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Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira was reportedly asked to carry out five separate tasks in return for Barcelona's regular payments.

With the so-called Negreira case ongoing, further allegations have been brought before Barcelona. Although a report concluded that there was no link between the club's over €7.3 million payments and on-field refereeing decisions, the club are not out of the woods yet.

Indeed, as reported, the sum that Barcelona paid is well beyond that of the fee likely required to obtain referee scouting reports — which Barcelona insist was the basis of their deal.

The state-appointed prosecutor's official document highlighted some of the favours Barcelona could have received as part of their confidential verbal agreement with refereeing official Enriquez Negreira. However, there are five things that Negreira conceded he did in return for Barcelona's money.

Rigging of competition committee judges

The club requested that certain judges were picked for Spain's "competition committee." The board dictates punishment for player sanctions, and can have an influence in adjusting fixture times.

Negreira pointed out that the Blaugrana could, for example, request that fewer "Madridistas" are on the board, thus giving the club more favourable decisions at the administrative level.

AdvertisementSetting up a negotiator with the Spanish football federation

The club reportedly asked Negreira to set up a club representative to the Spanish football federation to assist the relationship between the two parties.

Such an individual would also keep the club in the loop about any potential disagreements at the administrative level.

Advanced warning RFEF or CTA visit

Negreira was asked to notify the club whenever a representative from the football federation or refereeing committee was to be set up.

This would Barcelona a theoretical advantage in maintaining a good relationship with the league and its referees.

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Behind the scenes knowledge of the Spanish FA

Negreira also accepted payment in return for informing the club of any disagreements between the Spanish football federation and La Liga.

He was also asked to leak who the candidates for La Liga president might be.

Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi helped keep Christophe Galtier employed as Paris Saint-Germain won 3-1 over Lens on Saturday

PSG manager Christophe Galtier has shown little to suggest that he should stay beyond the season, and recent developments have prompted doubt over whether he can even last the final couple of months.

He is wobbling on a constant tightrope, his job reportedly in jeopardy with every negative result or unflattering news story. A defeat against second-placed Lens on Saturday, which would have given Ligue 1 a genuine title fight, may have seen him out of work before he finished his morning pastry.

But Galtier avoided that fate thanks to Mbappe and Messi.

The manager didn't appear to have much of a tactical impact on the contest, but his fist pumps, jumps, claps and shouts that accompanied all three PSG goals on Saturday were those of a manager who knows he might just have bought himself some time.

PSG's dynamic duo dictated it all, combining to ease the club nine points clear atop Ligue 1 and essentially ensuring there will be no late domestic collapse in the French capital.

Lens were enjoying the better of the play before Salis Abdul Samed was shown a straight red for raking his studs down Achraf Hakimi's ankle. And with a one-man advantage, the Parisians came alive.

Mbappe received a pass inside the box before swiveling and firing into the bottom corner. Vitinha followed shortly after, blasting a shot in from 30 yards. Messi added the finest of the three, completing a flowing move to put the game beyond doubt.

Fabian Ruiz gave up a needless penalty that Lens' Przemyslaw Frankowski tucked away in the second half, but it didn't have much significance beyond a lost clean sheet.

The win seemingly wrapped up Ligue 1 for the Parisians, and will all-but keep Galtier employed until the end of the season. There aren't many bright days at PSG this term, but his was one of them.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Parc des Princes…

Getty ImagesWINNER: Lionel Messi

PSG have been miserable in recent weeks, and Messi has not always proven he is above criticism – despite his handsome collection of career accolades. But he showed exactly how good he is on Saturday evening. The Argentine orchestrated everything in his usual graceful manner, linking play while breaking out the standard array of feints and fakes, just for good measure. His goal was a wonderful one, the conclusion of a flowing PSG move, and a link-up with his co-star.

If these are the final days of his strange stint in France, at least he'll leave a two-time French champion.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesLOSER: Lens' title hopes

It was nice while it lasted.

Were Lens ever really in the title race, or merely the best of a squabble of European contenders, roughly in reach of the best side in the league? On Saturday, the gulf in quality between these two sides was fairly clear. Lens were short of their best, and spent 70 minutes playing with 10 men. Meanwhile, PSG never really got out of first gear aside from a 20-minute spell of magnificence from their big names.

