..::Football III::..

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Oscar 'flattered' by PSG interest but says transfer fee makes Chelsea exit difficult

Oscar admits he is “flattered” Paris Saint-Germain are showing an interest in him but claims he is unlikely to leave Chelsea because of his sizeable transfer fee.

Oscar joined the Blues from Internacional in a £25 million deal in 2011 and has become an integral part of Jose Mourinho's squad, with the Portuguese even selling Juan Mata to accommodate the Brazilian in January.

But, while claiming he is happy at Stamford Bridge, the 22-year-old admits he has spoken with compatriots Lucas Moura and Thiago Silva about a possible move to the Ligue 1 giants and says “there is nothing certain” about his future.

“I’m flattered PSG are thinking about me, but I'm happy at Chelsea. Paris are a big club, but I'm happy here," he told French television programme Telefoot.

"Lucas, Thiago Silva and I spoke about it a little bit when we met in the Champions League, but there is nothing certain. Because of the transfer fee, they know it will difficult for me to leave."

 

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Courtois excited to face Chelsea, says Simeone

Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone says Thibaut Courtois is excited to face his permanent employers Chelsea in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final.

The 21-year-old is enjoying his third consecutive season on loan at the Vicente Calderon, but it was initially feared the Belgium goalkeeper would have to sit out the last-four tie.

A clause in the player's loan deal required Atleti to pay the Blues €3 million in order to field him against the Premier League side, but Uefa ruled that any such agreement was void in the interests of the competition's integrity, allowing the shot-stopper to face his parent club.

Simeone told reporters: "Thibaut Courtois' state of mind is the same as that of all his team-mates. They are all filled with enthusiasm. They know the importance of this match not just for them, but for the club. [At this stage] words do not count, they are just used to make headlines."

Comparisons have been made between the two sides, with both clubs boasting the defensive records in the Premier League and La Liga.

And Simeone admitted there are similarities between his and Jose Mourinho's respective approaches.

"We are not the same teams but we have similar characteristics," he added.

"We are both the least scored against teams in our respective leagues, we both have good defences and we both play a direct attacking game. We are also both good at set-pieces. These characteristics have led to us both fighting for titles. We just focus on our team but we respect our rivals."

Fernando Torres will make a return to Atletico on Tuesday night having spent six years with the club between 2001 and 2007 after coming through the Colchoneros' youth system.

The striker has even been linked with a summer return to his boyhood team and Simeone expects the 30-year-old to receive a tremendous ovation.

"Fernando [Torres] is a kid who this club loves. [He] loves this club and the people here; he has good memories from his time here. Before the match starts, in the warm up and at the end, I think Torres will receive the ovation that he deserves. He will always be one of us at Atletico."

 

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Villas-Boas dismisses Barcelona speculation

Zenit Saint Petersburg coach Andre Villas-Boas has described rumours linking him with a switch to Barcelona as "completely groundless".

The Portuguese only took over at the Russian Premier League side in March after parting company with Tottenham in December last year.Villas-Boas has made a strong start to life with Zenit, who lead the Russian top flight by a point from Lokomotiv Moscow with four games remaining.

Zenit's performances under Villas-Boas have led to speculation that he could leave the Saint Petersburg club. And Barcelona has been touted as a potential destination for the 36-year-old following a season of relative struggle for the Catalan club that has put coach Gerardo Martino's future in doubt.

But Villas-Boas insists that he has no intention of leaving Zenit."All the rumours about my negotiations with Barcelona are completely groundless," he said.

"I've signed the contract with Zenit and I'm set to stay here until its expiry date. My work with Zenit is my top priority."

 

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Hazard misses Chelsea training ahead of Atletico Madrid clash

Eden Hazard missed training on Monday ahead of Chelsea's Champions League semi-final clash with Atletico Madrid.

The Belgian has been in sparkling form for the Blues this season, scoring 17 goals in all competitions, but sustained a calf injury in the 2-0 win over Paris Saint-Germain on April 8 and has not featured since.

