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      in Soccer

      Wolves 1 Leeds 0: Watch Meslier concede incredibly unlucky own-goal from Traore piledriver

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      LEEDS UNITED’S slick man-to-man marking system was sunk by the one man they simply couldn’t account for – their own goalie Illan Meslier!
      Actually, make that their own-goal goalie.

      Illan Meslier scored an unlucky own goal as Wolves beat LeedsCredit: Getty – Pool

      Adama Traore went inches from ending his Premier League goal droughtCredit: AFP

      A thunderous shot from Adama Traore bounces off the bar and in off Illan Meslier 😳💥Nothing the goalkeeper could do about that one! pic.twitter.com/pff5O3ZjQr
      — Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) February 19, 2021

      Because the French stopper ended up with his name on the scoresheet as Wolves leapfrogged Leeds, without the unfortunate ‘keeper knowing a thing about it.
      Unfortunately for Adama Traore, all he will have to show for his brilliance in breaking the deadlock is an assist – but he won’t be too worried about that this morning.
      Nuno Espirito Santo had predicted his Spanish speedster was the likeliest man to unravel Leeds’ best-laid plans by short-circuiting their man-to-man system with his pace, power and sublime dribbling skills.
      But Nuno could never have guessed just how Traore would do it.

      With just over an hour played there was nothing to choose between this evenly matched pair when Traore received the ball and took off as only he can.
      He shrugged off one white shirt then took on poor Pascal Struijk who didn’t stand a chance an earthly as he dipped his shoulder to cut inside him.
      Then from 25 yards Traore unleashed a venomous shot which Meslier couldn’t get near at full-stretch, despite a heroic effort.
      For a moment Leeds thought they had escaped as the ball crashed off the crossbar – only to bounce back off the back of Meslier’s head to ricochet into the back of his net.

      Talk about Freaky Friday!
      Yet Marcelo Bielsa must have thought he had pinched a point 13 minutes later – thanks to his personal Man Friday.
      Because when it comes to a Friday night, 27-year-old Patrick Bamford usually knows how to party.
      In his five previous matches on a Friday Bamford has bagged an astonishing six goals to get his weekend off to a flyer.
      And the in-form striker thought he had hit back when he sprinted clear of the Wolves defence to expertly bury the ball high past Rui Patricio after 77 minutes.
      However VAR agreed with assistant ref Nick Hopton, who performed miracles to spot the close call with his naked eye as Bamford was judged fractionally offside.
      Nuno Espirito Santo had warned his players about Leeds’ ability to draw even the most disciplined of opponents into a basketball match, with one team attacking, then the other.
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      Patrick Bamford had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offsideCredit: Reuters
      And that’s exactly what we got as both sides took it in turns to test the other’s defence throughout this brilliantly entertaining 90 minutes.
      Traore made the difference in the end but earlier it was his tiny teammate Pedro Neto who ran the show.
      Apparently Pedro’s mum had told her kid she wanted to see him have more shots at goal.
      Clearly the 20-year-old is a good son, because he did exactly as he was told and he was head and shoulders above everyone else on the park for most of this contest.

      Yet early in it was the visitors who threatened first when Tyler Roberts played in Bamford but the striker’s shot was blocked by Saiss who had spotted the danger and reacted to it swiftly.
      At the other end Wolves tested Meslier for the first time when Neto’s corner was headed clear and Nelson Semedo seized on the loose ball to drill in a long range shot which flew into the ‘keeper’s waiting arms.
      However the Frenchman had to work a lot harder to save Wolves next attempt when Neto let fly from 25 yards and Meslier produced a wonderful one-handed save to paw the rifled shot over.
      Neto was at it again when Adama Traore’s attempted shot was blocked by Luke Ayling and Neto pounced to fire in another shot which Meslier took safely as Wolves settled into their stride.
      However Leeds will look back in anger at a string of missed chances.
      Mateusz Klich almost embarrassed Patricio with a angled snapshot which bounced off the keeper’s near post with Patricio beaten.