Lens will likely be playing Champions League football next year, and if they keep their squad together, will be a tricky side to beat. But they failed to make it interesting at the top on Saturday. While there's no shame in losing at the Parc des Princes, there might be a bit of extra disappointment in this loss.

GettyWINNER: Kylian Mbappe

So much for goal droughts. Heading into Saturday's fixture, Mbappe hadn't grabbed a goal for PSG since March 11 – a gaudy dry spell for one of the world's best goalscorers. But he ensured things were quickly made right, opening the scoring with a neat pivot and finish. The cute finish made Mbappe PSG's all-time Ligue 1 leading goalscorer, having already become their top dog in scoring across all competitions earlier this season.

He was involved in the third, too, feeding Messi for the goal that put the contest out of reach. Mbappe could have probably added another. He fired wide from long range. He saw a shot blocked from close range. But the goal he got was enough. There will, after all, be many more to come.

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GettyLOSER: Salis Abdul Samed

How different things could have been if Samed had controlled his challenge. In the 19th minute, the Lens midfielder stomped on Achraf Hakimi and was deservedly shown his marching orders for an awful challenge.

The presence of Samed and Seko Fofana was keeping the Parisians' big boys at bay in the opening exchanges, and the red card made PSG unstoppable.

And at 11 men, there were brief moments when it appeared that Lens might be able to grab an unlikely opener. But Samed's dismissal changed things and ensured that Lens were out of the contest, right when it appeared they might grow into it.

The Red Devils' latest signing gives Erik ten Hag a variety of options across midfield and attack, but where is he most dangerous?

Five years after first setting his eyes on Mason Mount, Erik ten Hag has got his man. The Dutchman was enamoured with the English midfielder when his Ajax side face Vitesse back in the 2017-18 season when Mount was only 18 and tried to sign him there and then.

He has now brought him to Manchester United as the first signing of the summer as he looks to build on an excellent first season in charge of Old Trafford, with the Red Devils and Chelsea bringing an intense, five-week negotiation period to a close by agreeing a deal worth a potential £60 million.

Mount's energy and understanding of the game has led to countless managers falling head over heels for him, and despite a difficult last campaign with a dysfunctional Chelsea side which saw him drop out of the team amid breakdown in talks over a new contract, he remains a top-class player.

Ten Hag clearly believes Mount can take United to the next level, and even if there are doubts about the transfer fee, he will make the squad deeper, younger, more dynamic and more varied. GOAL takes a look at how Ten Hag can get the best out of his latest signing…

Getty ImagesReplacing Eriksen as a box-to-box midfielder

An obvious choice to Ten Hag is for Mount to take the spot of Christian Eriksen, who began to fade as the season wore on and really struggled to finish matches before an injury. This would mean altering the way United play slightly from the 4-2-3-1 shape they adopted for much of last season into a flexible 4-3-3, with Mount replacing Eriksen and operating alongside Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro.

It is a position Mount knows very well, playing on the left of a midfield three for much of his breakthrough season in England for Derby County when Frank Lampard was his coach, and in his first campaign back with Chelsea the following season.

Mount is seven years younger than Eriksen and would offer far more energy, whether it is pressing opponents or driving the team forward. Even in a difficult season on an individual and team level, Mount performed significantly better than Eriksen in a number of defensive actions, making far more tackles, contesting far more duels and winning far more of them. And that is despite playing 400 minutes fewer than Eriksen.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesNo.8 – his favourite role

Mount has also said he feels most comfortable playing as a box-to-box midfielder, while acknowledging the need to be flexible. "I like to think I'm a traditional midfielder even though I can play a number of roles for the team," he said last November during the 2022 World Cup. "I've always said that I'm best as a No.8 and I've played there ever since I was a young kid.

"I like to work from box-to-box, help out defensively but also get forward to score and assist goals for the team. That's where I think my strengths are. I'm versatile, so I can adapt and play higher up or a lot deeper.

"For me, in this day and age certainly, being able to play different positions is so key. You see formations change even during games and you can play two or three different roles in a game."

Getty ImagesOn the left of the attack

Mount played some of his best football for Chelsea as a left forward. One of his best performances for the Blues was the 2021 Champions League final win over Manchester City, when he played on the left in Thomas Tuchel's 3-4-2-1 formation and set up the only goal for Kai Havertz.