His absence was felt on Saturday as Chelsea slipped to a 2-1 home defeat to Sunderland and he is unlikely to return in time for the first leg at the Estadio Vicente Calderon on Tuesday.

There was some good news on the injury front for manager Jose Mourinho, however, with Petr Cech involved in the training session.

The Czech Republic international fell ill before the loss to Sunderland and replaced by Mark Schwarzer, but looks to have recovered in time to face Atletico, though Branislav Ivanovic will definitely miss out through suspension.

 

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Ronaldo completes Real Madrid training session - but Bale sits out

Cristiano Ronaldo was fit enough to complete a full training session on Monday for Real Madrid as they prepare for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final with Bayern Munich.

The 29-year-old has been battling to shake off a hamstring problem sustained in the quarter-final win over Borussia Dortmund and was initially a doubt for Wednesday's meeting at Santiago Bernabeu.

However, the attacker was able to train on Sunday before the club confirmed he completed a full routine session on Monday morning, meaning he will likely be fit to feature for Carlo Ancelotti's side against the reigning European champions.

Sergio Ramos, who has also been struggling with a minor injury, also completed the session, but Gareth Bale was forced to sit out due to illness.

Wednesday's encounter in the Spanish capital is set to kick off at 20:45CET.

 

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Torres: I could see out my contract at Chelsea

Fernando Torres insists his relationship with Jose Mourinho is “good” and has suggested he could see out the remainder of his contract with Chelsea.

The Spaniard has endured a tough season at Stamford Bridge, scoring just four Premier League goals, and Mourinho has repeatedly criticised his misfiring strike-force, which also consists of Demba Ba and Samuel Eto'o.

As such, former club Atletico Madrid are monitoring Torres' situation with a view to a summer bid, while Tottenham, Inter and Galatasaray are also interested.

And the Spaniard cast doubt on his future when quizzed by El Mundo Deportivo before the recent Champions League draw.

"At this point I only think about the next game and I prefer to go game by game," he said. “A month can be very long.

"We have five games left, six if God wants, so I concentrate on that. But I have two years on my contract and that is the future.”

When pressed on his relationship with Mourinho – a pairing that has been the subject of intense media scrutiny this season – Torres replied: "He’s a normal and ordinary guy, with his ideas which he defends because they have brought him to be who he is. But he is very far from the image of him that people can have, above all in Spain after his time in charge of Real Madrid.

"[Our relationship is] good. He lived in Madrid for three years, it’s my city, and we speak about his time there, about football, about everything.

"He has said it many times, for him, football starts at the press conference the day before. He starts to play the game before, like [Pep] Guardiola or [Diego] Simeone.

"He starts to play there and sends the messages that are picked up by the people, the fans who go to the game, the players, the rivals, and that is part of the character that Mourinho creates around the team to protect it.

"But at the end of the day you can see his numbers and what he has done. He knows very well what he says, how he says it and when he says it."

 

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Allen hails 'incredible' Sterling after Norwich double

Joe Allen hailed Raheem Sterling after the winger hit a brace in Liverpool's 3-2 win over Norwich on Sunday.

The 19-year-old has hit top form in the second half of the season, scoring nine Premier League goals, as the Reds have soared to the top of the Premier League.

The victory at Carrow Road increased Liverpool's lead at the summit to five points with just three games remaining – leaving them on the brink of a first league title since 1990 – and Allen took time out to praise Sterling's “incredible performance” after the game.

“It was an incredible performance from Raheem,” Allen told the Liverpool Echo.

“His first goal showed the talent he possesses. It was a great strike.

“The improvements he has made in the time I’ve been here is just incredible. He has become a very important player for us.

“I think it’s a combination of two things. Firstly, being given that chance to perform as young players can sometimes be overlooked.

"But the other side of it is being willing to work hard day in, day out to improve and Raheem has done that."

