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Sport

Barkley’s knockout blow

Chelsea sent Liverpool out of the FA Cup with a 2-0 victory (EPA)

Team Ineos director Portal

dies aged 40

LAWRENCE OSTLERE

Nico Portal, the hugely popular directeur

sportif who played a leading role in the

dominance of Team Sky and Team Ineos at

the Tour de France over the past decade, has

died at the age of 40. The French former rider

suffered a heart attack at his home in Andorra

yesterday.

Portal missed some of the tail-end of his

cycling career with cardiac arrhythmia, which

accelerated his decision to move from the

peloton to the support car.

As part of the British team’s management

alongside Dave Brailsford, Portal built a

glowing reputation within cycling for his

impressive attention to detail. He held strong

relationships with key riders including Chris

Froome, and his pre-stage reconnaissance

missions proved invaluable to the four-time

Tour de France champion’s successes.

In a statement, Team Ineos said: “We are all

overcome with grief at this terrible news and

would ask everyone to respect the family’s

privacy at this difficult time.”

Froome tweeted: “My thoughts are with

Nico’s wife and children tonight. He was the

kindest, happiest guy I knew and always lived

life to the fullest. Rest In Peace Nico.”

Madrid monitor Pochettino

MIGUEL DELANEY

CHIEF FOOTBALL WRITER

Real Madrid have asked to be kept

aware of Mauricio Pochettino’s

movements regarding a next job, with

the view to possibly replacing Zinedine

Zidane in the summer.

The French legend’s side returned

to the top of the Spanish league with a

2-0 win over Barcelona in El Clasico,

but that was seen by sources within the

club as a crucially timed victory amid

“growing pressure”.

There was said to be dismay at the

manner of the Champions League

last-16 first-leg defeat to

Manchester City, on the back of

strained relationships in the dressing

room. The atmosphere isn’t as buoyant

as it was in Zidane’s initial spell as

manager, when he won three European

Cups and a league, and there has been

much more tension this time out with

the senior players.