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    Koulibaly grabs photographer’s camera to take pic of Napoli fans after scoring dramatic late winner against Juventus

    KALIDOU KOULIBALY grabbed a photographer’s camera to take his own picture of the fans after firing Napoli past Juventus.The Neapolitans left it late to down their potential title rivals on Saturday, with Koulibaly heading the winner in the 85th minute.
    Kalidou Koulibaly savoured his winner with his own picture of the Napoli fansCredit: EPA
    After sparking delirious scenes at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium, the defender decided to capture the moment with the help of a press photographer’s camera.
    It meant Napoli took an early lead atop Serie A as the only club with three wins from three to kick off the new campaign, at least until AC Milan beat Lazio on Sunday evening.
    Koulibaly told DAZN: “I saw the fans, it was too good.
    “I wanted to capture the moment, the victory is for those who we have been missing for over a year, and seeing them here makes us happy.”
    Matteo Politano’s smart finish from a Wojciech Szczesny parry had made it 1-1 after Alvaro Morata’s opener for Juventus.
    It was a night to forget for the goalkeeper as he again softly diverted the ball into the path of an attacker for Koulibaly’s winner.

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    However, Szczesny was caught off guard by Juve forward Moise Kean deciding to head the ball towards his own goal at close-range from a Napoli corner, forcing him into evasive action.
    The defeat summed up the Old Lady’s poor start to the campaign, now shorn of Cristiano Ronaldo.
    Defeat to Empoli in the first game after the striker’s exit to Manchester United followed an opening day draw, leaving Juve eight points behind Napoli after three games.
    Coach Massimiliano Allegri stated after the game: “These things happen in football.
    “We conceded goals like this against Udinese and Empoli, tonight we won’t talk about it. We have to focus on what we have to do, not what happened.”

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    Man Utd’s Ronaldo naps five times a day, while Dwayne Johnson snoozes for four hours… how much sports stars sleep

    BEING one of the most well known sporting icons on the planet is tiring work.But rather than sleep all night, Cristiano Ronaldo instead takes FIVE naps a day while Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson snoozes for just four hours to keep himself going.
    Cristiano Ronaldo takes FIVE naps-a-day
    Last year, it emerged Man Utd superstar Ronaldo, 36, grabs 40 winks five times each day and sleeps in the foetal position.
    And here SunSport can reveal the different sleep patterns of several other sporting icons from across the globe and how many hours of ‘Zzz’ time they get, according to Online Mattress Review.
    Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson – 4 hours
    The Rock survives on just four hours sleep every nightCredit: Getty – Contributor

    The WWE icon turned movie star hits the sack for just four hours-a-night.
    At 49, Hawaiian born Johnson clocks off between midnight and is up and about again at 4am.
    Presumably to work out at least 25 times a day to maintain his impressive physique.
    Muhammad Ali – 6.5 hours
    Muhammad Ali was a religious man and slept for 6.5 hours after dinner and prayers

    The greatest boxer of all time put many opponents to sleep in his time and would wind down between 10pm and 4:30am.
    As a devout Muslim, much of his time would be split between prayer and training.
    And his evening routine would include a walk after dinner, a quick wash, prayers and short stint in front of the TV before he dozed off.
    Serena Williams – 7 hours

    Serena Williams clocks up a solid seven hours of sleep after socialising and work
    You do not need hawk eye to tell when Serena is out for the count but we can neither confirm or deny whether her snoring makes a racket.
    The tennis sensation takes a solid seven hour sleep between midnight and 7am each day after a post-dinner routine of socialising and work.
    The 39-year-old former world number one is also a mum of a young daughter so her slumbers are no doubt interrupted by the littl’un every now and then.