Fellow title-chasers Chelsea were beaten at home by Sunderland on Saturday – with Liverpool loanee Fabio Borini scoring the winner from the penalty spot – and Allen admitted the result gave he and his team-mates a timely boost ahead of their clash with Norwich.

"The Chelsea result did give us a boost," he admitted. "We wanted to make sure we used it as inspiration. We didn’t want to become complacent on the back of that.

"It’s obviously a great story that Fabio who is on loan from us got a big goal like that and did us a favour.

"But we wanted to ensure our focus was solely on going out there and performing and doing everything we could to get the three points. We did enough to come away with what we wanted."

Despite standing on the brink of ending a 24-year wait for England's top prize, Allen believes Liverpool must not get ahead of themselves with the season drawing to a close.

"We’re just fully focused on ourselves," Allen added. "That ability to concentrate on what’s important is part of the reason why we’ve been on this successful run.

"Only now that Norwich has gone will we start thinking about Chelsea. No-one is getting carried away. We’ve worked so hard to get where we are and we need to ensure we keep that focus until the very last minute of the last game of the season."

 

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Garay refuses to rule out Benfica exit

Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay has stressed he is happy to continue his career with the club - but refused to rule out a possible summer exit.

The Argentina international has been linked with a potential switch to Napoli and Manchester United, with Red Devils boss David Moyes having attended Benfica's cup victory over Porto as part of a scouting mission to assess a number of transfer targets.

Speaking after his side clinched their 33rd Primeira Liga title on Sunday with a 2-0 win over Olhanense, Garay made it clear he is enjoying life under Jorge Jesus but could offer no assurances over his future as his contract enters its final year.

"I don't know, we'll see," he told the club's TV channel when asked about his future. "My wife and I are very happy here and hopefully we'll have more years."

Meanwhile, Jesus has confirmed to the club's TV channel that Toto Salvio has suffered a broken arm after falling awkwardly in Sunday's win, ruling him out of the Europa League semi-final with Juventus.

 

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'Chelsea encounter is special for me' - Courtois

Atletico Madrid's Thibaut Courtois believes parent club Chelsea will be favourites for the Champions League semi-final clash between the two sides.

Diego Simeone's men host the Blues in the first-leg of their last-four tie on Tuesday, aiming to reach the final of Europe's premier club competition for the first time since 1974.The tie sees on-loan keeper Courtois come up against permanent employers Chelsea for the second time since joining Atletico temporarily three years agn the first occasion, Atletico beat the London club 4-1 in the 2012 Super Cup, a result that the Belgium international is hopeful of replicating this time around.

"For me, the fact that we’ve drawn Chelsea, like we did in the European Super Cup, is special because even though I'm at Atleti, Chelsea are my club too," Courtois told FIFA.com."It's better not to think about it too much though and play like I always do, because if I start thinking, 'Oh, I'd better be careful', then I'll end up playing poorly.

"I want to win trophies here and I'll be an Atleti supporter for these two games, but at all other times I'm a Chelsea fan too. I hope they win the Premier League, just not these two [Champions League] matches.

"I really hope we can reach the final as we're so close. [Chelsea] are the favourites, but Barca were too."Atletico lead La Liga by four points from Barcelona and are on course to claim a double that few would have anticipated at the start of the season.

And Courtois feels coach Simeone deserves much of the credit for their achievements."So much of this success is down to Simeone because he's the man who’s guided us this far," the 21-year-old added.

"From the first time he spoke to us when he was appointed, he told us he had a very clear idea about how he wanted things to be done and how he wanted us to play.

"That clarity has been key. You might be out for five weeks but when you come back you know exactly what you have to do, because the way we set ourselves out doesn't change. We know what each player's role is."

 

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Pedro urges Barcelona fans to support Fabregas

Barcelona attacker Pedro has urged the club's fans to get behind Cesc Fabregas as questions over his future at the club begin to surface.

The 26-year-old was the subject of bids from Manchester United last summer, but Barca promptly rejected the Premier League champions' advances as Gerardo Martino made it clear Fabregas was very much part of his plans at Camp Nou.

