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      Furious Dortmund boss Favre claims Milinkovic-Savic was ‘in swimming pool’ after outrageous dive to win Lazio penalty

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      BORUSSIA DORTMUND boss Lucien Favre was left fuming with a penalty awarded to Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.
      The Serbian won a spot-kick to seal his team a point in Wednesday night’s Champions League clash.

      Nico Schulz did not make contact with the ball but appeared to have missed Sergej Milinkovic-SavicCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The Lazio star dramatically tumbled over his rivalCredit: EPA

      Borussia defender Nico Schulz had arrived late to a loose ball on the edge of the area, with the score at 1-0 to the Germans.
      While Milinkovic-Savic did get a toe on it, he threw his legs away and tumbled to the ground with minimal contact from Schulz.
      Favre likened the dive to a ‘swimming pool’ display after the point nonetheless qualified Dortmund for the next round.
      The 63-year-old told reporters: “We only drew because the referee awarded a non-existent penalty.

      “Of course it was a dive, he looked like he was in a swimming pool.
      “It’s ridiculous, you cannot identify what foul Schulz has made there.

      Schulz waved away the claims as Milinkovic-Savic rolled aroundCredit: EPA

      Mateu Lahoz initially turned down the appeals before changing his mindCredit: AFP or licensors
      “In any case, we are through, and that’s that.”
      Both sides were left unhappy with Spanish referee Mateu Lahoz’s display at Signal Iduna Park.

      Borussia felt Jude Bellingham had been unfairly felled earlier on in the game as he bore down on goal.
      A sweet move from the Bundesliga outfit then set up Raphael Guerreiro for the opener.

      But Lazio were allowed back into the match when Milinkovic-Savic made the most of a collision with Schulz.
      Lahoz initially appeared uninterested in the claim and was walking away from the scene before suddenly performing a U-turn.
      Ciro Immobile netted the penalty against his old team before Lazio wanted a penalty in stoppage time for a handball by Axel Witsel.
      That was waved away and Dortmund sealed their passage from Group F – with Lazio facing a showdown against Club Brugge.

      Lucien Favre was not happy with the penalty decisionCredit: EPA

      Erling Haaland ruled out for rest of year after suffering hamstring injury in bitter blow for Borussia Dortmund More

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      Zlatan Ibrahimovic is on Marco van Basten’s level, says AC Milan legend and chief Paolo Maldini

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      ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC is on the same level as AC Milan legend Marco van Basten.
      That’s according to San Siro chief and club icon Paolo Maldini, who adds that bringing the high-flying veteran back to Milan a year ago was a ‘risk’ at the time.

      Paolo Maldini says Zlatan Ibrahimovic is on a par with AC Milan legend Marco van BastenCredit: AFP

      Van Basten won three titles with Milan while Ibrahimovic is hoping for a secondCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      Ibrahimovic, 39, has been in spectacular form this season, scoring ten goals in just six Serie A games to send his team top of the table by five points.
      Many believe Milan can finally end Juventus’ dominance in Italian football.
      And after leading the club to their last title in 2011, Ibrahimovic is at the forefront of their push for the top prize once again.
      He now has 78 goals in just 115 games across his two spells at Milan.

      And that has seen comparisons made with San Siro legend Van Basten, who scored 125 goals in 201 games while winning four titles and three Champions Leagues.
      Maldini, who is arguably Milan’s greatest-ever player, now serves as technical director at the club.
      And he reckons Ibrahimovic is on a par with the Dutch icon, who was forced to retire at 31 in 1995 due to injury.
      However, Maldini concedes Ibrahimovic’s return to Milan at the start of 2020, having spent the last few years with MLS outfit LA Galaxy, represented a big risk for the Italians.

      Maldini is now Milan technical director and believes Ibrahimovic is doing wonders for his ageCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      And the veteran himself acknowledged that too, rejecting an 18-month contract for a six-month deal until he had proven himself worthy of a longer stay.
      Maldini told DAZN: “[Ibrahimovic and Van Basten] are two super champions. Ranking them is difficult.
      “[Franco] Baresi and Van Basten were the ones who had something more than the others.
      “Marco unfortunately had to stop in his best moment. Ibra, for what he has done and what is doing, is undoubtedly at that level too.
      “[Last year] Ibra was the right man to make that mix between youth and experience. But it was a risk for sure.
      “He came from two years in the MLS, Serie A is a completely different thing.
      “When we proposed an 18-month contract, he told us: ‘Let’s do six months because I don’t know what I can give you’.”

