tariq panja
@tariqpanja
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⚽️💰🚓 Co-author Football's Secret Trade| NYT| ✉️tariq.panja @nytimes .com |tariq.panja @protonmail .com| RT⛔️🤙🏾
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Joined August 2009
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“Sometimes, I feel very unlucky to be Nepali.”
Nepal sent more workers to Qatar than almost any nation, their people built the World Cup. More than 2,000 returned in coffins. I went to Nepal to see just how unfettered ambition collides with dire poverty
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Shameless. Club did everything not to release player
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Taking their lead from the German interior minister who sported a One Love armband at Japan game. So today some Qataris in the protocol seats wearing armbands to support Palestinian cause.
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The Moroccan reporter behind us here has gone absolutely nuts. Only football does this. Amazing
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Also, a word for the Polish referee Szymon Marciniak. He was outstanding. Still can’t believe he spotted that dive in real time. Credit to Collina and Co for the appointment.
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PSG have managed to sign Neymar, Mbappe and now Messi without breaching UEFA’s financial regulations. They must have the best commercial department in the world to make the maths work 😘
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The Globo army is simply enormous. One of the features of the World Cup. As is Galvao.
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🚨 Beer is out at the World Cup.
After all that (alcoholic) beer will now not be sold inside the perimeter at all eight of Qatar’s World Cup stadiums.
Big about-face means FIFA now faces contractual nightmare with Budweiser.
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Gianni says FIFA has suspended Kenya and Zimbabwe from all footballing activities with immediate effect because of government interference in football. Meanwhile, Russia has launched all out war Ukraine. Russia remains in World Cup qualification. End.
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Ivan Toney’s 8 month ban shows how meaty punishments can be for breaching regulations. Makes you wonder what a club found guilty of cheating rules over a multiyear period could receive.
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Strange thing about PSG signing Sergio Ramos. Club released Thiago Silva when he was same age because they felt he was past it. Thiago Silva went to be a big part of reason why Chelsea won Champions League. Now Ramos gets two years. So what's the PSG strategy?
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Reports tonight that La Liga has rejected Barca’s efforts to register its glut of new players. Laporta told us wage bill was currently at €551m and needed to be reduced, instead it has gone up. Assets sold haven’t been enough. More future income now on the block to sign players
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Bourdain was right. This simple Lawson egg sandwich is a next level gastronomic experience!
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Pele has died aged 82, his manager confirmed. He died in hospital within the last hour.
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Something for the football romantics: Plans at an advanced stage for a one-off game between new European and South American champions: Italy-Argentina in Napoli to commemorate the life of Diego Armando Maradona
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Sportswashing works. None more so when you buy a football club. You instantly buy an army of supporters who are willing to defend you at any cost. Invest a bit of cash and they’ll be able to justify anything you can do.
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Martinez doing his best to be ranked among the worst winners. Such bizarre behavior. Strange after the Holland game, the weird thing with the glove and some type of obsession with Mbappe who put three past him.
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Matt Doherty transfer to Spurs is perhaps the most Jorge Mendes influenced signing I can think of. He’s an advisor to Wolves owners, who also have a stake in his business; he’s agent to Wolves coach Nuno; to Spurs coach Mourinho; he’s also Doherty’s agent. Clean sweep?
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Not only is Mansour at the final, it looks like his brother, the ruler of the UAE, Mohamed bin Zayed, is there with him too. But of course City is not owned by the UAE but is a private investment of Sheikh Mansour. Nice of Mansour to get his big brother a ticket.
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The UK government has just sanctioned Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.
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Remember how not so long ago a bunch of top European clubs and football leaders were lobbying to get the Africa Cup of Nations cancelled.
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Salt Bae incident/reaction to it has been brewing for 2 years and the blame squarely lies with FIFA and specifically Gianni. He’s been publicly praising this guy and his meat for two years, giving him VIP access and appearing in videos. Final exuberance the logical end point.
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Great week to highlight why football pyramid matters. Atalanta showing up at Anfield and trouncing Liverpool. Bilbao winning a major trophy for 40 years. And Leverkusen winning the Bundesliga with a stunning unbeaten season. Huge celebrations. None of them invited to super league
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What a sad affair this would be. Sporting, one of the historic clubs in world football, becoming little more than a feeder club and part of opaque private equity funds’ rampage through European football’s century old heritage
Chelsea are exploring an opportunity with Sporting Lisbon to acquire a majority, but not full, stake at the club.