However, the midfielder's form has taken an alarming dip of late, leading to speculation that the club would be willing to listen to offers again at the end of the season, while 50 per cent of Blaugrana fans in a poll in Spanish media outlet Marca suggested that they think the former Arsenal man should be sold.

Pedro, however, insists the supporters should get behind his compatriot, as well as under-fire goalkeeper Jose Pinto, who has delivered a string of shaky performances in the absence of the injured Victor Valdes.

"We feel bad because they are team-mates and work every day, but it's the fans who will decide," he told reporters after the 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao.

"They are important players for us and we encourage them, and we ask the fans to be with them."

Pedro also praised the efforts of Sunday's match-winner Lionel Messi, claiming the Argentine is able to lift the performance of the entire squad despite having to bear the constant weight of expectation.

"He is the best player in the world and we know he carries a weight for the team. When he feels good it shows throughout the side," he added.

 

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Guardiola thinks differently - Kroos

Bayern Munich midfielder Toni Kroos has hailed the impact of Pep Guardiola on the side this season, claiming the Spaniard "thinks differently" to all other coaches.

The former Barcelona boss led Bayern to a successful defence of their Bundesliga title in record time in 2013-14, and has guided them to a place in the DFB-Pokal final as well as the last four of the Champions League.

Kroos believes Guardiola's flexible tactics and demands over regaining possession are well suited to his style of play.

"He has different ideas from other coaches," he told Uefa.com. "We have flexible players and I enjoy that because it fits in with my own way of playing. When we lose the ball we're told to retrieve it in the following three to five seconds. That's the case for every player – you have to run the extra yards."

Left-back David Alaba also praised Guardiola for instilling more belief into his performances on the pitch.

"I have gained even more confidence on the ball. I do whatever the coach demands of me. I am involved in more attacking situations down the wing and through the middle," the Austrian defender added.

Bayern take on Real Madrid in the first-leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday.

 

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We were our own worst enemy - Rooney

Manchester United were their own worst enemy in Sunday's 2-0 loss at Everton, according to stand-in captain Wayne Rooney.

The soon-to-be-deposed Premier League champions were poor at Goodison Park, as first-half goals from Leighton Baines and Kevin Mirallas saw Everton make it eight wins from their last nine matches.

United's lack of response after the break would have been particularly concerning for under-fire manager David Moyes, who returned to his former club without success.

And ex-Everton man Rooney - deputising for skipper Nemanja Vidic - felt poor mistakes in defence were his side's downfall.

"Everyone knows that it's a difficult place to come and Everton made it difficult for us by putting bodies behind the ball," he told MUTV.

"But we conceded two really sloppy goals which we need to cut out because we're making it hard for ourselves to get back into games.

"Obviously, once they got the first goal we knew it would be tough and the second goal was a big blow.

"It's not nice when you concede just before half-time at a place like this. Everton are in good form and they've got a lot of confidence so we knew it would be hard."

Rooney was also disappointed with his side's inability to convert possession into chances on goal.

"I thought that in the first half we moved the ball well, but we just didn't penetrate enough," the England international added.

"We moved the ball quite well and they were struggling to get near us at times, but we just had to try to break them down.

"They sat quite deep, so we might have needed more width or more runners in behind to create space, but it was a difficult game."

Manchester United sit seventh in the table, 12 points behind fifth-placed Everton.

 

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Gabi: Atletico have more desire than anyone

Atletico Madrid midfielder Gabi claims his side have more desire than any of the other Champions League semi-finalists.

Diego Simeone's side have enjoyed a stunning campaign to date, leading La Liga by four points heading into the final four rounds of matches, and are preparing for a last-four European clash with Chelsea after beating Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

Gabi acknowledges that fellow semi-finalists Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Chelsea have a huge amount of quality at their disposal but insists his side want to win the tournament more than anyone.