    Cristiano Ronaldo – 7.5 hours
    Ronaldo sleeps in the fetal position to stay in top shape aged 36

    Ronaldo has perhaps the oddest routine of all the big stars.
    Rather than one lump of rest at the end of each day like most of us, Ronnie reportedly prefers to take short naps of an hour-and-a-half each time throughout the day.
    After dinner, he relaxes with his friends before a swim at 10pm.
    He then takes one of his signature naps until midnight and relaxes until another short burst of sleep from around 3am before waking up for the day.
    Ronda Rousey – 8 hours
    MMA star Rousey does not mess around when it comes to getting the right amount of rest

    MMA and WWE star Rousey’s routine seems pretty standard.
    Eight hours between midnight and 8am.
    Nice and simple.
    Tiger Woods – 8.5 hours
    Tiger Woods – perhaps the greatest golfer in history – spends more than a third of his day asleep

    Woods is generally considered the best golfer of all time.
    And to maintain such high levels, the superstar spends eight and a half hours dreaming of sinking putts and splitting fairways.
    He snoozes from 10pm to 6:30am – proving the early birdie really does catch the worm.
    Tom Brady – 9 hours
    Tom Brady is widely considered the best quarter-back ever to play American Football and he does not compromise when it comes to rest

    Like Woods, Brady is considered the greatest ever in his field.
    The former New England Patriots quarter-back is revered in across the world for his sustained and unrivalled talent.
    And the 44-year-old – who is still playing for the Tampa Bay Bucacaneers – makes sure he touches down to sleep for nine hours each day between 8:30pm and 5:30am.

    Stephen Curry – 9 hours
    NBA star Stephen Curry is one of the longest sleepers on the list with a solid nine hours

    Basketball star Stephen Curry is another record breaker who is set to go down in the NBA history books.
    The Golden State Warriors point guard is another who does not take rest lightly – opting to hit the hay for nine hours between 11pm and 8am every day.
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    Ex-Chelsea ace Pedro takes dig at Jose Mourinho for giving him cold shoulder at Roma before controversial Lazio transfer

    FORMER Chelsea star Pedro suggested Roma manager Jose Mourinho is the reason behind his controversial move to Lazio.The winger left the Giallorossi in the summer transfer window for their Roman rivals where he has reunited with former Blues boss Maurizio Sarri.
    Lazio star Pedro left Roma during the summer transfer window after a year at RomaCredit: Rex
    Pedro suggested Roma boss Jose Mourinho is the reason behind his exit from the OlimpicoCredit: Rex
    The Spain international made that decision after being frozen out of the team by Mourinho and the rest of his coaching staff.
    But the 34-year-old found what he was looking for after just one conversation with Sarri and now insists that Roma belong to the past.
    Pedro said: “It was very complicated in Roma, they left me out of the team and none of the coaches spoke to me, I didn’t know anything about this matter.
    “When I spoke with Maurizio Sarri I realised that Lazio was a great opportunity.
    “It is true that no player has left Roma for Lazio in a long time, but I am very happy here.
    “Roma is in the past, I don’t want to talk about that anymore, my goal now is to help Lazio and my team-mates.”

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    Pedro joined Roma in 2020 following a five-year stint at Chelsea where he won a Premier League, FA Cup and Europa League title.
    The former Barcelona star amassed a total of 43 goals and 28 assists in 206 appearances across all competitions at Stamford Bridge.
    The Spaniard also spent some time with Mourinho in west London during the disastrous 2015-2016 campaign that saw the team finishing 10th and the Portuguese manager getting fired mid-way through the season.
    But the former Manchester United and Tottenham boss didn’t maintain Pedro within his ranks following six goals and seven assists in 40 matches at Roma.

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    Man Utd in Erling Haaland transfer boost as Juventus rule themselves out of race after he rejected past loan offer

    ITALIAN giants Juventus have ruled themselves out of the running to sign Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland.The Serie A hopefuls will instead try to sign a player ‘like Haaland’ after admitting their regret at not signing the Norwegian star years ago.
    Juventus will not try and sign Erling Haaland in the near futureCredit: AP
    As quoted by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Juve chief Federico Cherubini said: “Haaland is a regret for Juventus.
    “We wanted him years ago but he wasn’t attracted by potential loan.”
    Haaland joined Dortmund in January 2020 after a prolific spell at Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg, scoring 29 goals in 27 games.
    And he’s continued to find the back of the net during his time in Germany, hitting 43 goals in 46 Bundesliga appearances.
    Several clubs were linked with Haaland before he joined Dortmund and Juventus are determined not to miss out on another talent.
    Cherubini added: “Buy Haaland now? We’re going to look for players like Erling before maturing – even if I wouldn’t want to preclude anything.”