      And defender Liam Cooper will wonder how he never scored as Patricio defied him to somehow block his point blank header, then repeated the feat after the break to block Cooper’s net bound shot with his feet.
      Traore’s goal simply provoked the visitors into wave after wave of late attacks but former Wolves man Helder Costa shot straight at Patricio’s feet, then the Portuguese goalie pawed away Bamford’s header in a desperate stoppage time double save.
      For the first time in 15 games Wolves took the lead – Leeds will be scratching their head and wondering how they held on to it!

      Wolves vs Leeds FREE – Live stream, TV channel and kick-off time for Premier League clash More

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      in Soccer

      Mike Dean seems to have this image as being egotistical but I really like him and so do my fellow pros

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      WOULD you mind if I shock you? I really like Mike Dean and so do most footballers.
      Dean seems to have this image as being egotistical — ‘it’s all about him’ people always say.

      Mike Dean was heavily criticised for sending off Tomas SoucekCredit: Reuters

      Well, there are one or two other referees I would say that about but not Dean — and not the vast majority of match officials either.
      When Dean is in charge of a match, what strikes you is how much he enjoys the game.
      He is a proper football fan, supporting Tranmere Rovers, who is living the dream in the Premier League.
      He’s a good ref too, with 20 years of experience handling top matches and top players.

      So when Dean received death threats after sending off West Ham’s Tomas Soucek the other week, most players would have felt for him.
      Part of the reason why is that we know Dean wouldn’t have wanted to dismiss Soucek after his off-the-ball coming together with Fulham’s Aleksandar Mitrovic.
      You know refs don’t agree with the way certain laws are being interpreted — such as with handballs earlier this season — but they have to follow the guidelines.
      And when he’s got a VAR official in his ear telling him to look at the monitor, well we all know that’s going to lead to him overturning his decision.

      Ref Darren Drysdale hit the headlines for squaring up to Alan Judge

      Troy Deeney has defended the actions of referees after weeks of controversyCredit: PA:Press Association
      When Football League ref Darren Drysdale — another solid bloke who has taken charge of several Watford games down the years — hit the headlines for squaring up to Ipswich player Alan Judge this week, there was a fair bit of sympathy from players too.
      That incident, in Ipswich’s 0-0 draw with Northampton on Tuesday, was being discussed a lot on players’ WhatsApp groups.
      Many were saying they didn’t blame him and that it was good to see a ref showing a bit of emotion.
      They’re humans not robots, as they may often seem.
      Drysdale has been charged with improper conduct and given this weekend off.
      But Judge himself said he didn’t want an apology or sanctions — and that it was just a ‘heat-of-the- moment’ incident.
      That probably suggests the Ipswich player knows he wasn’t entirely innocent when he argued after being booked for diving.
      And I haven’t heard any players suggesting Drysdale should be strung up for it.
      Referees usually understand that football is an emotional game. They tend to give players a bit of leeway. So players want Drysdale to be shown some understanding too.

      Soucek had his red card overturned after accidentally elbowing MitrovicCredit: Enterprise News and Pictures

      Mike Dean received death threats after sending off SoucekCredit: PA:Press Association
      Under the letter of the law, refs could send us off every time we swear, but they don’t. Unless it’s in an aggressive and abusive context, they let things go. Many will even swear back at you.
      Again, if it’s in the right context, that is fine too.
      I’ve never been sent off for bad language and I don’t speak to refs like I’m Mary Poppins, I can assure you.
      Football needs referees. There is always a shortage at grassroots level and I think it would help if they did more interviews.
      I bet hearing or reading an interview with Dean would be a good advert for refereeing because of his enthusiasm for the game.
      I’m not talking about post-match interviews to explain their decisions, although occasionally an apology wouldn’t be a bad thing.
      Just allowing the public to get to know them better would help more people get into refereeing. They have a tough job, we all appreciate that. I’ve been asked to referee kids’ matches once or twice and have always said no. I would never want to.
      I’m not saying players couldn’t do more to help make refereeing easier.
      Yes, we’re always trying to gain advantages, that is part of the game.
      But generally the relationship between players and referees is pretty good.