The main issue with Mount playing on the left for United is that it is Marcus Rashford's favoured position and Ten Hag will not want his new signing to tread too much on the toes of the club's homegrown star, who is set to be made their highest-paid player.

However, Rashford occasionally operated as a central striker last season and against tougher opponents, when United will be taking a more cautious approach, it would make sense for the striker to play through the middle and for Mount to take up the position on the left, which would make them less vulnerable defensively.

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GettyIn the hole

Given Rashford's preference to play on the left, Mount's best position for United could be as a No.10, behind the striker.

United desperately need to sign a centre-forward after struggling through the backend of last season with the limited Wout Weghorst and a half-fit Anthony Martial, and when it comes to landing a striker they should think about how he will dovetail with Mount.

Playing in the hole is a good way to make the most of Mount's ball carrying abilities and his pace, as well as his own goalscoring prowess. He had a drop off in goals last season but was prolific in the previous campaign, scoring 11 times and getting ten assists in the Premier League as Chelsea finished third and reached both domestic cup finals.

United could do with scoring a lot more often next season. Despite finishing third, they scored only 58 goals, the joint-seventh highest amount in the league, and Rashford accounted for more than a quarter of those.

Given Mount's ball-striking ability, it makes sense to play him as far forward as possible.

The Portuguese has won all five European finals he has coached in – but which continental triumph was his most impressive?

Jose Mourinho has done it again. Roma progressed to the 2022-23 Europa League final with a 1-0 aggregate victory over Bayer Leverkusen in the last four, and will face off against competition specialists Sevilla for the trophy at the Puskas Arena in Budapest on Wednesday.

Sevilla will be favourites, but it would be a mistake to write off Roma under Mourinho, who has won all five of his previous European finals. The 60-year-old is a serial winner, and his drive for silverware remains as strong as ever.

Never one for modesty, Mourinho has even claimed he's a more complete coach now than ever before. The general consensus among supporters and pundits is that Mourinho is something of a dinosaur in the modern era, but he believes he's ageing like a fine wine.

"Better coach, better person, same DNA. The DNA is motivation, is happiness. Desire for these big moments, and these are the feelings that I try to pass to the boys," the Roma boss said last week. "I think you can be better and better with your experiences… I think your brain becomes sharper and the accumulation of knowledge is better with the years. I think you stop when you lose motivation, my motivation grows up every day… I think I am better now."

If Roma triumph in Budapest, Mourinho's legend will grow once again. But where would it rank on his list of greatest European achievements? GOAL looks at the competition below…

Getty5Europa Conference League (Roma, 2021-22)

Mourinho became the first man to reach a UEFA final with four different clubs by taking Roma through to the inaugural Conference League showpiece in 2022. The Italian club had never previously lifted a European title, but that all changed when they came up against Feyenoord at the Arena Kombetare.

In truth, the final was a forgettable affair, with Roma edging the contest 1-0 thanks to a skillful prodded finish from Nicolo Zaniolo in the 32nd minute. But that didn't matter to Giallorossi supporters, who had not seen their team win a major trophy since 2008.

Mourinho was moved to tears after the final whistle, which came as a surprise to some given the Conference League's status as a third-tier prize. "It's because I give everything… People aren't stupid," he has said when explaining his emotional outburst. "In the Roma case, I think it is above winning or European finals. I think they feel like I wore the shirt and I fight for them every day."

Winning the competition seemed unlikely when Roma lost 6-1 to Bodo/Glimt in the group stage, but they recovered admirably to top their pool ahead of the Norwegian side. Mourinho's men then beat Vitesse in the last 16 before gaining revenge over Bodo/Glimt in the last eight and seeing off Leicester City in the semi-finals.

Roma had more star power than any of the opponents that they faced in the Conference League, but still had to show steely determination and discipline to get the job done. Mourinho instilled a winning mentality at a club that had been starved of success – and they would not be Europa League finalists now were it not for their special night in Albania 12 months ago.

AdvertisementGetty4Europa League (Man Utd, 2016-17)

Mourinho's two-and-a-half-year tenure as Manchester United head coach was very much a mixed bag. His pragmatic style of play didn't go down well with fans, and his eventual departure came after he had publicly criticised a number of his own players.