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    Several other teams, though, are expected to make a move for Haaland next summer as his reported £64m release clause can now be activated.
    Both Manchester clubs, Paris Saint Germain, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich are the favourites for his signature.
    The Juve director has also admitted returning striker Moise Kean is not expected to replicate Cristiano Ronaldo’s form during his second spell.
    The Turin club re-signed Kean, 21, from Everton on a two-year loan deal after offloading Ronaldo, 36, to Man Utd on deadline day.
    The youngster has shown potential during his blossoming career but is yet to score more than 13 league goals in a single campaign.
    As quoted by Football Italia, Cherubini said: “When Cristiano told us he wanted to leave, we immediately thought of anticipating the future.
    “Kean is not the replacement of the Portuguese striker, but one of the pawns in a plan to continue winning with a different project.”
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    Chelsea trail Juventus in Tchouameni transfer chase but Serie A giants fear France role will hike up Monaco star’s price

    JUVENTUS are leading the race to sign Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni but could see his price tag go up, reports say. Chelsea have been among the clubs interested in the French midfielder, who signed for Monaco in 2020.
    Juventus are leading the race to sign Monaco’s Aurelien Tchouameni, according to reportsCredit: Rex
    But according to Tuttosport, Juve are the front runners in the pursuit for 21-year-old Tchouameni.
    He made 42 appearances last season, including 36 in the league and was even voted Ligue 1 young player of the year.
    Tchouameni’s impressive form earned him a call up to France’s first-team, debuting in a World Cup qualifier at the start of the month against Bosnia.
    He followed it up with two more appearances in games with Ukraine and then Finland.
    Tchouameni’s emergence in Didier Deschamps is said to have clubs fearing his price tag could now rocket.
    His international team-mate Paul Pogba was quick to praise his midfield partner and the maturity he has showcased.

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    Manchester United’s Pogba told RTL: “Very, very good. He’s not a boy, he’s a man.
    “It’s a pleasure to play next to him. He brings a lot of energy.
    “A lot of energy, extraordinary technical and physical quality.
    “We wish him to play a lot more games and that I am always by his side.”
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    Christian Eriksen ‘will have medical examination next month’ in hope of training return after Denmark cardiac arrest

    CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN will reportedly undergo a medical examination next month in the hope of returning to training.Gazzetta dello Sport claims Eriksen will have a crucial check-up to determine whether he can potentially play in the future, just three months after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch during Denmark’s Euro 2020 clash with Finland.
    Christian Eriksen will find out next month if he can return to training with Inter MilanCredit: Getty
    Eriksen was fitted with an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) following the incident.
    And the Italian FA said in July that the Dane would need it to be removed in order to play for Inter again.
    Eriksen is now set for an important check-up in October which could allow him to remove the ICD.
    But the tests may also see the Dane needing to keep the device permanently.
    Denmark and Inter doctors are said to be in constant touch over the matter.
    And Eriksen could be allowed to start individual training before the results are in.

    So far, the 29-year-old cannot be included in Simone Inzaghi’s plans for this term, and was left out of Inter’s Champions League squad.
    Eriksen also thanked Denmark’s medical team last month, as well as international captain Simon Kjaer and teammates, for ‘saving my life’.
    He said: “I would like to thank Morten [Skjoldager], Morten [Boesen] and the medical team who helped that day. You did a fantastic job and saved my life.
    “Also a big thanks to my friend and captain Simon and my team-mates in for your support, both on June 12 and afterwards.
    “And thanks to all the fans who have sent messages to me and my family. It means a lot and has given us strength and support. Thank you.”
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    Disgraced USA star Weston McKennie ‘spent night outside Covid bubble and invited someone back to hotel room’

    JUVENTUS star Weston McKennie was sent home from international duty after breaking strict Covid-19 rules.The midfielder, 23, reportedly brought an ‘unauthorised individual’ back to the team’s hotel room – breaching their bio-secure bubble.
    Weston McKennie played against England in November 2018Credit: Getty Images – Getty
    McKennie was dismissed by US boss Gregg Berhalter after allegedly spending a night outside of the team’s bubble in Nashville, Tennessee.
    He is also thought to have brought someone back to his hotel room, compromising the team’s bio-secure bubble.
    Both of these acts are against the strict Covid-19 protocols all national teams have been forced to endure during the recent international break.
    McKennie was left out of Berhalter’s squad for the team’s 1-1 draw with Canada in their World Cup qualifier on Sunday.
    The US coach said it was due to a ‘violation of team policy’ and not injury after the player trained on Saturday.
    The news comes after five Holland U19 internationals, including PSG talent Xavi Simons, breached similar rules in Europe.

