredit: Instagram/susie_wolff
      The Horners are often seen in Netflix series Drive to Survive enjoying an idyllic country lifeCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      Geri and Christian got hitched 10 years agoCredit: Splash News
      The Horners at home with the familyCredit: Instagram @therealgerihalliwell
      F1’s Horner poses on the steps of the home with daughter Olivia from his previous relationshipCredit: Instagram @christianhorner
      At times the team principals’ respective wives, Susie Wolf and Geri Halliwell, have stepped in, in an effort to keep the peace.
      The Mercedes principal admitted he “really regrets” how things got so heated between him and his rival, and recalled being accosted by Susie for his “regretful” behaviour during the 2021 season.
      He told Formula 1 magazine: “Susie pointed that out to me very clearly.
      “She said, ‘Why are you having these kinds of discussions? You’re trying to win, respect that. Even if someone goes in that direction, you don’t have to’.
      “That’s called female social intelligence. We sometimes have too much hormones.”
      In March 2022 it seemed like the pair had put their differences aside when Horner praised Wolff for opening up about his mental health battle.
      He told Sky Sports: “All credit to Toto for having the confidence to talk out about his own personal issues.”
      Cheeky bum slap
      Geri gives Toto a big hugCredit: Getty
      Susie and Lewis take a stroll in the pit laneCredit: Instagram/susie_wolff
      In November last year, a picture emerged of former Spice Girl Geri offering Wolff a comforting hug as her husband watched on.
      Everyone appeared to be grinning in the snap, suggesting the women had potentially managed to broker a peace deal.
      Damon Hill, a Sky F1 consultant, said on social media: “Its heartening to see a bit of a moment of mirth as Geri Horner gives Toto a consolation cuddle.
      “Easy to laugh when you’ve just wiped the floor with the opposition. Harder to do when you’ve been royally thrashed.”
      It was later revealed the jovial mood came about because Geri had actually slapped Wolff’s bottom.
      Horner later told Sky Sports: “It was an amusing moment because I think my wife had just smacked his bum so hard, I think it took him a bit by surprise.
      “You probably can’t even see my clenched fist, it’s out of shot there.
      “It’s been a long season and there has to be competition on track but there still has to be respect.”
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      With Red Bull shrouded in scandal and Mercedes losing its number one driver to Ferrari next season, it will be fascinating to see how 2024 plays out.
      Formula 1: Drive to Survive Season 6 can be streamed on Netflix now.
      Mercedes’ Toto Wolff and Red Bull’s Christian Horner have been bitter rivals since 2014Credit: Getty
      Former Spice Girl Geri holds her husband’s hand as Toto lingersCredit: Getty
      Geri is strongly standing by Horner’s side, sources sayCredit: Getty
      Formula 1: Drive to Survive season 6 airs today More

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      in Soccer

      I’m ex-Premier League star who may be forced to retire aged 29… I may never recover from mystery injury, says Deulofeu

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      FORMER Barcelona and Everton star Gerard Deulofeu has admitted to fearing may never play again after his latest knee injury.Deulofeu, 29, is currently playing for Serie A side Udinese but has been out since January last year.
      Deulofeu has admitted to fearing his career may be overCredit: Getty
      The player has undergone three knee surgeries in an attempt to save his careerCredit: Instagram @gerardeulofeu
      Thirteen months on from a gruelling operation, the winger has admitted to already planning for life after football amid doubts that he can return to the game.
      Speaking on the Jijantes Twitch channel via Calciomercato.com Deulofeu said: “For several months I’ve known that I might not play again.
      “I can’t do what I love for a long time, I haven’t played for over a year. I can’t say much, but I’m going through an ordeal.
      “You can’t imagine what I’m going through. I’m trying to recover in every way, but I’ve accepted the idea that I may never recover.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      “I had an injury in 2020, my knee was very traumatized, but I managed to recover. I then suffered another injury, for a third time and there were complications.
      “I can’t say much because I have an agreement with my club, but I’ll just say that it’s a real ordeal, you can’t imagine what’s happening to me.
      “However, I’m trying to recover in every way. But I’m also preparing for what could be a post-playing career.”
      Deulofeu is still contracted at Udinese until June 2026 and Calciomercato claim that he could be offered a role in the club’s backroom staff should he be forced into retirement.
      Most read in Football
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      Deulofeu was a fan favourite at EvertonCredit: PA:Press Association
      The player was reportedly close to linking up with Antonio Conte at Spurs prior to the injury in January last year, now 13 months later he is looking at retirement.
      He went on to open up about planning for a career change after football and said: “Luckily I was able to make a big change on a personal level. I am happy with my change, for those who have been by my side and for what I have created in my life.
      Where are they now: The unusual careers of former footballers
      “This is saving me, because when you don’t have an organised life on a personal level, after such a hard blow, with so many operations on my leg… I probably would have fallen into depression.”
      The winger did not expand exactly on what his plans would be if his latest operation is to force him to walk away from the game.
      Deulofeu joined Everton on loan from Barcelona ahead of the 2013-14 season before joining the Toffees permanently in 2015.
      He then left Everton to join AC Milan in 2017 before returning to Barcelona, so he’s had quite the CV.
      Deulofeu joined Watford in 2018 and was a key part of the team that made the 2019 FA Cup final.
      Both Everton and Watford have shown their support for Deulofeu on X after he went public with his struggles.
      The winger responded to both clubs by writing “Love you.”
      The Spaniard had two spells at BarcelonaCredit: Reuters More