However, he did become the first manager in the club's history to deliver two major titles in his debut season. United won the Carabao Cup in 2016-17 before reaching their first-ever Europa League final.

It has to be said that they had a favourable run. They finished as runners-up behind Fenerbahce in their group, and thrashed Saint-Etienne 4-0 in the first knockout stage. United then edged past Rostov, Anderlecht and Celta Vigo by just a single goal on aggregate in each respective tie to set up a final clash against a young Ajax outfit in Stockholm. And Mourinho made sure that experience was the deciding factor.

Ajax had almost triple the number of shots United managed and bossed possession, but fell to a 2-0 defeat as Paul Pogba and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both got on the scoresheet. They executed Mourinho's game plan perfectly.

“A victory of the pragmatism, a victory of the humble people, a victory of the people who respect the opponents, a victory of the people who try to stop the opponents and exploit their weaknesses," the manager said after the game.

A true Mourinho masterclass.

Getty3UEFA Cup (Porto, 2002-03)

Mourinho began his coaching career as an assistant at Barcelona for both Sir Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal, before taking in brief stints in charge of Benfica and Uniao de Leiria. He was more or less a complete unknown to the wider footballing world when he was appointed as Porto's new manager in January 2002.

Porto were fifth in the Primeira Liga upon his arrival at Estadio do Dragao, but he guided them to third and a spot in the UEFA Cup after overseeing a 15-match unbeaten run to end the season. Mourinho then vowed that he'd make Porto champions the following year.

He delivered on that promise in spectacular fashion, as Porto set a new points record on their way to winning the domestic crown ahead of Benfica. They also landed the Taca de Portugal and reached the UEFA Cup final to set up an unlikely treble.

Martin O'Neill's Celtic stood in their way of glory at Seville's Stadio Olympico, and the two teams played out a classic. Porto came out on top 3-2 after extra time, with Brazilian striker Derlei breaking Celtic hearts by scoring a 115th-minute winner.

Mourinho described it as "the most exciting football game I have ever been in" during an interview with UEFA some years later. He added: "In terms of living with tension, intensity, with emotion raised to the limit, that game against Celtic beat them all."

The Portuguese tactician would go on to bigger and better things, but the victory in Seville was pivotal in giving him the platform.

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Getty2Champions League (Porto, 2003-04)

Topping the 2002-03 campaign seemed like an impossible task for Mourinho, but his second season at Porto was nothing short of miraculous. The Dragons retained the league title with a 100 percent home record, but saved their best performances for the European stage.

Porto were drawn in a tough group alongside Real Madrid, Marseille and Partizan Belgrade. They could only draw on matchday one before suffering a humbling 3-1 loss at home to Real, but a 3-2 victory at Marseille proved to be a huge turning point.

Mourinho's team went on to beat Marseille and Partizan at home to qualify for the last 16, and wrapped up their group schedule with an impressive 1-1 draw against Madrid at Santiago Bernabeu. Next up, Manchester United.

Benni McCarthy scored a brace against United at the Dragao to give Porto a 2-1 lead heading into the second leg of the tie at Old Trafford. Paul Scholes headed United in front on home turf, and they were set to qualify for the quarter-finals on away goals before a shocking late twist.

United goalkeeper Tim Howard could only fumble a long-range free-kick from McCarthy, and Costinha tucked home the rebound – sparking absolute delirium on the away bench. Mourinho famously celebrated by sprinting down the touchline to rub salt in the Red Devils' wounds, and Porto went on to the last eight.

The Primeira Liga champions then saw off Lyon with minimal fuss before beating Deportivo La Coruna 1-0 on aggregate in the semis. They would meet fellow underdogs Monaco in the final, but the gulf between the two sides proved to be huge.

A stunning strike from Carlos Alberto gave Porto the lead in Gelsenkirchen before goals from Maniche and Deco sealed a comfortable 3-0 victory. Mourinho left for Chelsea a week later as a club legend.

"Mourinho made a very good group of players into players with ambition. They didn’t have too many titles then, so he created this hunger for success," Costinha said in an interview with in 2020.

It's safe to say that no other manager could have achieved what Mourinho did at Porto in such a short period of time. This was the dawning of The Special One.