      As captain, I tend to have a lot of dialogue with referees.
      I’ll often try to convince him he is having a ’mare and then if I miss a chance a ref might tell you, ‘Well, you’re not improving with age’ or something like that.
      You can probably hear refs and players talking a lot more in this behind-closed-doors era and most of the conversation, or banter, is good. There is a lot of mutual respect.
      Of course, there are times when things get more serious and you have a go.
      And though I’ve never had a referee get into my face like Drysdale did with Judge, it wouldn’t seriously offend me if it did happen.
      It’s an emotional game and I don’t see anything wrong with referees showing emotion too.
      TOFFEES WILL DOU FINE
      THERE was bad blood between Watford and Everton after our boss Marco Silva left three years ago, then went to Goodison Park.
      But I never felt animosity towards them. In fact, I’m delighted to see they are heading in the right direction under Carlo Ancelotti.
      Everton are a proper, down-to-earth club with a wonderful, soulful old stadium and a great support base. They even run out to the Z Cars theme tune, like Watford.
      Two of my old team-mates, Richarlison and Abdoulaye Doucoure, have played a big part in Everton’s progression this season.
      And even though they have been stuttering of late, they are capable of winning their first Merseyside derby in more than a decade today. Appointing a three-time Champions League winner in Ancelotti was a game-changer for them — it changed the way top players will regard them.

      Marco Silva didn’t get a warm reception when he went back to WatfordCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd
      They had been spending a lot of money but Ancelotti’s appointment has really galvanised them into a club capable of making the top four.
      The signing of James Rodriguez was an eye-catcher last summer and Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s development into a top-class centre-forward has captured headlines.
      But Doucoure, who left Vicarage Road for the Toffees last summer, is an outstanding professional, loved by his team-mates.
      Every team needs a Doucoure — a player with no ego, who runs 12km a game, who does whatever his team needs of him. You often hear about ‘the ultimate team man’ — well, that is Abdoulaye.

      There were some managers at Watford who didn’t rate him at first but he proved them wrong with his extraordinary work-rate and ability.
      He has been playing deeper for Everton than he did at Watford but he is still able to arrive late in the box and cause problems.
      Richarlison is top class when coming in from the left — and that is his best position for me.
      Everton will feel this is their best chance for years to beat Liverpool because of their rivals’ defensive injury crisis.
      And although I still fancy Jurgen Klopp’s team to finish second in the league, Everton are due a derby win.
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Troy Deeney joins The Sun as our new hard-hitting columnist with Watford star to give you the inside track in football More

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      in Soccer

      England football star hooked on sleeping tablets and mixing them with booze at illegal lockdown parties

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      AN ENGLAND star is addicted to powerful sleeping tablets and mixing them with booze during wild parties, The Sun can reveal.
      The Premier League hero has been popping pack after pack of Zopiclone after buying them on the black market.

      AN England football star is addicted to powerful sleeping tablets and mixing them with booze during wild parties, The Sun can revealCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      The struggling England star has told pals he prefers the Class C controlled pills are not picked up by standard Premier League drug tests

      And he has shocked pals by openly swallowing them with expensive champagne and vodka during illegal lockdown parties.
      Friends who have regularly witnessed his behaviour during have urged him to get help before he ruins his career.
      The struggling ace has told pals he prefers the Class C controlled pills are not picked up by standard Premier League drug tests.
      He pops multiple tablets – available only on prescription in the UK – and mixes them with alcohol to make him feel “euphoric”.

      But his habit leaves him “ineffective, drowsy and lacklustre” in training the next day.
      A source invited to an illegal party this month told The Sun: “I watched him swallow zopiclone while he was boozing.
      “He discarded the empty packet on the floor. Anyone could see what they were.
      “I couldn’t believe it and turned to my friend, who is a team-mate.

      “He told me this is why he has been struggling. He is addicted to the tablets.
      “His teammates and friends are really worried. It will totally affect his game. “
      The source told of the star’s cavalier drug-taking at an illegal lockdown gathering earlier this month.