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      in Motorsport

      I’m a former Nascar driver and Sky Sports F1 presenter, now I’m set to become a Netflix star

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      NETFLIX’S hit Formula One show Drive to Survive is set to feature a new face who will be recognisable to Sky Sports F1 and Nascar fans.The sixth season of the popular documentary will feature Danica Patrick, a former Nascar and IndyCar driver who has become infamous for controversial statements.
      Danica Patrick is joining Netflix’s team for Formula One: Drive to SurviveCredit: Getty
      Co-producer Tom Rogers explained Patrick added a ‘great perspective’ to the showCredit: Getty
      Patrick has worked with Sky Sports F1 since 2021Credit: The Mega Agency
      Patrick, 41, first appeared on Sky Sports F1 for the 2021 US Grand Prix, and has become a regular sight for viewers since then.
      And now she will be a feature on Netflix’s F1 docuseries, which has been credited with boosting the sports popularity since its 2019 debut.
      Drive To Survive co-producer Tom Rogers explained the reason behind Patrick’s addition.
      Speaking to the New York Post, he said: “We attempt to focus on the stories of the sport and with Danica, she brings a great perspective of … what it’s like to drive a racing car … and the challenges of the sport.
      READ MORE IN MOTORSPORT
      “The periphery to that is less important for us in the sense that she’s bringing a good contribution to the story.”
      Dubbed the “Queen of the Brickyard” Patrick is among the most successful and recognisable women in motorsport history.
      She has started eight Indianapolis 500 between 2005 and 2018 while scoring six top-10 finishes, also winning the rookie of the year award after leading for 19 laps in her debut race.
      Patrick left IndyCar for Nascar in 2012, where she recorded seven top-10 finishes over her five-year spell in the series.
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      HOW TO GET FREE BETS ON FOOTBALL
      Since retiring in 2018 she has moved into punditry, where she cultivated a polarising reputation among fans.
      Rodgers added: “I think she does a really good job explaining to our viewers some of the thought processes that the drivers are going through.
      Inside Lewis Hamilton’s £13m collection of supercars including £4m classic and £1.6m ride made entirely for him
      “Her background as a driver provides a really interesting perspective that we maybe haven’t tapped into before.”
      Patrick previously dated American football star Aaron Rodgers for two years before they split in 2020.
      She has previously modelled for Sports Illustrated in 2008 and 2009 and had a cameo in the 2019 remake of Charlie’s Angels.
      Patrick has copped flak for a number of topics.
      These include “insensitive” remarks about former competitors, alleged support of former US President Donald Trump and sharing conspiracy theories about aliens living on earth.
      Comments she made while on Sky Sports during the Hungarian Grand Prix last year received particularly sharp criticism following claims from Patrick that F1 was a “masculine” sport.
      She said: “I think that the nature of the sport is masculine. It’s aggressive.
      “You have to, you know, handle the car – not only just the car because that’s skill, but the mindset that it takes to be really good is something that’s not normal in a feminine mind, a female mind.”
      She joins the likes of Will Buxton and Claire Williams on the show’s selection of analysts.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Sky Sports F1 are also undergoing a change after lead commentator David Croft announced he would miss some F1 races for the first time since 2007.
      The 2024 F1 season gets underway on March 2, with Lewis Hamilton and co beginning testing in Bahrain this week.
      Danica Patrick was dubbed the ‘Queen of the Brickyard’ following her career in Nascar and IndyCarCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Patrick has come under fire for some controversial opinionsCredit: Getty
      She modelled for Sports Illustrated in 2008 and 2009Credit: Getty