Chelsea were initially looking at deals with Portimonense and other Portuguese clubs, but those have been paused while they explore Sporting.
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We are now in a situation where the British PM is heading over to Saudi to plead for oil from an autocrat that is dropping bombs on his neighbour because a different autocrat is dropping bombs on his neighbour. Chelsea-Newcastle kicks off at 2.
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Athletics can be very lonely, but there is a great spirit among competitors once races are run. This is Noelle Yarigo from Benin wipes away Ugandan Winnie Nanyondo’s tears after both missed out on 800m final.
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US indictment published tonight says in black and white FIFA execs were PAID BRIBES to vote for RUSSIA and QATAR World Cups.
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⚽️ Story about turmoil inside Chelsea’s marketing department, accusations of bullying, staff leaving on mental health concerns and a suicide of a popular and much loved employee.
This was tough to report. Thanks to people who spoke with me.
via
@NYTimes
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Again this isn’t about beer being sold or not. It’s about saying and promising one thing, expect amazing and all that, and then suddenly changing tack at the last minute, and doing precisely the opposite. Last minute changes to an event 12 years in the making.
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UEFA Investigators Want to Boot Manchester City out of Champions League
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This feels like start of death spiral for club that was in relatively good shape until it was handed over to ALK who appear to have done nothing beyond using the club’s own money to finance their takeover. Now no Dyche and pile of debt that didn’t exist before. Fit and proper.
Burnley Football Club can confirm the Club has parted company with manager Sean Dyche, assistant manager Ian Woan, first-team coach Steve Stone and goalkeeping coach Billy Mercer.
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So Norway’s first female FA president takes to stage to deliver a powerful speech demanding FIFA live its values. Talks human rights, good governance and responsibility for those killed/injured building W Cup. Honduras FA man then takes stage to say she shouldn’t have said that.
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A star midfielder for PSG Féminine was beaten by an iron bar, a teammate’s reputation has been trashed, the dressing room is shattered and Eric Abidal’s marriage has collapsed in the fallout. I went to Paris to try and make sense of it all.
via
@NYTimes
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Just received a call from a prominent British agent and close friend of Mino Raiola to say that the Italian-Dutch agent has not died but is "very, very ill". Says reports of his friend's death are inaccurate.
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It’s taken 15 years but UAE’s state backed project to buy football supremacy is complete. Their team Manchester City has won everything. They’ll be dancing in the streets of Abu Dhabi tonight.
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Arsenal the only one of the group of 6 to apologise for the mess they created by signing up to the super league.
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Something a little strange about Messi being dressed in Bisht, that black cloak that the emir of Qatar dressed him in before lifting the World Cup. Qatar wants this to be its moment as much as it is Messi’s and Argentina’s.
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Now the the group stage is over, worth taking a second to recognize what FIFA has destroyed by expanding the World Cup to 48 teams. That last round of simultaneous group games creates more drama than possibly anything else in sport. Now it’s gone. Never to return.
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Uefa announce Man City banned from next two seasons of the Champions League and fined 30 million euros
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Chelsea in the dock now. But Premier League shouldn't be allowed to hide. Remember Man City went from Thailand's human rights abusing former PM to the UAE and just months ago Newcastle sold to Saudi Arabia as it waged war on Yemen. Oh, and remember the arms dealer at Portsmouth?
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Chelsea finally have sponsor on shirt front. Curious partner. Not only linked to the team’s ownership group but also a company that turns over at least four times less than the sponsorship deal is worth. Luckily shareholders probably don’t mind.
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Leaked UEFA documents show concrete plan for closed Champions League favoring group of wealthy elite clubs
via
@nytimes
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World's best player leaving Barcelona for financial reasons feels dreadful. Also raises questions about UEFA and its financial controls. La Liga has regulations and enforced them and Barca loses Messi. Meanwhile, UEFA...
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Top European Soccer Teams Agree to Join Breakaway League - the most detailed account so far on what could be the most seismic moment in European football for decades:
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The Premier League has got itself into a position that ex players are now having to go on TV to speak about human rights abuses linked to team owners. Let’s allow that to sink in for a second. How have we got here? Can’t ask the league, because nobody speaks publicly.