      The Premier League hero has been popping pack after pack of Zopiclone after buying them on the black marketCredit: Alamy

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      They said: “We were told to be in a certain area at the right time, then guided to a basement nearby. We had to place our phones in a fabric pouch which had a magnetic lock.
      “We kept the bag but couldn’t access our phone until we wanted to leave, and one of the organisers opened the bag using a special magnet.
      “The troubled player was off his face and dancing on a coffee table. He was completely out of it and didn’t know what he was doing or saying.
      “He was knocking back the booze as well. He wasn’t worried about being caught out.
      “He keeps the sleeping tablets in his wash bag along with his mouthwash, and club bosses are none the wiser.
      “He thinks he’s being clever because he brags the pills don’t show up on his Premier League drug tests.
      “The mix of zopiclone and booze gets him high. He feels good about himself for a while.
      “But the next day he feels lethargic and can’t perform to the best of his ability.
      “He takes the tablets every day. He is not in a good place.
      “The drugs are addictive so doctors don’t prescribe many at a time. But the footballer has got easy access via the black market. There are plenty of options for him.
      “His friends and team-mates know all about it. He’s in a downward spiral.
      “The other players think he’s throwing his career away and seriously messing his life up.
      “They feel sorry for him, but he needs to sort himself out. He is a millionaire star in danger of throwing it all away.”
      Zopiclone is prescribed to cure bad cases of insomnia – but doctors only dish out a short course of the drug over two to four weeks because of its addictive nature.
      Tablets come in two different strengths – 3.75mg and 7.5mg.

      The England star is left ineffective, drowsy and lacklustre’ in training after using the pillsCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Zopiclone has become notorious as a recreational drug in recent years in the UK thanks to its pleasurable tranquilising “high”.
      Due to it’s highly addictive nature, it has been banned in the US but can be bought from illicit wesbites and the Dark Web.
      The Government made it a Class C controlled drug last year.

      Ex-drug addict, 22, who lost ALL her teeth to ‘meth mouth’ shares inspiring recovery journey as she warns others of the dangers of substance abuse
      GOT a story? RING The Sun on 0207 782 4104 or WHATSAPP on 07423720250 or EMAIL exclusive@the-sun.co.uk More

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      in Soccer

      Man City slash Lionel Messi contract offer by £170m to £430m as they look to land Barcelona superstar on free transfer

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      MANCHESTER CITY have slashed their offer to Lionel Messi by a staggering £170million.
      City tabled a five-year deal worth £600m when they tried to sign him six months ago.

      Manchester City have slashed their offer for Barcelona star Lionel Messi to £430millionCredit: Icon Sport – Getty

      But SunSport understands they have presented the Argentine, 34, with a new package to join this summer worth a reduced £430m.
      Messi is also a target for Paris Saint-Germain and he is weighing up options, with his Barca contract expiring in July.
      But Premier League leaders City are not prepared to match the terms they proposed back in August, believing the financial climate has changed and also taking into account he is another year along in his career.
      The Messi camp, led by the Argentine’s father Jorge, asked for all clubs who were keen to sign the player to put their money on the table in December.

      It is thought City want Messi on a two-year playing deal at the Etihad with a 12-month option, before committing to two more seasons in MLS with sister club New York City.
      It is understood the package could see him agree to a deal spanning eight years which would also see him carrying out ambassadorial duties across the City Football Group, which covers ten clubs across four continents.
      That could include playing a year in India or the United Arab Emirates, depending on how fit he is as he approaches 40.
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      Pep & MessiCredit: Times Newspapers Ltd

      A £1m-a-week offer for a 34-year-old is still seen to offer huge commercial value.
      It is claimed Messi is worth £260m a year in revenue to Barca due to his status and global profile.
      So tempting the forward to Manchester is seen as not only a move to give options to boss Pep Guardiola, but also as a sound commercial decision.

      Wenger urges PSG to focus on keeping Mbappe and Neymar over Messi transfer More

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      in Soccer

      Diego Maradona’s carer ‘crushed sleeping pills into his beer to stop him bothering them’

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      A CARER for Diego Maradona crushed sleeping pills into his beer to stop him bothering them at night, investigators heard.
      Psychologist Griselda Morel, who worked with the star’s eight-year-old son Dieguito, told prosecutors: “If he got up at 9am and asked for beer he was given it.

      A carer for Diego Maradona crushed sleeping pills into his beer to stop him bothering them at night, investigators heardCredit: Reuters

      “A custodian crushed tablets he was taking and put in his beer so he didn’t cause a fuss.”
      She claimed Maradona was seen talking on the phone in his room without a mobile in his hand.
      She added in a leaked statement: “The last time I saw him they bathed him with a hose.