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      in Soccer

      Dani Alves’ fall from grace, from Brazil legend and serial winner with Barcelona to four-year jail sentence for rape

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      AS his sentence was read, Dani Alves bowed his head in shame in a Barcelona court.Following a three-day trial this month, the Brazil legend has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a young woman.
      Brazil football legend Dani Alves bows his head in shame after he being sentencedCredit: AP
      Alves faces prosecutors following accusations of sexual assualtCredit: Rex
      A serial winner, Alves’ storied career has been taintedCredit: PA:Empics Sport
      He faces four years, six months behind bars, although he plans to appeal the decision.
      The ex-Barcelona star, a serial winner on the football pitch with 44 medals to his name, saw his life unravel after he was arrested by Catalan police in January 2023, and has been behind bars ever since.
      Two months after his arrest, his model wife Joana Sanz left him – admitting he had left her suicidal and that she wanted to “close this chapter of her life”.
      Alves’ fall from grace comes after one of the most storied career’s teh game has ever seen.
      Read more Dani Alves news
      Trophy haul
      Only Lionel Messi has as many medals to his name as Alves, who is now 40 years old.
      He was signed from Sevilla by Pep Guardiola in 2008 – costing a record £30million, and would play in a Barcelona side that would dominate the Spanish and European football landscape.
      In his debut season, he suffered heartbreak when he was suspended from the Champions League final against Manchester United.
      His absence didn’t matter, as the Catalans recorded a 2-0 win and completed a treble.
      Most read in Football
      Alves would go on to win two more Champions League titles (in 2011 and 2015), before leaving the club in 2016.
      Dani Alves’ model ex Joana Sanz arrives at court to reveal what ‘drunk’ ex-Barcelona star told her moments after ‘rape’
      During his eight-year stay in Catalonia, he added six LaLiga titles, four Copa del Reys, as well as the three Super Cups and three Club World Cups to his bulging trophy cabinet.
      Success continued to follow him after he departed Barcelona.
      In his one and only season at Juventus, he won the Serie A title and Coppa Italia.
      Then, in a two-year spell at PSG, he would win the French championship back-to-back.
      Even in his veteran years at Sao Paulo, he was part of a side that won the Brazilian league in 2021.
      The accolades also came with his country, Brazil. However, despite playing in three World Cups he was unable to add a winners’ medal to his CV in that tournament.
      Still, famous Copa America wins in 2007 and 2019 made him a hero in his homeland.
      Photographers capture Alves lifting the Champions League trophyCredit: AFP – Getty
      Success followed Alves wherever he went, winning at PSG with pal NeymarCredit: AP:Associated Press
      In his homeland of Brazil Alves was championed for lifting the Copa America twiceCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Finally getting married
      Away from the beautiful game, Alves was smitten by a beautiful woman.
      In 2015, the galloping right-back fell for the charms of Tenerife-born beauty, Joanna Sanz.
      The Spanish model, who made her name from the age of 17 on the catwalk for Jimmy Choo and Yves Saint Laurent and starred in ads for L’Oriel, was introduced to Alves by a mutual friend.
      He wined and dined her, they went on a glam holidays, and he lavished her with expensive gifts, as the Spanish media heralded them as one of football’s superstar couples.
      But, despite his attempts to get his beloved to walk down the aisle, she was initially resistant.
      Joanna turned down two proposals, before finally accepting his third offer.
      She told Spanish gossip magazine La Vanguardia: “Dani asked me in the hotel room alone. We do not like [putting on a show].
      “It was splendid… he already asked me three times.”
      The pair flew to Ibiza in 2017, and were married in a private ceremony on the island of Formantera.
      In 2015, Alves became smitten by the charms of Joana SanzCredit: Instagram @joanasanz
      Spanish model Sanz has appeared on the catwalk for some of fashion’s most famous brandsCredit: AFP – Getty
      Alves and Sanz soon became one of football’s most glam couplesCredit: Getty
      read more sport features
      They both wore white, with Alves opting for trainers as footwear.
      It was his second marriage, after divorcing first love Dinora Santana who he shares kids Victoria and Daniel with.
      The beginning of the end
      At the turn of last year, Alves was arrested on suspicion of rape.