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Newcastle - not controlled in any way by the Saudi state - are off to train again in Saudi Arabia in December. Somewhat awkwardly, the charter they traveled with last time linked to firm that transported death squad to Istanbul before Khashoggi murder
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This looks familiar 🧐
🚨Urgent : Dans les prochaines heures, 12 très grands clubs européens ( les 3 espagnols, les 3 italiens et les clubs anglais) devraient officialiser la création d’une Superleague Européenne. Dans sa première version il n’y a pas de clubs français et allemands. Guerre avec l’UEFA.
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Asked Eddie Howe on thoughts about the 81 people executed in Saudi Arabia by the people that bankroll his team. His response: "I'll stick to football."
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A word for the people that built this tournament, toiling in the sun for meagre wages, while risking their lives. The human toll of this thing was just immense. Those workers also helped fill empty stadiums to ensure the World Cup had its backdrop. Few, if any, here today.
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Pep may be mistaken here. He refers to Abu Dhabi taking over the club. Manchester City have insisted Abu Dhabi doesn’t own Man City, but it is owned by Sheikh Mansour in a private capacity. Mansour has been to watch his team at home once in 14 years.
🗣️ "I'm fully convinced we'll be innocent."
Pep Guardiola speaks for the first time since Manchester City were charged by the Premier League.
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This fake tickets claim still being pushed. Yes, like every big game, probably some. But 40,000. If that was the case the Liverpool fan zone in Paris would have been empty and not full to capacity for the game, no?
🗣 "The figures of 30,000 to 40,000 without tickets or with fake tickets."
French Sports Minister Amelie Oudea-Castera on the fake tickets that made it into the
#UCLFinal
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Manchester City Champions of the World. It’s been a difficult and arduous journey. The hard work has paid off. Today is not a day to talk about 115 alleged rule breaches, nor an investigation that has dragged on 5 years. All of that can wait. Ignore it for now.
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Wow. What’s just happened in the high jump? Qatar’s Barshim and Italy’s Tamberi were locked level in the high jump, and rather than go for a jump off, they’ve decided to share the gold. Both men in tears, Tamberi howling and rolling on the ground.
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Might want to have a chat with the club’s lawyers about why the process hasn’t been done quickly.
✅ “I will be here next season. Don’t worry, we will be here next season.”
⏰ “Come on, don’t wait. For the benefit of everyone, do it quickly.”
Pep Guardiola says he will remain at
#MCFC
no matter how many FFP charges are against them & wants the process done quickly
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Premier League looking to fast track FFP cases to 3 months? Reminder it has now been almost 5 years since the case against Man City started and we still await a final verdict.
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Qatar and FIFA has had 12 years to plan for the 2022 World Cup now with just over 100 days and -- with tickets sold, travel booked -- they now want to start the tournament a day earlier so Qatar could play the first game (which could always have been the case). But here we are.
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Morocco players still celebrating in the field, now posing for a photo with what appears to be a Palestinian flag 🇵🇸
One of the features of this World Cup has been the Arab nations’ fans and officials highlighting the Palestinian cause. This is a huge platform
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Brings it home when you see that rainbow armband he was fond of wearing switched to greyscale for welcome video.
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La Liga has filed a fresh complaint with UEFA alleging PSG and Man City are continually breaching financial fair play regulations. Like howling at the moon at this stage. UEFA has failed to tackle these allegations for best part of a decade.
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Time for daily dose of mental gymnastics. Abramovich no longer fit to own Chelsea because of close relationship with Putin. Meanwhile, current Man City owner took tea yesterday with brutal Syrian dictator, who aided by Putin, is responsible for thousands of civilians deaths.
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Who are Newcastle playing at the weekend?
Saudi woman given 34-year prison sentence for using Twitter
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In football some clubs have always been more equal than others. At UEFA, it seems PSG is more equal than just about anyone else.
Story about the curious relationship between PSG, its boss and UEFA, where conflict of interest matter little.
via
@NYTimes
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What a lovely, levelheaded young man. Keep at it Tariq!
"I really appreciate all of the praise but I have to keep working hard"
Man of the match Tariq Lamptey was thrilled to receive praise from
@Carra23
after Brighton's win at Newcastle
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Wenger and Infantino say the world’s youth favor a biennial World Cup.
Here’s 23-year-old Kylian from Paris telling the world why he thinks it’s a bad idea.
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No rules. No sport.
