WEDNESDAY 4 MARCH 2020 WWW.INDEPENDENT.CO.UK
Vithushan EhantharajahHow does it feels to be signed to save a season?
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.