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Manchester City Faces Premier League Sanctions Over Kick-Off Timing Breaches.

Manchester City, the dominant force in English football for over a decade, finds itself once again under the Premier League's microscope. This time, however, the allegations are not about intricate financial dealings or sponsorship controversies, but something seemingly more mundane: breaches of kick-off timing regulations. Recent reports confirm that City has been hit with a substantial fine of £1.08 million for delaying kick-offs and re-starts on nine separate occasions during the 2024/25 season. While a million-pound fine might seem like a drop in the ocean for a club of City's financial might, these sanctions underscore a deeper tension within the Premier League – a battle between sporting integrity, commercial interests, and the relentless demands of a global broadcasting behemoth. This isn't merely a trivial matter of punctuality. It speaks to the meticulous choreography of modern football, where every second is accounted for, and every deviation from the schedule has...

Every footballer has played for both Barcelona and Inter Milan.

Barcelona and Inter Milan will face off in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals this week.

Both of these illustrious teams have produced some of the best players to ever play the game, and we've assembled a list of them all below.

Ronaldo Nazario

Ronaldo already had a World Cup winner's medal in his pocket when he arrived in Europe, but he truly became a global phenomenon when he signed with Barcelona. In 1996, Barcelona outbid Inter Milan for his services.

The Brazilian had a tremendous year at the Camp Nou, scoring 47 goals in 49 games and winning the Copa del Rey, Spanish Super Cup, and Uefa Cup Winners' Cup. However, due to a breakdown in the contract renegotiation, his stay there was cut short.

Ronaldo became the second player, after Diego Maradona, to smash the world transfer record when Inter bid £17 million and activated his release clause. He went on to win his first Ballon d'Or in 1997, the youngest ever, as well as the Uefa Cup the following year, scoring a trademark goal in the final against Lazio by feinting right then left without touching the ball before finishing.

Luís Figo

Despite his controversial departure to Real Madrid, Luís Figo was once a beloved player among Barcelona fans. He played alongside Ronaldo in their Uefa Cup Winners' Cup victory, followed by two consecutive La Liga crowns, and scored 45 goals in 249 appearances across five years.

The Portuguese legend joined Inter in 2005, winning the Scudetto in each of his four seasons at the San Siro before retiring in 2009.

Samuel Eto’o

Samuel Eto'o, one of Barcelona's best signings and most regrettable sales, was a phenomenon during his five years with the club. With 130 goals in 199 games, he won the Champions League twice and La Liga three times.

After winning the Triple Crown, the Cameroonian was traded to Inter Milan in a blockbuster deal with Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Eto'o went on to assist the Italians win their own Treble, defeating Barcelona in the Champions League along the way.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Zlatan Ibrahimovic enjoyed three successful seasons at Inter before being traded to Barcelona, where he won the Scudetto three times in a row. But the Swede's move to Spain was a catastrophe, as he missed out on the historic Treble campaign before being loaned out to AC Milan the following year.

In his absence, Barça went on to win the Champions League, which had eluded him throughout his career.

Alexis Sánchez

Alexis Sànchez was a magnificent attacker for Barcelona, winning a La Liga title, the Copa del Rey, the Uefa Super Cup, the Club World Cup, and two Spanish Super Cups. Unfortunately, his three-year stint came between two Champions League victories, missing out on the 2014/15 title when he moved Arsenal to make room for Luis Suárez.

The Chilean was sensational for the Gunners before joining Manchester United, where he was a shadow of his former self. He had something of a Renaissance while on loan at Inter, where he signed a permanent contract in 2020 after losing the Europa League final.

Sánchez went on to win the Scudetto the next year, and the Coppa Italia the year after that. He later joined Marseille, but returned to Milan after only one season, winning another Scudetto before rejoining previous club Udinese.

Philippe Coutinho

Philippe Coutinho joined Inter as a teenager but never fulfilled his potential there. After three years of struggling for playing time, Liverpool took a chance on the playmaker, and it paid off handsomely.

In January 2018, Barcelona paid £142 million for the Brazilian's services due to his impressive achievements. It turned out to be a really poor investment because he never lived up to the transfer cost. Coutinho did win the Champions League during his four-year tenure with Barcelona, while on loan at Bayern Munich.

Hector Scarone

Héctor Scarone, considered one of the world's best football players of his day, acquired the nicknames 'El Mago' and "the Gardel of football" (Carlos Gardel was a hugely prominent tango singer in Latin America in the first part of the twentieth century).

Scarone, a World Cup winner and two-time Olympic gold medalist for Uruguay, spent one season in Barcelona, winning the Copa del Rey in 1926, before returning to his native country with boyhood club Nacional. Four years later, the inside forward joined Inter for one season, scoring seven goals in 14 games. He later managed Real Madrid.