This is shocking. New emerging footage of
@F1
Abu Dhabi GP containing previously unheard radio. Masi essentially executed the instructions of Jonathan Wheatley (Red Bull) without any second thought over its legality or fairness. This should be sickening listening to any fan.
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Manchester City fans screaming “cheat” what a conclusion.
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Locatelli - two years loan, and then obligation to buy. How does this work? Another strange setup in order for Juve to sign a player? Nothing ever normal when it comes to Juve and the transfer market.
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All very normal. Which English club needs its FFP repaired as much as Chelsea does? Might as well help Everton out while they’re at it.
Talks are going on in order to agree a move for
@ChelseaFC
outgoings
#Mendy
,
#Koulibaly
and
#Ziyech
to join Saudi teams (respectively)
@ALAHLI_FC
,
@Alhilal_EN
and
@AlNassrFC_EN
.
#Lukaku
isn't convinced about Saudi's possibility as he'd prefer to stay at
@Inter
. 🔵
#Chelsea
#CFC
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This was picture posted today of indicted former Brazil FA head Marco Polo del Nero by his girlfriend. He remains wanted by US authorities investigating corruption in world football.
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This World Cup let’s remember was supposed to be in June/July 2022. Then it was moved to November/December. And with 100 days, the start date moved once more. Can’t recall another event quite like this. Jerome Valcke’s words about democracies not looking great in this light
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🚨 FIFA will shortly announce Russia must play in neutral venue, without anthem, fans or flag. Unlikely to be enough for Poland, Sweden and Czechs that have refused to play them at all.
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Shakhtar Donetsk representatives have been in London this week, discussing player sales, mainly focused on their brightest talent Mudryk. Not just one club in the conversation, but at least 4. Good for Shakhtar given how they’ve lost players for buttons because of the war.
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The statement that football could have come up with...
Rugby Union will go ahead this weekend as teams and supporters come together to honour Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to be united in our grief as we express sorrow at her passing.
Rugby, at its heart, is about community and bringing people together, in good times and in sad.
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Is Benfica the most powerful sporting institution in any country? A series of curious legal dramas suggest its tentacles spread far and wide
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State-funded PSG’s monstrous offer to Kylian Mbappe for a contract renewal will have another inflationary effect on the entire industry. Just like the Neymar purchase did a few years ago. And comes as UEFA fixes new financial regulations. Anyone paying attention?
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Crikey. Ex-Brazil president Lula da Silva is alleging that footballer Neymar has a deal with right wing incumbent Jair Bolsanaro to support him in election in return for writing off Neymar’s tax debt. Lula-Bolsanaro run off takes place at the end of the month.
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After an investigation lasting nearly 5 years, the Premier League accuses its serial champion of breaching many, many regulations.
Not sure I’ve ever seen a statement like this.
@premierleague
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Official announcement expected shortly but Qatar has now decided there will be no (alcoholic) beer sold within the perimeter at all 8 World Cup stadiums:
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Best five hours of tournament football that I can remember. Bravo.
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If details in Le Parisien about Mbappe's €630m PSG contract are correct - no reason why they wouldn't be - it's a classic example of what Klopp, Tebas and others say about state-owned teams. Creates absurd inflationary pressure, and once again raises questions for UEFA and FFP.
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Remember that time when Mesut Ozil was cancelled for mentioning the Uyghur genocide?
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Important moment for FIFA now that it has taken a decision on Russia. Saudi/Emirati bombs are still falling on Yemen. Saudi on the cusp of qualifying for the World Cup. Just a question.
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Police here have tear-gassed fans outside Stade de France who have spent more than 90 minutes trying to enter. These are fans with tickets but because of a system failure have been unable to enter. Nasty scenes.
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So it seems Arsenal have the strongest interest in Dusan Vlahovic. Fiorentina will to accept €70m and Torreira (€10m) but problem is player and agent ask. The other club interested is *cough* debt-laden Barcelona. Barca sports director Alemany has spoken to Fiorentina.
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🚨 FFP is dead.
UEFA to impose new 70% spend ratio, but no salary cap as part of financial control revamp.
New sanctions likely too:
Points deductions and even possibility of being relegated from Champions League.
All the details here👇🏾
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Very convenient for Bayern Munich management to stick the knife into Oezil. Takes heat off fact that Bayern provided backbone of German team that flopped.
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