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    McKennie apologised for his behaviour via an Instagram story shortly after the news of his suspension broke.
    He wrote: “Unfortunately, I am suspended for tonight’s match due to a violation of team COVID-19 protocols.
    “I am sorry for my actions. I will be cheering hard for the boys tonight and hope to be back with the team soon.”
    McKennie has been criticised for his behaviour in recent months, breaking Italy’s Covid-19 rules in April by throwing a party.
    It is almost beyond repair, and he has a lot of work to do with his team-mates.Landon Donovan
    And ex-US captain Landon Donovan claims the midfielder has a ‘lot of work to do’ to repair his relationship with his international team-mates.
    Donovan said: “It is almost beyond repair, and he has a lot of work to do with his team-mates to make sure that he never does something like that again because you lose trust in your team-mates.
    “I am I am privy to what happened, I’m not going to announce that publicly.
    “I will just say, I am incredibly disappointed in Weston, incredibly disappointed… The level of selfishness is beyond me.
    “He is old enough to know you don’t put yourself in this situation. Would they win the game if he is on the field? I don’t know but their chances would go up a lot. 
    “It doesn’t mean he is a horrible human being and he can learn from this but this can never, ever, ever happen again.”
    Aston Villa are reportedly interested in signing McKennie during the next transfer window.
    McKennie currently plays for Juventus but has been linked with Aston VillaCredit: AP
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    Juventus set to announce £164m losses for 2020-21 – more than DOUBLE last year’s figure – as Covid takes its toll

    SERIE A giants Juventus are expected to announce a mammoth loss of £164million for the 2020-21 financial year.According to the club’s parent company Exor, calculations by Calcio e Finanza mean the club are in dire financial straits.
    Paulo Dybala has been linked with a move away from TurinCredit: Getty
    Juve new boy Manuel Locatelli reacts during defeat by EmpoliCredit: Getty
    The Juve squad cutting dejected figures on the pitch – and the figures off it aren’t much betterCredit: EPA
    The official numbers will not be posted until the middle of September, but The Old Lady are expected to announce huge losses.
    It will be a fourth consecutive year that the club have posted a loss after a £77million deficit in the 2019-20 financial year.
    And with Serie A grounds still limited to 50 per cent capacity Juve have not been able to boost their income through ticket sales.
    Juventus own the Allianz Stadium themselves and depend on ticket sales for income, and as a result their match day revenue has halved.
    That’s different to other clubs in Serie A, with the majority of Italian sides not owning their stadiums.
    That means match day revenue is not as vital to other club’s finances as it is to Juventus.

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    Cristiano Ronaldo’s sale to Manchester United got the Portuguese superstar’s mammoth wages off the bill, but the Turin club still posted a loss of £12m from his sale.
    However, his contract with the Old Lady was worth a mind-boggling £28m-a-year.
    The 36-year-old was reportedly earning £540,000-a-week during his time in Turin.
    That’s higher than or equal to the ENTIRE wage bills of Serie A sides Udinese, Hellas Verona and Spezia.
    And now the forward has returned to Old Trafford, Juve will not have to worry about forking out over half-a-million-pounds a week on the five time Ballon d’Or winner.
    Massimiliano Allegri’s team’s fortunes on the pitch this campaign have also been disappointing.

    Juve are yet to win a Serie A game this season – drawing against Udinese before a humiliating home defeat at the hands of newly promoted Empoli.
    The club only qualified for this season’s Champions League on the final day of last season, doing so by a single point.
    And Juve didn’t progress further than the last 16 in the competition last season – another reason for such high losses financially.
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