Nicolae Simatoc

Nicolae Simatoc, also known as Miklós Szegedi, was a Romanian midfielder who played for Inter Milan in the 1948–49 season under legendary boss Giuseppe Meazza. A year later, the midfielder joined Barcelona, where he won La Liga and Copa del Generalísimo twice.

Simatoc got into teaching when his playing career ended in 1953, which led him to Australia. After retiring from the game, he became a professional poker player and ran a casino.

Luis Suárez

No, not that one. Luis Suárez, a Spanish player born in 1935, was one of the best midfielders of his generation and all time.

During his six-year career at Barcelona, 'El Arquitecto' won La Liga twice, Copa del Generalísimo twice, Inter-Cities Fairs Cup twice, and the Ballon d'Or. The only title he did not win was the European Cup, which he lost to Benfica in the final during his final season at the club.

Suárez would make amends at his next club, Inter Milan, where he was a major member of the legendary team that won the competition twice in a row in the 1960s. He also won the European Championship for Spain in 1960.

João cancels

Interestingly, João Cancelo was not permanently signed by either team. Valencia leased the Portuguese full-back to Inter Milan in 2017/19, and he spent the 2023/24 season with Barcelona while still on the books at Manchester City.

Edgar Davids

Edgar Davids, a fantastic midfielder most known for his time at Ajax and Juventus, joined Barcelona on loan in January 2004, when the club was suffering for form. He was instrumental in their comeback in the second half of the season, helping them finish second in La Liga, trailing Valencia.

The Dutchman joined Inter the next season, but he was unable to recapture the magic of his early career, and his contract was terminated in August 2005.

Arturo Vidal

Arturo Vidal has played for some of Europe's most prestigious teams, so it's no surprise that he played for both Barcelona and Inter. The midfielder won a league title in his first two seasons in Spain before joining Antonio Conte's team, where he won another trophy in his first season.

The Chilean only stayed for two seasons before returning to South America. After a few years in Brazil, he is back with Colo Colo, the club where he started his career.

Thiago Motta

Despite an injury-plagued career, Thiago Motta achieved remarkable success as a football player. Indeed, he is one of just two players who has won the Champions League with both Barcelona and Inter Milan.

The Italian defensive midfielder spent six years in Barcelona's first team, earning 139 appearances, before joining Inter Milan later in his career, where he played 83 times over three seasons.

Laurent Blanc

Johan Cruyff persuaded Laurent Blanc to join Barcelona in 1996, but the manager was fired on the same day he signed. Despite being part of a team that won three trophies, the Frenchman's only season at the club was miserable, made worse by the fact that he missed the Cup Winners' Cup final due to injury.

The 1998 World Cup champion returned to France with Marseille for two years before joining Inter, where he fared better, collecting the club's Player of the Year title in 2000.

Francisco Coco

Francesco Coco, long seen as Paolo Maldini's heir apparent, joined Barcelona on loan from AC Milan in 2001, scoring once in 23 La Liga outings. The defender then joined Inter, while Clarence Seedorf went the other way. There, he won the Coppa Italia and advanced to the Champions League semi-finals, although his tenure with the Nerazzurri was marred by injuries.

Ricardo Queresma

The dynamic winger was once heralded as the next big thing in football, but Ricardo Quaresma never lived up to his potential at Barcelona (or, maybe, anywhere), making only 10 league starts in his first season there.

After spending four years with FC Porto in Portugal, he joined Inter and worked under Jose Mourinho. He performed no better in Italy than he did in Spain. The manager criticized his lack of tactical discipline, and at the end of his first season, he received the Bidone d'oro award for the worst player in Serie A.

After the club failed to move him, Quaresma struggled to find first-team appearances. He rarely played in the league and only appeared twice in the Champions League as the squad won the Triple Crown. The characteristics of a Streets Won't Forget player.

Rafinha

Despite winning numerous big trophies, including the Champions League, Rafinha never had much of an effect at Barcelona. The Brazilian joined La Blaugrana at the age of 13 and spent the majority of his career there, but he failed to achieve 100 games across all competitions.

In 2017/18, the midfielder was loaned out to Inter, where he scored two goals in 17 matches.

Maxwell

Only four players have won more major titles in football history than Maxwell, demonstrating his ability to switch clubs at the perfect time.

After winning the Scudetto in each of his three seasons at Inter, the Brazilian left-back joined Pep Guardiola's Barcelona. His former club may have defeated them in the Champions League semi-finals during his first season in Catalunya, but he won the trophy the following year.

Jaison Murillo

Before to Valencia, the central defender appeared in 69 games across all competitions for Inter Milan over two years. He was loaned out to Barcelona in December 2018, but only made three appearances.

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