      The victim alleged the incident occurred at a nightclub in Barcelona in December 2022.
      According to El Periódico de Catalunya, she was led to the hotspot’s VIP area by a waiter after Alves asked to meet her.
      She claimed he told her to touch his penis twice, before ordering her to follow him into the nightclub’s bathroom.
      There, after she asked to leave, she said he slapped her, insulted her, and tried to force her to perform a sex act on him, before pushing her into a toilet where he raped her.
      According to El Periódico, semen that was collected from the victim, as well as from the nightclub’s bathroom floor was analysed and matched Alves’ DNA.
      Hospital records of treatment to a knee injury sustained by the woman were consistent with her account of events.
      Alves was questioned at a police station in Les Corts, BarcelonaCredit: Google Maps
      A woman alleged Alves tried to force her to perform a sex act on him in a Barcelona nightclub, before raping herCredit: AP
      Investigators found seven fingerprints around the bathroom that matched the complainant’s account of events, with the complainant giving her account without knowing that investigators had such evidence.
      Alves’ defence
      In his defence, Alves has given several accounts of what happened that evening.
      He told media outlet Antena 3 he didn’t know the woman and she made up the allegation for fame.
      In a second story, he said he went into the bathroom not knowing she was in it.
      When CCTV contradicted that tale, he said he went into the bathroom first, defecated in the toilet with the woman beside him, but nothing sexual happened.
      In another version of events, Alves said the woman performed oral sex on him in the bathroom.
      At an April 2023 hearing he finally claimed he had consensual sex with the victim, when he was quizzed why his semen was found on the bathroom floor.
      He confessed his previous lies were down to vain attempts in saving his crumbling marriage to Sanz, who by now had ditched him.
      Alves blamed alcohol consumption for severely hampering his judgement.
      Joana Sanz leaves court after providing her testimony in Alves’ trialCredit: Splash
      Alves claimed sex with the victim was consensualCredit: Rex
      Trial
      The trial began earlier this month, and was the first to be held under Spain’s 2022 consensual sex law which expanded the legal definition of sexual assault in Spain.
      On the first day, the Provincial Court of Barcelona rejected his bid to have the trial suspended.
      The woman in question gave her testimony from behind a screen in a closed-door session, with her voice distorted to protect her identity.
      On the second day, the bombshell moment came when ex-wife Sanz took to the stand for ten minutes.
      She revealed how he “stank of alcohol and collapsed in bed” after arriving home from the night he was alleged to have raped the 23-year-old woman.
      Catalan News described Sanz as appearing “very cold towards her husband”, and she said they hadn’t officially divorced yet.
      Friends of Alves who testified claimed they drank alcohol “from lunch until dawn” on that fateful evening.
      After eyewitnesses and police gave their accounts, it was Alves’ turn to defend himself.
      Again, he denied any wrongdoing and insisted sexual relations between himself and the woman were consensual.
      Sanz ditched Alves after he was arrestedCredit: Getty
      Alves has been sentenced to four and a half years behind barsCredit: AFP
      The prosecution demanded he received a nine-year sentence and the victim’s legal team asked for 12.
      But a judge ruled he would serve four and a half years in prison, after finding the fallen ace guilty of rape.
      What’s next?
      Because he completed a year of his sentence on remand, Alves could soon be released on licence.
      He has been ordered to pay £7,700 for physical damage to the victim and offered to pay compensation of £130,000 (€150,000).
      But, he will be on legal supervision for five years, while a restraining order of nine years and six months will prevent him from contacting the victim.
      The financial ramifications of this ordeal have left Alves, who was believed to have made a £50million fortune from his football career, allegedly bankrupt.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Most of his money is believed to be tied up in several business investments.
      A sensational reveal during the trial by his lawyers claimed that his bank balance was £17,000 overdrawn.
      Alves has two children from a relationship with Dinora Santana, including son Daniel, leftCredit: AFP or licensors
      Now allegedly bankrupt, Alves faces the task of rebuilding his lifeCredit: Getty More