The England international scored a wonderful goal from distance as the Gunners kicked off their title bid with three precious points

Arsenal kicked off their 2023-24 Premier League campaign with a 2-1 victory over Nottingham Forest at the Emirates on Saturday afternoon – but the Gunners were left hanging on at the end of a game they had dominated for more than 80 minutes.

It was the visitors who had the best chance of the opening quarter, but Brennan Johnson didn't even hit the target after finding himself clean through on goal.

Arsenal took the lead soon after, with Eddie Nketiah firing home after a sensational piece of skill on the left wing from Gabriel Martinelli, and doubled their advantage courtesy of a stunning strike from distance from Bukayo Saka.

At that point, a rout appeared inevitable but Taiwo Awoniyi set up a grandstand finish when he turned in a cut-back from Anthony Elanga, who had led a blistering break from inside his own half.

Despite a few more nervy moments, though, Arsenal held on to kick off their title bid with three precious points. Below, GOAL rates the performance of Mikel Arteta's players…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Aaron Ramsdale (5/10):

A man in the spotlight because of the imminent arrival of David Raya and he just doesn't inspire confidence. Had very little to do in the first half and even when his backline was breached, Johnson blazed the ball over the bar. After the break, though, he looked shaky at set-pieces, while he was nearly caught on the ball at one point. Still, there was nothing he could have done about the late goal Arsenal conceded.

Thomas Partey (5/10):

Surprisingly selected at right-back because of White's move into the centre and had no issues for 80 minutes, primarily because Arsenal dominated possession to such an extent that he was effectively able to play in his usual position in front of the defence. But he was nowhere to be seen when Elanga broke clear down the left flank to tee up Awoniyi to score.

Ben White (6/10):

Got a rare chance to play at centre-back because Gabriel was on the bench and while he was unsurprisingly impressive in possession, he was completely caught out by Awoniyi's movement on the Forest goal.

William Saliba (6/10):

Back in the team after missing the final few months of last season through injury and looked a little rusty, particularly when Johnson burst through on goal early on. Saliba, though, did pick up an assist for his pass to Saka.

Jurrien Timber (6/10):

Injured himself while fouling Johnson just before the end of the first half and although he re-emerged after the break, he lasted just four more minutes before being replaced by Takehiro Tomiyasu. A real shame for the Dutchman, who was performing just as impressively as he had in the Community Shield.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Martin Odegaard (5/10):

Nowhere near his influential best. His passing wasn't near his usual standard – and yet he still picked out team-mates in dangerous positions in the box on several occasions.

Declan Rice (6/10):

By no means an outstanding performance from Arsenal's much-heralded summer signing, who lost the ball more than he would have liked. But he won plenty of tackles and was also unlucky not to score at least once, with one fine effort being pushed onto the post by Turner.

Kai Havertz (5/10):

Can't fault his endeavour – or his willingness to get on the ball. He also held it up well after being put up front in the closing stages. But, as is so often the case with the former Chelsea man, there was just no end product.

GettyAttack

Bukayo Saka (8/10):

A constant threat down the right flank and doubled Arsenal's lead with a fantastic strike, with Saka stepping inside before bending the ball beautifully into the top corner of the Forest net.

Eddie Nketiah (7/10):

Got the nod up front because of the unavailability of Gabriel Jesus and took his chance to impress, opening the scoring midway through the first half. He was aided by a little deflection off Joe Worrall but deserved his good fortune for the way in which he had created some space for himself to shoot.

Gabriel Martinelli (8/10):

Just like Saka, has picked up where he left off last season. Indeed, you felt the Brazilian was going to make something happen every time he got the ball and his backheel assist for Nketiah as part of a sumptuous pirouette which took him past two defenders was just incredible.

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GettySubs & Manager

Takehiro Tomiyasu (6/10):

Came on in the 50th minute for the injured Timber and did well, even forcing Turner into a save with a low strike from distance.

Leandro Trossard (5/10):

Replaced Nketiah with just under 20 minutes of normal time to go and made little impression.

Gabriel (N/A):

Only introduced for the final five minutes as Arsenal looked to shut up shop.

Mikel Arteta (7/10):

The Spaniard's decision to pick Nketiah to lead the line was fully vindicated but while Arsenal dominated for 80 minutes, Arteta will have been seriously concerned by just how nervy his players became in the closing stages. Plenty for the manager to ponder, given his defence looks just as vulnerable as last season…

Mauricio Pochettino has conceded that Chelsea's owners are disappointed with the team's start to the season, but urged them to "support the plan".