      Five staff are being probed and the family is at war over the football legend’s estimated £60million richesCredit: Reuters

      “He told us he’d sacked a nurse who had stolen.”

      Five staff are being probed and the family is at war over his estimated £60million riches.
      Last week Mario Baudry, a lawyer acting for Dieguito Fernando, said he feared Maradona “hangers-on” could have leached much of his fortune.

      Diego Maradona slurs his words and admits ‘I’m bruised’ in a shocking last video of the football icon taken days before he died
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      in Boxing

      Chris Eubank and Michael Watson in emotional reunion on Piers Morgan’s Life Stories 30 years after traumatic fight

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      CHRIS EUBANK still has Michael Watson in his corner 30 years on from the heartbreaking fight that almost killed him.
      In September 1991 Watson walked into a rematch with Eubank, just three months after they shared a thrilling 12-round battle Eubank controversially snatched on points. Sadly he would be carried out.

      Chris Eubank had an emotional reunion with old foe Michael WatsonCredit: ITV

      Watson is stopped at the beginning of the 12th after being droppedCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      Already ahead on all three cards, Watson was on course to land his first world title when he dropped Eubank, for the first time in his career, with just 18 seconds of the 11th remaining.
      But Eubank somehow bounced up off the canvas and instantly landed an uppercut and left hook that felled a stunned Watson and tragically bounced the back of his head against the second-to-bottom rope.
      Watson never recovered from that terrible treble impact and was stopped, under siege but on his feet, almost as soon as the 12th started, before collapsing in the White Hart Lane ring.
      A 40-day coma and six operations ensued to beat the blood clot that had formed on his brain, leaving him blinded, in a wheelchair and unable to talk.

      Eventually Watson mounted an incredible recovery, regained most of his faculties against vicious odds and raised millions for charity.
      But perhaps most incredibly he held no malice toward the two-time rival who had so tragically and accidentally disabled him.
      On tonight’s episode of Piers Morgan’s Life Stories, with Eubank struggling to deal with recalling the events of that night, a voice from the crowd calls out.
      “Let’s move on Chris, it’s all right, it’s OK bruv,” Michael Watson, 55, yells.

      It was the fight that put Michael Watson on a life support systemCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd
      “Let’s move on in life. Peace and love. I love you Chris. It’s all in the past, let’s move on in life.
      “We’re here together. Let’s live and love. I love you Chris. Let’s move on. 
      “We are born warriors, we are real. God bless you Chris.”
      The inquest into the medical failings that evening reshaped British boxing and thousands of lives have since been saved in sold-out world title fights and in empty small halls.
      Eubank, a much-derided pantomime showman with the heart and chin of a celebrated gladiator, lost his cutting edge from that fight on.
      But he describes the oath heroes like himself, Watson, Benn, Gerald McClellan take before they risk suffering and causing life-changing injuries.
      “As soon as you start fighting you’ve got the world looking at you because the first instinct of a man is to protect, that is to fight,” the 54-year-old said. 
      “Now, can you be a gentleman while you’re doing it? Can you do it truly? Can you go beyond? 

      Michael Watson almost lost his life following his fight with Chris Eubank in 1991Credit: Dan Charity – The Sun

      “If you can’t win a fight, do you quit because you can’t win or do you go on taking that beating? 
      “And, if you can go on taking that beating, you’re doing it for the public, you are lifting their spirits. And there’s no better vocation than lifting the spirits of others. 
      “Whatever your predicament, whatever situation you’re in, you can rise. And that’s what we do.”
      Eubank reveals his iconic career and two-weight world title reigns only happened so he could grab the attention of the three brothers who spurned him growing up.
      Morgan asks him what his siblings said to him in 1990 after he had beaten fellow Brit boxing legend Nigel Benn to become middleweight champion for the first time.
      And the 54-year-old lisped, with impeccable timing: “You’re still a toss pot.”
      Piers Morgan’s Life Stories airs Thursday, Feb 18 at 9pm on ITV

      Chris Eubank shows us his stupendous house for Christmas Dinner KFC style More

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      in Soccer

      Dele Alli says Mauricio Pochettino had a ‘dad vibe’ as Spurs star admits he was lucky to play under old boss

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      DELE ALLI  admitted he was lucky to have played under Mauricio Pochettino at Tottenham.
      The midfielder has hardly had a look-in from Jose Mourinho.