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      in Soccer

      Inside Dani Alves’ Spanish prison with its own swimming pool that John McAfee likened to ‘the Hilton’ before his death

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      DANI ALVES will serve his rape sentence in a Spanish prison a famous former convict likened to a “Hilton” hotel.The former Barcelona and Brazil defender was this week found guilty of raping a woman in a Spanish nightclub on New Year’s Eve in December 2022.
      Ex-Barcelona and Brazil defender Dani Alves has been found guilty of rapeCredit: AFP
      The 40-year-old has been sentenced to four-and-a-half years behind barsCredit: AFP
      Alves will serve his sentence at the Brians 2 Prison outside of BarcelonaCredit: REUTERS
      The prison is not the most intimidating in comparison to othersCredit: DEPARTAMENT DE JUSTICA
      Alves, who protested his innocence throughout the trial, was sentenced to four-and-a-half years behind bars for the vile attack.
      The 40-year-old will serve his sentence at the Brians 2 prison, where he’s been on remand since January 2.
      The prison, which was opened in 2007 to help overcrowding in other penitentiaries, is home to 1500 inmates.
      But it’s not your run-of-the-mill prison.
      READ MORE ON DANI ALVES
      Brians 2, which is just over 20 miles away from Barcelona city centre, includes a massive swimming pool for convicts to keep cool during the sweltering summer months.
      Alves, according to reports, is set to share the prison with a former bodyguard of his old Brazil team-mate Ronaldinho.
      Marca claims Ronaldinho’s former protector – a man named Coutinho – is also behind bars at Brians 2 following a conviction for sexual assault.
      The most famous resident of the prison was antivirus software pioneer John McAfee, who died in its walls in June 2021.
      Most read in Football
      Anti-virus pioneer John McAfee likened Brians 2 to a ‘Hilton’ hotelCredit: AP
      McAfee – who was locked up in Brians 2 in October 2021 – faced multiple charges of fraud, money laundering and tax evasion in America before his death.
      And he was pleasantly surprised by the conditions of what proved to be his home for the final days of his life.
      Dani Alves’ model ex Joana Sanz arrives at court to reveal what ‘drunk’ ex-Barcelona star told her moments after ‘rape’
      He said: “Life in Spanish prisons is like the Hilton compared to the abject surrealism and dehumanization of American prisons.
      “Here I am treated as a human being instead of a number.”
      Although it’s a far cry from most prisons, Brians 2 has experienced its fair share of violence.
      Before McAfee’s arrest, a prisoner – who had been jailed for sexually exploiting minors and disabled individuals – was stabbed 29 times in his chest, neck and abdomen.
      An inmate with mental health problems also attacked his fellow inmates and staff in April 2020 before eventually being restrained.
      Multiple-time LaLiga and Champions League winner Alves vehemently denied his accusers’ claims before being sentenced to hard time.
      He admitted to having sexual intercourse with the victim at the plush Sutton nightclub and claimed it was consensual.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Prosecutors for the State and the victim had sought heftier punishments for Alves, demanding nine and 12-year sentences respectfully.
      Alves and his legal team plan to appeal his sentence. More

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      in Soccer

      Celebrities who almost became footballers, from Dr Who star Matt Smith to Gladiators presenter Bradley Walsh