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Chelsea beaten at home by Aston VillaHave won just one league game this seasonPochettino admits owners are disappointedWHAT HAPPENED?

Pochettino's start as Chelsea coach is off to a rough start, as his side have won just one of their first six matches in the Premier League. Sunday's 1-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa was their third straight league game without a win or a Chelsea goal, and there are reports that Pochettino is under pressure already.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Chelsea, who finished 12th in the Premier League last season, are in 14th place after six matches and 13 points adrift of leaders Manchester City. Their struggles come despite another lavish spending spree in the summer transfer window that saw the likes of Nicolas Jackson, Moises Caicedo, Axel Disasi, Cole Palmer and Christopher Nkunku come to Stamford Bridge.

WHAT THEY SAID

Pochettino admits that the club's higher ups may be unhappy about what they are seeing on the field, but the coach feels they must be patient, telling reporters: "Of course they are disappointed but at the same time they need to support the plan."

Asked about the club's lack of goals, he added: "We have the squad we have, we need try to build the confidence and give them all of the support they need because they need to perform on the pitch. The performance is good, not excellent but we are missing goals. I start tomorrow again to prepare the game for Wednesday and hope we can score Wednesday."

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

Chelsea are in Carabao Cup action on Wednesday when they take on Brighton, who are third in the Premier League after beating Bournemouth 3-1 on Sunday.

Celta midfielder Luca de la Torre was sent off during his side's 1-1 draw with Deportivo Alaves on Thursday after receiving two yellow cards.

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De la Torre sent offAlaves equalised afterCelta off to slow startWHAT HAPPENED?

The 25-year-old was booked just 15 minutes into the match for hauling down an opponent, though his side soon took the lead through a Rafa Mira own goal.

The United States international was given a second yellow card midway through the second half for a harsh tackle and it came back to haunt his side as Alaves netted the equaliser just five minutes later.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

De la Torre's sending off played a big role in his side's slip up as Deportivo went on to dominate for the final 20 minutes. Celta then played a more defensive style as the game wore on as they focused on preventing the visitors from netting the winning goal.

Celta sit 17th in La Liga with five points from seven matches, leaving them outside of the relegation zone on goal difference alone.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ex-Fulham and Heracles player De la Torre joined the Spanish side in 2022 and played an important role in his first season in Spain, starting 16 of his 28 La Liga appearances. This season, he has started six of the seven matches in which he has featured.

The San Diego native is fighting for a regular place in the United States national team. After being left out of the squad for the Gold Cup this year, he started in the 3-0 friendly win against Uzbekistan but went off injured in the first half and was not called upon to play in their most recent match against Oman.

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GettyWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

De la Torre will serve a suspension when his team line up for Monday's crucial La Liga match against Las Palmas, who are level on points with them in the Spanish top-flight.

Lionel Messi is in line to land his eighth Ballon d’Or, with that trophy set to travel to Paris in style courtesy of Louis Vuitton “trunks”.

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Argentine icon set to land another awardNorwegian frontman will miss outCeremony in France on October 30WHAT HAPPENED?

The 2023 Golden Ball ceremony will take place in the French capital on October 30. Inter Miami and Argentina superstar Messi is the favourite to get his hands on a prize that he has collected on seven previous occasions – with the all-time great set to be recognised as the best player on the planet once again.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Messi is poised to pip Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to the most prestigious of individual accolades, with the South American being rewarded for his inspirational efforts at the 2022 World Cup – as he guided Argentina to a long-awaited global crown.

DID YOU KNOW?

The Ballon d’Or trophy will be heading to Paris in a case designed by luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton. report that the trunk is “crafted in the historical Louis Vuitton ateliers in Asnieres” and features “the house’s signature monogram canvas, and the V motif on the outside is painted in gold, in a first for its trophy trunk designs”.

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Louis VuittonWHAT HAPPENS NEXT?