"We have more desire than anyone. I don't know if we have more capability, but more desire, that's for sure. We're going to try to show that," he told reporters.

Gabi is expecting a tough task against Jose Mourinho's well-drilled side on Tuesday and believes the match will be won by whichever side is best able to stick to their game plan.

"Mourinho's teams are tactically very well prepared and will come out to play their game. We have to counter their game with ours, using the wings, looking for Diego. The more successful team will win.

"It's clear he has weapons, he's very intelligent."

Tuesday's clash marks Fernando Torres' first return to Vicente Calderon after leaving Atletico in 2007, and Gabi admits it will likely be an emotional evening for the 30-year-old.

"I called [Torres] after the Barca game. We spoke about many things. It's an emotional moment for him, he has not yet returned to the team of his heart," he added.

"The people, including myself, are very grateful for what he did for the club."

 

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'I hope Torres has a bad game' - Suarez

Atletico Madrid midfielder Mario Suarez says the team are eagerly anticipating the return of Fernando Torres this week - but hopes the striker has a bad game for Chelsea.

The 30-year-old, who left the Vicente Calderon for Liverpool in 2007 prior to his switch to Stamford Bridge, is set to face his boyhood club on home turf for the first time in the Champions League semi-final on Tuesday.

While Suarez admits the struggling striker remains an idol for Atleti players, he is eager to see Torres endure a torrid 90 minutes upon his return to the Spanish capital.

"For all atleticos it will be very special to see Torres playing here," he is quoted as saying by Marca. "He has been an idol for many of us and he's coming back to the Calderon for the first time. If he plays, I hope he has a bad game and only enjoys himself after the match."

Suarez went on to stress that the sight of former Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho in the opposition dugout will not prove a distraction for Atletico.

"For me, it doesn't matter who's on the opposition bench," he said. "Of course, together with [Pep] Guardiola, [Diego] Simeone, [Rafael] Benitez, he is one of the best coaches in the world. The important thing is we do things right.

"As the boss says, we approach it as a final. We know that the first game is vital in this kind of knock-out tie, and we're playing at home, with our fans, our 12th man."

Suarez believes Eden Hazard will likely pose the biggest threat to the Liga leaders on Tuesday but says they can triumph in the tie if they put in the same levels of effort as they did in the quarter-final win over Barcelona.

"I think Chelsea's best player this year is Hazard. They are physically very strong, they know what they're doing at every moment and they have a clear idea of play: to steal the ball and attack quickly into the space," added the 27-year-old.

"[We'll approach the game] as ever, by giving 120 per cent, being united, playing together, running to our maximum. They are a team we know very well. We must be very attentive, and not make mistakes."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Torres thamath out of form nehIssara Liverpool innakota pattama form 1kaka hitiye

Aparade mama hithuwa meh season 1ke hodata play karala Spain World Cup squad 1kata qualify wei kiyala​

 

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Tiago: Atletico Madrid ready for Mourinho mind games

Atletico Madrid midfielder and former Chelsea player Tiago says the Liga leaders are prepared for Jose Mourinho's mind games ahead of their Champions League semi-final clash.

The 32-year-old spent a season at Stamford Bridge under 'The Special One', picking up a Premier League winners' medal before leaving for Lyon in 2005.

And Tiago says the whole Atletico squad are familiar with Mourinho's antics following his spell with city rivals Real Madrid and are ready to swat away his attempts to “crank up” the pressure.

"It's not just me: Jose was here for three years so we all know him," the Portuguese midfielder told The Guardian.

"Mourinho knows exactly what to say to his players in any given moment. He makes the decisions. He never consults the players and never tells the [media].

"He takes responsibility, he's the leader and it's a role he plays better than anyone. We all know that if he has to crank up the pressure to win he will do that."

Although Tiago was full of praise for his compatriot, he believes Atleti boss Diego Simeone is a match for Mourinho – even if there are subtle differences between their management styles.

"Of all the coaches I've worked with, they're at the same level: top coaches," he continued.