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      THESE celebrities found fame by other means – be it in the world of TV, as singers or actors.But, had they gone down a different path or fate not led them in a different direction, they could have become footballers.
      Olly Murs is one of pop music’s leading stars – but he could have been a footballerCredit: Getty
      Murs played non-league football and also turns out Soccer AidCredit: Getty
      Some have relived their glory and showcased their skills on Soccer Aid.
      While others have retired gracefully, happy to be fans of the Beautiful Game instead.
      So, which celebs could have become football stars instead?
      Olly Murs
      Man Utd fan Olly dreamed of becoming a footballer, well before he got his big break on The X Factor.
      read more football news
      He played semi-pro for Isthmian Division One North side Witham Town between 2006 and 2008.
      However, injury cut his career short.
      He became co-owner of Essex side Coggeshall Town in 2017, until stepping down in 2022.
      Matt Smith
      The Dr Who and House of the Dragon actor had trials at both Nottingham Forest and Leicester City.
      Most read in Football
      But, spondylosis, a degenerative condition affecting spinal discs, forced him to quit the game aged just 16.
      Serge’s genius strike
      He told BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs: “All I did was play football 10 hours a day. It came easily and naturally.
      “It was very difficult for me to tell people that I had been released (from the team). The vain part of me was like, ‘I am Matt and I am the footballer.'”
      Matt Smith had trials at Nottingham Forest before becoming an actorCredit: AFP
      Bradley Walsh
      Before he kept the Gladiators in check and was a quizmaster on The Chase, TV presenter Walsh had aspirations at Brentford.
      He failed to make a first-team appearance but did play four times for Barnet in a loan spell in the 1979-80 season.
      Injuries cut short his career at the age of 21 as he failed to overcome an ankle fracture.
      Walsh previously revealed football was his life and regretted not getting his coaching badges.
      The Chase star Bradley Walsh become one of TV’s biggest hostsCredit: Rex
      But Walsh could have been turning out for Brentford if it wasn’t for injury
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      Sergio Pizzorno
      The Kasabian axeman is a very decent player.
      He famously showed off his volleying prowess on Soccer AM challenge.
      Then, he followed that up by lobbing David Seaman from long range at Soccer Aid.
      Leicester City fan Pizzorno also had a trial at Nottingham Forest.
      Rock star Sergio Pizzorno’s life could have turned out differently if a trial with Forest was successful
      Pizzorno has made up for lost time – appearing on Soccer AidCredit: Getty – Contributor
      Sean Connery
      The definitive 007 could have been just as famous a footballer, had he taken up an offer from the legendary Sir Matt Busby.
      The Man Utd icon offered Connery a contract with the Red Devils worth £25 a week after seeing him play a match in the 1960s.
      “I really wanted to accept because I loved football,” Connery recalled. “But I realised that a top-class footballer could be over the hill by the age of 30, and I was already 23.”
      Instead, he became a Hollywood actor, appearing in seven James Bond movies, as well as an Oscar winner for The Untouchables.
      Sean Connery was offered a contract by Sir Matt Busby at Manchester UnitedCredit: Alamy
      Colin Farrell
      Movie star Farrell also fancied himself as a footballer – appearing for national trials in Ireland.
      But, his hellraiser behaviour aged just 14 showed a distinct lack of discipline needed for that role.
      “I played until I was about 15 and I thought it was what I wanted to do. And then I realised I’d do something less meaningful, like acting,” he told US chat show David Letterman.
      “I thought I might have been (good enough), but I had a can of beer when I was 14 and that was the end of that. I didn’t want it enough.”
      Had Colin Farrell swapped beer for fitness he might have played for IrelandCredit: Getty
      Louis Tomlinson
      One Direction singer Louis lived a boyhood dream in 2014, when he turned out for his favourite club Doncaster Rovers.
      He can’t have been too nervous, having filled out stadiums with the pop group a few years prior around the globe and earned worldwide fame and success.
      But, it fulfilled his lifelong ambition when he was handed the No28 shirt.
      “This has always been a childhood dream for me,” he said.
      One Direction star Louis Tomlinson always dreamed of becoming a footballerCredit: Getty
      Boyband singer Tomlinson in action for his beloved Doncaster RoversCredit: Nigel Bennett
      Johnny Marr
      Smiths legend Marr is often seen in the stands with Noel Gallagher cheering on their beloved Manchester City.
      However, life could have been different if the rock guitarist hadn’t worn make-up during his trial with the club.
      “I didn’t take football seriously enough to push it to the next level,” Marr explained.
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      “I’d go for a trial and take to the pitch wearing eyeliner. Half the opposition team were looking at the mascara and thinking, ‘We’d better stay away from him’.
      “The other half just wanted to kick lumps out of me.”
      Johnny Marr chose music over football because of eyeliner and mascaraCredit: Getty More

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      Meet Lionel Messi’s richer teammate Leonardo Campana, who loves skydiving in Hawaii and buys art from a Miami artist