      Watch Mino Raiola hang up on Simon Jordan in furious row over Ibrahimovic’s FIFA 21 image rights live on talkSPORT More

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      Cristiano Ronaldo wins notoriously tough Golden Foot award – a gong Lionel Messi still hasn’t received

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      JUVENTUS star Cristiano Ronaldo has fended off competition from Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski to win the 2020 Golden Foot award. The 35-year-old has been named as the 18th recipient of the prestigious trophy that can only be won once during a player’s career. To be in contention for the award – that was introduced in […] More

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      How Juventus could line up with Giroud, Alaba and Rodrigo De Paul part of Pirlo’s new-look side after transfer splurge

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      JUVENTUS boss Andrea Pirlo is only four months into his managerial career, but is already set for more upheaval in Turin. The Old Lady have experienced a stuttering start to the Serie A campaign, winning only four of their opening nine games. But Pirlo, 41, appears to have his eyes on players that could help […] More

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      Leon Bailey denies naming son after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and says name ‘nothing to do with football’

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      BAYER LEVERKUSEN winger Leon Bailey says his new son Leo Cristiano is not named after Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo
      The Jamaican claims the baby’s name is ‘nothing to do with football’ despite the obvious similarities.

      Leon Bailey says his and partner Stephanie’s son Leo Cristiano is not named after Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi

      The winger has faced questions because of the obvious similarity between the namesCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Leon and long-term partner Stephanie celebrated the birth of their first child in June.
      And having called the little lad Leo Cristiano, he has obviously faced a lot of questions.
      But the 23-year-old has quashed such suggestions, insisting it was a personal choice.
      He told German outlet Bild: “It has nothing to do with football, but with me and my name. 

      “Leo is an abbreviation of Leon. And Leo is the lion – I am a lion. 
      “I believe that my son will also grow up with the mentality of being a fighter and a leader. 
      “And Cristiano is a lovely name that goes well with Leo.”
      Jamaica international Bailey is also close friends with Raheem Sterling and Usain Bolt.

      The forward attended Manchester City ace Sterling’s Great Gatsby themed 25th birthday last December.
      And he was also at Bolt’s surprise birthday bash in August which drew criticism in Germany because the sprint legend was forced to isolate the day afterwards.
      But Bailey does not regret the decision to celebrate with his good pal.
      He added: “Usain has been a very good and close friend of mine for years.
      “When in Jamaica I would never turn down an invitation from him.
      “He’s a kind of mentor for me, was always there for me in good and bad days.”

      Heartbreaking moment Maradona’s daughter Dalma breaks down in tears after touching Boca Juniors tribute More

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      Juventus stars ‘confused’ by Pirlo’s tactics with new boss struggling to win without Cristiano Ronaldo in team

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      JUVENTUS stars are “confused” by Andrea Pirlo’s tactics with the team struggling to win without superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, according to reports.
      According to Italian publication Corriere, club legend Pirlo’s “honeymoon period” is over and the team are not responding to the manager’s tactics.

      Andrea Pirlo’s tactics are reportedly confusing Juventus starsCredit: Getty Images

      And in the absence of Ronaldo in particular, Juventus tend to struggle.
      The latest example is Saturday’s 1-1 draw away to newly-promoted Benevento, a game which saw goal-scorer Alvaro Morata sent off after the final whistle.
      After the game, Pirlo confirmed that Ronaldo was rested as a precaution and urged his team to play their game in his absence.
      Pirlo said: “Already Wednesday in the Champions League he had a problem, but he had decided to play, It’s normal for someone to get tired and rest. 

      “This time it was Ronaldo’s turn, others next. Ronaldo is an added value, but when he’s not there we have to play our game.
      “He was tired, he needed to rest. When you play so many close matches it happens.
      “Real Madrid was dependent on him, Juventus was, He is a catalyst, when there is a such a strong player, it’s normal for the game to develop on him.
      “It’s not just us addicted to Ronaldo, but it happens sometimes that he’s not there and we need to improve in these matches.”

      Juventus are struggling to see off games without Cristiano RonaldoCredit: Getty Images
      Pirlo’s assessment rings true, Juventus appear to be overly reliant on five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo.
      In the seven games played across all competitions this season with Ronaldo present, Juventus have gone on to win five and draw two.