The French designers consider the Ballon d’Or casing to be “further proof that Victory Travels in Vuitton”, with their famous trunks having already housed trophies for the Monaco Formula 1 Grand Prix, the NBA, America’s Cup, the FIFA World Cup, the Roland-Garros tennis tournament and esport ‘League of Legends’ World Championship. The Ballon d’Or Feminin, which was won by Barcelona star Alexia Putellas in 2022, will be given similar treatment.

Roberto Firmino has explained the Mohamed Salah versus Sadio Mane feud that became part of the “worst-kept secret in Liverpool”.

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Fearsome attacking unit at AnfieldAfrican aces often butted headsBrazilian star refused to pick sidesWHAT HAPPENED?

The Brazil international spent eight memorable years at Anfield before linking up with Saudi Arabian side Al-Ahli in 2023. Much of his success on Merseyside – which included Premier League and Champions League triumphs – was enjoyed alongside fellow forwards Salah and Mane.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

While the trio formed one of the most devastating attacking units in world football, they did not always see eye to eye – with one famous incident in 2019 seeing Senegalese ace Mane fume at the Liverpool bench after Salah failed to pass the ball to him for a simple tap-in.

WHAT THEY SAID

Firmino, in his new book has said of the rivalry that existed between team-mates at Anfield: “I knew those guys very well, maybe better than anyone. It was me out there on the field, right in the middle of them. I saw first-hand the looks, the grimaces, the body language, the dissatisfaction when one was mad at the other. I could feel it. I was the link between them in our attacking play and the firefighter in those moments. For many, that disagreement [against Burnley] between Sadio and Mo was the first; for some, the first and last. But I knew it had been brewing since the previous season, 2018-19. My instinct and my duty was to defuse the situation between them. Pour water on the fire – never petrol.”

Firmino added: “They were never best friends; each kept himself to himself. It was rare to see the two of them talking and I'm not sure if that had to do with the Egypt-Senegal rivalry in African competitions. I truly don't know. But they also never stopped talking, never severed ties. They always acted with the utmost professionalism. I never took sides. That's why they love me: I always passed the ball to both; my preference was for the team's victory. Many focus on what I brought to the attacking trio in tactical terms, but perhaps just as important was the human element: my role as peacemaker, unifier. If I didn't do that, it would be nothing but storms between the two of them on the field. Maybe that's why I was the one most often substituted by Klopp. The three of us had very different personalities and the Boss knew I wouldn't throw a bottle to the ground or anything like that. If I was bothered, I'd talk to him privately afterwards. When a substitution was needed, it was easier to take Bobby off than to upset either of the other two. Everyone, including the other players, knew that's how it worked. It was the worst-kept secret in Liverpool – naturally, no one ever asked what I thought or how I felt. That's just my nature; the team comes first. The boss knew it.”

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Mane was the first member of a fearsome triumvirate to sever ties with Liverpool, as he joined Bayern Munich in 2022 and eventually linked up with Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr a year later, and there is plenty of speculation to suggest that Salah could be on his way in 2024 – with various reports claiming that teams in Saudi Arabia are lining up transfer bids of more than £200 million ($245m) for the Egyptian superstar.

Manchester City and England star Chloe Kelly has quoted Drake lyrics in a savage post mocking Manchester United after a derby win at Old Trafford.

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Eagerly-anticipated WSL clash in ManchesterBlues took the spoils in 3-1 winEngland star revels in memorable successWHAT HAPPENED?

The Lionesses forward, who famously netted the winning goal for her country in the Euro 2022 final, helped City to a memorable victory at the home of their fiercest rivals on Sunday. The visitors were comfortable in the end at the so-called ‘Theatre of Dreams’ as Jill Roord, Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw found the target in a 3-1 win.

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Kelly has taken great delight in picking up three points in a derby encounter that saw England team-mate Mary Earps endure an afternoon to forget between the sticks for United – with the experienced goalkeeper making an uncharacteristic error for Shaw’s second-half goal.

DID YOU KNOW?

Unsurprisingly, City were not given the warmest of receptions at Old Trafford – with Kelly posting on social media afterwards: “Never much love when we go OT”. That message, which was accompanied by an image of the 25-year-old shushing the home support, offers a nod to the lyrics from the platinum-selling Drake track ‘One Dance’.

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WHAT NEXT?

City have now risen above United to sit third in the WSL standings – six points adrift of leaders Chelsea – and will be back in action on Wednesday when playing host to Leicester in the Women’s League Cup.