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      LIONEL MESSI might be the highest paid player in the MLS, but he’s not even the wealthiest man on his team.That honour is bestowed to his Inter Miami teammate, Leonardo Campana who is heir to a £1billion-plus fortune.
      Lionel Messi’s teammate Leonardo Campana is the heir to a £1bn fortune
      Campana stars for Ecuador and his dad is South American politician and business man Pablo Campana
      Leonardo Campana shares a family snap with dad Pablo and mum Isabel
      Ex-tennis star Pablo Campana poses with Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham
      The Ecuadorian, only 23, is the son of Pablo Campana – a prominent South American politician, businessman, and ex-tennis player who competed at the Olympics.
      Born into money and sporting heritage is serving Leonardo well, who lives an epic lifestyle.
      Not only can he count the world’s greatest player as a pal, he also enjoys amazing adventures, including skydiving in Hawaii.
      While the forward is also an art collector – owning work from famous Miami pop artist Leonardo Hidalgo.
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      He shares his wealth with stunning girlfriend, Ariana Altuve who studied Fashion Business at New York’s prestigious Parsons School of Design.
      Family affair
      Leonardo, who was with Premier League side Wolves from 2019-2020, comes from good stock.
      His dad Pablo was a sportsman, famously competing for Ecuador in the tennis doubles competition at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atalanta.
      Between 1990-1997 he played in the Davis Cup, and was once ranked 165 in the world.
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      But, when Pablo found out he was expecting a child he gave up the game aged just 24.
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      Instead of sport, he turned his hand to politics and became the Minister of Commerce in the Ecuadorean government.
      Alongside that, he founded a real estate company in his homeland called Millenium S.A. that has made him a fortune.
      Interestingly, while his dad may be a billionaire, Leonardo’s grandma Isabel Noboa is recognised as one of Ecuador’s most successful businesswomen.
      Dad Pablo has been seen at Inter Miami games, cheering his son on.
      He even posed up for snaps with Messi and Inter Miami’s co-owner David Beckham on the DRV PNK Stadium turf.

      Head for heights
      Standing at 6ft 2in, Campana is known for his aerial ability.
      However, his head for heights stretches to as far as jumping out of a plane with a parachute.
      Back in November, the fearless footballer went on a luxury holiday to Hawaii.
      Usually a clause in many top player’s contracts insists they don’t do anything risky while away.
      Campana showed off his daredevil side skydiving
      While on holiday, Campana packs a £60k Jeep Wrangler
      In the Galapagos Islands Campana and his Wag Ariana hired a boat
      Campana shared snaps of the local wildlife
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      But daredevil Campana clearly felt the adrenaline rush of skydiving was too much to turn down.
      And he shared his stunt with a mid-air picture to his 603,000 followers on Instagram.
      He simply captioned the snap with a rock and roll hand gesture emoji.
      On the same trip, Campana was seen rummaging in the boot of his £60,000 Jeep Wrangler.
      Joining him on his travels was his gorgeous missus, Ariana.
      They also enjoyed a magical trip to the Galapagos Islands, where they hired a boat and saw the local wildlife.
      American beauty
      Not much is known about Ariana, the blonde stunner in a relationship with Campana.
      She keeps her personal life to herself, while her Instagram is private.
      It appears she has been in a romance with Ecuador international for a year.
      Campana appears smitten by love Ariana
      Ariana keeps her personal life private on social media
      Fashionable Ariana studied Fashion Business in New York
      But already, they are inseparable.
      She shared in his hi-jinx in Hawaii and is happy playing the supportive Wag by cheering him on during Inter Miami games.
      According to reports, she studied Administration and Marketing and completed a four-year degree at Bryant University in the United States.
      The Balenciaga-wearing Ariana also finished a Fashion Business course at Parsons School of Design, in New York.
      Expensive hobbies
      Buying art is often an exercise for the rich and the elite.
      Campana’s artistic taste is a bit more modern, and he has a penchant for pop art.
      Back in December, he splashed the cash on a print of a painting by famed Miami artist Leonardo Hidalgo.
      The artwork, a rather fitting piece featuring Campana celebrating a goal with Messi, would have cost thousands.
      In the past, Hidalgo has been commissioned by Hillary Clinton, Marc Anthony, Enrique Iglesias and more.
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      Famed artist Leonardo Hidalgo presents Campana with his artwork
      Modern artist Hidalgo has also painted a tribute to David Beckham which features on Instagram
      A thankful Campana thanked Hidalgo on Instagram.
      “Thank you @artistleonardohidalgo for capturing this moment that will be marked for the rest of my life,” he wrote. More