      Manager Andrea Pirlo only pockets £1.6million-per-year after taking charge of the club

      However, in the five games without him they only managed to win once, draw three, and lost the other to Barcelona.
      Juventus have picked up 17 points from an available 27 in the Serie A this season, and they sit 4th in the table, six points behind league leaders AC Milan.
      The Old Lady have also dropped points away at Crotone, Roma and Lazio, as well as a 1-1 draw at home to Verona – they are however, yet to be beaten in the league.

      Man Utd ‘in talks over sensational Cristiano Ronaldo transfer return next season as Juventus look to offload superstar’ More

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      Inter Milan offered Barcelona £225m for Lionel Messi in 2006 – more than QUADRUPLE the world-record transfer fee at time

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      BARCELONA turned down a £225million Inter Milan bid for Lionel Messi in 2006, according to their former club president Joan Laporta.
      The Catalan politician served as the club’s chief between 2003 and 2010, and is currently in the running to return to the position following Josep Maria Bartomeu’s resignation.

      Messi was already hot property back in 2006Credit: AFP – Getty

      Former chief Joan Laporta served as Barcelona’s president between 2003 and 2010Credit: EPA

      And as Laporta, 58, steps up his campaign to return, he has inevitably been asked about the future of unhappy talisman Lionel Messi – leading to a stunning admission.
      He told Radio Onda Cero: “Nobody who loves Barcelona can have doubts about Messi.
      “I hope I can be named president and then I’ll speak with him.
      “We rejected a €250m (£225m) offer coming from Inter in 2006. [Massimo] Moratti wanted to bring him to his club.”

      The offer dwarfed what was the transfer world-record at the time, which was then the £46.6m that Real Madrid paid for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.
      At the time, inspired by the likes of Javier Zanetti, Adriano and Luis Figo, Inter had just won Serie A – while Messi had picked up his first Champions League medal with Barca.
      The Argentine, now 33, has gone on to pick up three more – but not since 2015.
      And Laporta has outlined his plan to return the club to former glories, starting by sorting out their ailing finances.

      The transfer record was previously held by Zinedine Zidane at £46.6mCredit: AFP

      He continued: “We have a plan to recover the dramatic economic situation of the club.
      “We can’t fix the world but we can make it a better place and we want to do it through hard work, passion and love.
      “We want to bring happiness to people, it’s not an electoral promise. It’s an ethical, civic, moral commitment.”
      Key to restoring the feel-good factor at Barca will be getting Messi back onside, with the frustrated six-time Ballon d’Or winner out of contract in the summer, having tried to leave this year.
      Fans have picked up on the superstar’s ‘lonely’ body language – while Manchester City privately believe that they are in pole position to reunite Pep Guardiola with his best-ever player next season.

      Watch Messi and Maradona’s eerily similar goals for Barcelona and Newell’s Old Boys as Barcelona star honours icon More

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      Bailey denies naming baby after Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo and says son’s name ‘nothing to do with football’

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      BAYER LEVERKUSEN winger Leon Bailey says his new son Leo Cristiano is not named after Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo
      The Jamaican claims the baby’s name is ‘nothing to do with football’ despite the obvious similarities.

      Leon Bailey says his and partner Stephanie’s son Leo Cristiano is not named after Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi

      The winger has faced questions because of the obvious similarity between the namesCredit: AP:Associated Press

      Leon and long-term partner Stephanie celebrated the birth of their first child in June.
      And having called the little lad Leo Cristiano, he has obviously faced a lot of questions.
      But the 23-year-old has quashed such suggestions, insisting it was a personal choice.
      He told German outlet Bild: “It has nothing to do with football, but with me and my name. 

      “Leo is an abbreviation of Leon. And Leo is the lion – I am a lion. 
      “I believe that my son will also grow up with the mentality of being a fighter and a leader. 
      “And Cristiano is a lovely name that goes well with Leo.”
      Jamaica international Bailey is also close friends with Raheem Sterling and Usain Bolt.

      The forward attended Manchester City ace Sterling’s Great Gatsby themed 25th birthday last December.
      And he was also at Bolt’s surprise birthday bash in August which drew criticism in Germany because the sprint legend was forced to isolate the day afterwards.
      But Bailey does not regret the decision to celebrate with his good pal.
      He added: “Usain has been a very good and close friend of mine for years.
      “When in Jamaica I would never turn down an invitation from him.
      “He’s a kind of mentor for me, was always there for me in good and bad days.”

      Heartbreaking moment Maradona’s daughter Dalma breaks down in tears after touching Boca Juniors tribute More