"Simeone's mere presence on the touchline motivates us. Seeing the way he lives every minute reaches you; what he transmits to us on the pitch is incredible.

"Mourinho does the same but in a different way - he motivates you through the week. It's perhaps more mental. With Simeone it is what he expresses, the energy; with Mourinho it's more the way he gets inside your head."

 

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Martino: I'll take responsibility if Barcelona finish trophy-less


Tata Martino says that he will take full responsibility if Barcelona finish the season without a trophy.

In the space of one week this month, the Blaugrana have gone from treble-chasers to a club seemingly in crisis, having been dumped out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid, fallen off the pace in the Primera Division and lost the Copa del Rey final to Real Madrid.

Consequently, Martino's position is under intense scrutiny and he accepts that he must take the blame if Barca win nothing this term, given last summer he took over a team that had just been crowned champions of Spain.

"I'm very demanding of myself," the Argentine coach told reporters after Sunday night's Liga win over Athletic Bilbao dragged Barca back to within four points of Liga leaders Atletico.

"I came to a team that normally wins and when I came to the team, it has stopped winning. I see this as my responsibility."

However, Martino laughed off reports that he has fallen out with Chilean winger Alexis Sanchez, who has featured only sporadically in recent months.

"He joked in training yesterday saying we had fallen out," he explained. "I didn't know what he was talking about."

Martino also revealed that he was enthused by the way in which Lionel Messi silenced his critics by scoring a game-winning free kick against Athletic.

"It gives me great pleasure to see Messi respond as he does," he enthused. "He does not fight back with his mouth; he does it with his football.

"For every 100 games, he plays well in 99 of them."

The former of midfielder Cesc Fabregas has also been the subject of much debate of late and the midfielder was seemingly booed by some sections of Camp Nou during the 2-1 win over Athletic.

However, Martino was reluctant to confirm if he had heard any whistles, preferring instead to defend the players' character.

"All I can say is that he's a very brave player," he stated. "He never hides and isn't afraid to make mistakes. He always wants to play."

 

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Silva stretchered off with ankle injury during West Brom clash

David Silva was forced to leave the pitch on a stretcher after suffering an ankle injury during Manchester City's clash with West Brom on Monday evening.

The Spain midfielder fell to the floor in pain and clutched his right ankle following a challenge with Morgan Amalfitano in the second half at the Etihad Stadium.

Silva was initially a doubt for the match after missing City's 2-2 draw with Sunderland last Wednesday due to a foot injury.

Earlier in the match, Sergio Aguero was substituted after just 64 minutes and was visibly limping towards the touchline before being replaced by Stevan Jovetic.

City raced into the lead against West Brom following strikes from Pablo Zabaleta and Aguero inside the opening 10 minutes. Graham Dorrans pulled a goal back for the visitors but Martin Demichelis netted from close range before the break to restore City's two-goal cushion.

 

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Get Well Soon David Silva!

Spain & City team 1ke innama ona player kenek​

 

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Simeone reiterates Chelsea target Diego Costa could leave

Diego Simeone has reiterated that Diego Costa could leave Atletico Madrid, with Chelsea closing in on a deal for the striker.

Goal exclusively revealed on April 17 that the Premier League side were close to agreeing a €40 million deal for the Brazil-born forward following a series of meetings for representatives from both parties.

Simeone conceded last week that his side were powerless to stop Costa being sold to a club of Chelsea's financial might and underlined this belief on Monday.

He told reporters: "I wouldn't be surprised at all if a financially powerful team was able to acquire a great player like Costa. Why? Because Diego is different and he's at his very best."

Atletico welcome Chelsea to the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday for the first leg of their Champions League semi-final, and Simeone has talked up Jose Mourinho's attacking talent ahead of the tie.

"In my opinion, Ba, Fernando and Eto'o are great champions," he continued. "[They] have proved hundreds of times, in all the cups they’ve won - Champions Leagues, World Cups and more - that they are huge talents."