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      Inside abandoned English stadium covered in barbed wire with eerie new stand that has never hosted a match

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      GHOST goals. Haunted houses. Ghost ships. How about a ghost stadium?Well, that is exactly what the Millmoor Ground, or Millmoor, the “spiritual home” of Championship side Rotherham, is nowadays.
      Rotherham’s old ground has been left standingCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      The Millmoor ground is still plastered with the advertising of C.F. BoothCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      The stadium has stood dormant since 2008Credit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      It was Rotherham United’s home from 1925Credit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      The stadium, located near the middle of town, was Rotherham’s home for 83 years.
      It dates all the way back to the 1890s when it was used by the Rotherham Church Institute in the Sheffield Association League, before passing to Rotherham County and then Rotherham United.
      It has overseen seven promotions, eight relegations and played host to their ever League Cup final in 1961 when Rotherham beat Aston Villa 2-0 in the first leg before the Villans won 3-0 in the second leg.
      But it has now become decrepit and being left desolate since 2008 after Rotherham were forced to move to their current 12,000 capacity AESSEAL New York Stadium following a row over rent.
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      Millmoor – located just a few hundred yards away from the club’s new home – held some 8,300 fans but held a record attendance of 25,170 when local rivals Sheffield United came to visit back in 1952.
      It understandably holds plenty of sentimental value to the Millers faithful given it had been their ground since Rotherham’s inception in 1925.
      However, the ground is now an empty shell which promised so much.
      Covered in barbed wire and overgrown plants and surrounded by fences, you might be mistaken for thinking the Millmoor would fit into a science fiction film set in a dystopian future.
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      But no, it is far from fiction. It is real life.
      Rotherham left Millmoor while in the middle of constructing a new main stand.
      We live INSIDE Luton Town’s famous entrance – footballs smash our windows but there are some surprising perks
      You can still see the half-built stand, but it will never be finished.
      Would-be trespassers into the ground are warned of the dangers with a few huge “keep out” signs.
      There are also posters of CF Booth all over after former Rotherham owner Ken Booth – who owned the scrap metal yard next to the ground – took over and saved the club from administration in 1987.
      Reflecting on the ground, the club’s current owner and chairman Tony Stewart told The Athletic last year: “Millmoor is decaying. It’s falling apart.”
      As for why Millmoor has stood dormant for the best part of two decades, Stewart is perplexed, adding: “It’s a mystery to Rotherham. It’s a mystery to the man on the street.”
      Booth had done his best to keep the club afloat following the collapse of ITV’s Digital TV deal which ravaged the lower leagues.
      Millmoor has become decrepit since being abandonedCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      Having been left largely intact, much of what would have been seen on matchdays remainsCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      Rotherham had to leave the ground in 2008 over a rent rowCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      Millmoor held more than 8,000 fansCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      A fan consortium took over the club for £1 after a favourable deal was struck with the Booth family – which involved the club’s only tangible assets Millmoor and the club’s training ground — being left in the family’s possession.
      Another group then came in before Stewart took over.
      The common story is that the club left Millmoor because the Booth’s were charging high rent.
      But Stewart remembers it slightly differently, explaining how the Booths wanted them to keep the stadium the exact same during a five-year lease while Rotherham wanted to look into a new stadium.
      Stewart said: “There were 18 items [demanded by the Booths] I didn’t agree with.
      “It would’ve meant that if there was a scratch to a cabinet, I would’ve had to replace all that. I just felt it wasn’t right.”
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      Rotherham’s final game at Millmoor was a 1-0 win over Barnet, but with negotiations ongoing over the ground’s future there was no big farewell for it.
      The club’s new ground is far more suited to a team in England’s second tier with its modern facilities, but Millmoor still stands as a tapestry to Rotherham’s history.
      Millmoor hosted the first-ever League Cup final in 1961Credit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      Rotherham owner Tony Stewart said it was a mystery why nothing had been done to the groundCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      The record attendance at Millmoor came in 1952 for a match seen by 25,170 against local rivals Sheffield UnitedCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun
      It remains the ‘spiritual home’ of RotherhamCredit: Mark Robinson – The Sun More