      Dele Alli spoke of his admiration for old boss Mauricio PochettinoCredit: –

      Ahead of Spurs’ Europa League tie at Wolfsberger tonight, Dele said: “I was very lucky to have a manager like Pochettino — he was an unbelievable guy and very experienced.
      “He would  pull me in if I was doing dumb stuff and speak with me.
      “Not like a dad — but that sort of vibe.”
      Boss Mourinho admits the pair held clear-the-air talks after Dele’s loan switch to Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain failed to materialise.

      Dele has been frozen out since the Special One replaced the Argentine in November 2019.
      Mourinho branded his star “f***ing lazy” in Amazon Prime’s behind-the-scenes series.
      Dele told Fifa’s PlayOn podcast: “So someone is coming into our homes, recording everything, and we don’t have any say.
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      Mourinho’s relationship with Alli has been heavily criticisedCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

      “There was a big change between Poch and Mourinho, the way they handled everything, it was a lot different.”
       Dele, 24, is likely to be on the bench again in Budapest for the last-32 first-leg clash.
      He added: “I’m looking to sort this situation out and get back to playing as much as I can.”
      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds

      Jose Mourinho backs under-fire Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris and insists he IS still No1 after mistakes More

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      Carabao Cup to be sacrificed with Prem’s top clubs to skip competition under new Champions League expansion plans

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      THE LEAGUE Cup will have to be sacrificed if the Prem wins a battle to change the Champions League revamp.
      Top-flight clubs agreed at their latest “shareholder” meeting on three points of contention with the latest Uefa-led plans for a 36-team competition from 2024.

      The Carabao Cup might fall victim to the expansion of the Champions League, if the Prem gets its way over group gamesCredit: PA:Empics Sport

      Current Premier League leaders Manchester City beat Aston Villa 2-1 in last season’s Carabao Cup finalCredit: Getty Images – Getty

      League chiefs will now go to Uefa seeking changes to the expansion to 225 games from 125 matches in the current competition, the access list limiting English football to five places and plans to extend the opening phase into the January each season.
      Premier League chiefs, instead, will argue that all the initial games – Uefa want 10 matches in the opening “Swiss model” single table phase – should be completed before Christmas, leaving January free for domestic action.
      But that will only be possible if teams in European action duck out of the League Cup, with the 20 clubs agreeing the future of the competition would have to be thrashed out and discussed as part of the new-look calendar.
      The agreement at least avoided any of the anticipated contention between the clubs, although issues have not gone away with a number of the smaller teams unhappy at the involvement of the Big Six.

      All of the Big Six are members of the influential European Club Association, whose chief executive, Charlie Marshall, gave his backing for the Uefa scheme.
      Speaking at the FT Business of Football Summit, he said: “More European matches are important in the development of football. 
      “These plans are bang in the centre of where we are coming from and we don’t see causes for alarm, which seems to be hysteria and reactionism.”
      And the Uefa plans were given a further boost by Simon Green, head of current Champions League and Europa League broadcaster BT Sport, who savaged the competing proposals for a new closed shop European Super League.

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      Just seven players have managed to score a hat-tricks of CL hat-tricks

      ⚽ Read our Football live blog for the very latest news from around the grounds
      Green said: “Of course a European Super League would be extremely appealing to broadcasters but it would not be worth as much as the existing leagues and Champions League are at the moment. 
      “It would be undoing the value that already exists and reinventing something that is worth less, while undoing the strengths of the leagues. 
      Overall, maintaining what exists now is the best strategy football should adopt, rather than reinventing something which theoretically will do better – because it won’t.”
      Meanwhile, club chiefs agreed to continue to broadcast all Prem games live until fans can return to grounds in significant numbers, not thought likely before next season.

      Jose Mourinho backs under-fire Tottenham keeper Hugo Lloris and insists he IS still No1 after mistakes More