'We should have tried' – Rangnick reveals January striker request was rejected

Ralf Rangnick has revealed plans to sign a striker in January was turned down by the Manchester United board, which included targets such as Luis Diaz, Dusan Vlahovic and Julián Álvarez.

The United boss looked to bolster his attack after losing two forwards. Anthony Martial was loaned to Sevilla, and a few days later Mason Greenwood was arrested on January 30 on suspicion of rape, assault and threats to kill and suspended indefinitely.

Rangnick presented a number of key targets to the United hierarchy, including now Liverpool forward Luis Diaz, who has hit the ground running on Merseyside and has been considered one of the best January signings of all-time.

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VILLARREAL, SPAIN – MAY 03: Luis Diaz of Liverpool runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final Leg Two match between Villarreal and Liverpool at Estadio de la Ceramica on May 03, 2022 in Villarreal, Spain. (Photo by Silvestre Szpylma/Qu

Image credit: Eurosport

But the interim manager had his plans turned down, before he was told the market was closed.

“I still believe that we should have tried in those 48 hours,” Rangnick explained.

“The board [at the time] sees it the same way – they agreed – but they also spoke to the scouting department at the same time.

“Maybe we should have tried to sign a player in these 48 hours since we knew Mason wouldn’t be available and Anthony Martial had already left on loan… But we didn’t.

Maybe I should have pushed even more in order to get this additional striker.

“The answer at the time was: ‘No, there is no player on the market that can really help us.’”

A few days after Diaz joined Liverpool, neighbours and bitter rivals Manchester City announced the signing of Álvarez River Plate asa long-term successor to Sergio Aguero, whilst Vlahovic joined Serie A side Juventus from Fiorentina.

Dusan Vlahovic of FC Juventus looks on during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC v FC Juventus on May 6, 2022 in Genova, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Image credit: Eurosport

Diaz has slotted almost perfectly into the already mouth-watering Liverpool front line, scoring five times and assisting a further three since arriving at Anfield, whilst Vlahovic has scored seven since arriving in Turin.

Manchester United, who currently sit sixth in the Premier League – five points adrift of the Champions League spots with two games to go – have relied solely on 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo to produce the goods in front of goal.

The former Real Madrid man has scored 24 times for the Red Devils this season, and with his time surely running out at Old Trafford, Rangnick – who will soon to be take up a consultancy role at the club – was eager to begin planning for life after the Portuguese forward.

“There were a few: Díaz who is now at Liverpool, Álvarez who will be at Man City in the summer, Vlahovic who at the time was with Fiorentina.

“So those are just three of them that come across my mind now. The answer was no and that was it. We were still in three competitions: the FA Cup, the Champions League, at the time were fourth in the league.

“I spoke to the board and told them: ‘Shouldn’t we at least speak and analyse and find if we can at least get a player, on loan or a permanent deal?’ In the end the answer was no.

Maybe they didn’t want to do any winter [business]. Forty-eight hours is 48 hours.

“It might have been at least worth to try and internally discuss it. We didn’t.”

There were doubts among the Man United board of Rangnick’s time frame of 48 hours to find a suitable replacement, especially considering the club’s policy of only signing a player in January who is a target for the summer, another factor that precluded a search for a forward.

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'We should have tried' – Rangnick reveals January striker request was rejected

Ralf Rangnick has revealed plans to sign a striker in January was turned down by the Manchester United board, which included targets such as Luis Diaz, Dusan Vlahovic and Julián Álvarez.

The United boss looked to bolster his attack after losing two forwards. Anthony Martial was loaned to Sevilla, and a few days later Mason Greenwood was arrested on January 30 on suspicion of rape, assault and threats to kill and suspended indefinitely.

Rangnick presented a number of key targets to the United hierarchy, including now Liverpool forward Luis Diaz, who has hit the ground running on Merseyside and has been considered one of the best January signings of all-time.

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VILLARREAL, SPAIN – MAY 03: Luis Diaz of Liverpool runs with the ball during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final Leg Two match between Villarreal and Liverpool at Estadio de la Ceramica on May 03, 2022 in Villarreal, Spain. (Photo by Silvestre Szpylma/Qu

Image credit: Eurosport

But the interim manager had his plans turned down, before he was told the market was closed.

“I still believe that we should have tried in those 48 hours,” Rangnick explained.

“The board [at the time] sees it the same way – they agreed – but they also spoke to the scouting department at the same time.

“Maybe we should have tried to sign a player in these 48 hours since we knew Mason wouldn’t be available and Anthony Martial had already left on loan… But we didn’t.

Maybe I should have pushed even more in order to get this additional striker.

“The answer at the time was: ‘No, there is no player on the market that can really help us.’”

A few days after Diaz joined Liverpool, neighbours and bitter rivals Manchester City announced the signing of Álvarez River Plate asa long-term successor to Sergio Aguero, whilst Vlahovic joined Serie A side Juventus from Fiorentina.

Dusan Vlahovic of FC Juventus looks on during the Serie A match between Genoa CFC v FC Juventus on May 6, 2022 in Genova, Italy. (Photo by Giuseppe Maffia/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Image credit: Eurosport

Diaz has slotted almost perfectly into the already mouth-watering Liverpool front line, scoring five times and assisting a further three since arriving at Anfield, whilst Vlahovic has scored seven since arriving in Turin.

Manchester United, who currently sit sixth in the Premier League – five points adrift of the Champions League spots with two games to go – have relied solely on 37-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo to produce the goods in front of goal.

The former Real Madrid man has scored 24 times for the Red Devils this season, and with his time surely running out at Old Trafford, Rangnick – who will soon to be take up a consultancy role at the club – was eager to begin planning for life after the Portuguese forward.

“There were a few: Díaz who is now at Liverpool, Álvarez who will be at Man City in the summer, Vlahovic who at the time was with Fiorentina.

“So those are just three of them that come across my mind now. The answer was no and that was it. We were still in three competitions: the FA Cup, the Champions League, at the time were fourth in the league.

“I spoke to the board and told them: ‘Shouldn’t we at least speak and analyse and find if we can at least get a player, on loan or a permanent deal?’ In the end the answer was no.

Maybe they didn’t want to do any winter [business]. Forty-eight hours is 48 hours.

“It might have been at least worth to try and internally discuss it. We didn’t.”

There were doubts among the Man United board of Rangnick’s time frame of 48 hours to find a suitable replacement, especially considering the club’s policy of only signing a player in January who is a target for the summer, another factor that precluded a search for a forward.

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'Where are these tickets?' – Klopp questions UEFA's Champions League final plans

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has questioned UEFA for the way the governing body has distributed tickets for their Champions League final against Real Madrid, with the clubs receiving fewer than 20,000 seats each in the 75,000 capacity Stade de France in Paris.

A total of 19,618 Liverpool supporters will be in the French capital for the showpiece match, after Klopp’s side navigated their way past Villarreal at the semi-final stage.

With this allocation allowed for both teams, it means that almost half of the crowd will be made up of people who are not supporters of the clubs in the final.

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Speaking about the situation, Klopp was puzzled, saying: “Is it right that we only get 20,000, they get 20,000 and there’s 75,000 in? That makes 35,000 left over. Where are these tickets?”

Soime 12,000 of the remaining tickets were available for fans worldwide to buy, but the deadline to get hold of those was 28 April – nearly a week before the second leg matches of the semi-finals had taken place.

National associations, commercial partners and broadcasters are among those who will snatch up the final batch of 23,000 tickets.

The Premier League club have advised fans to avoid travelling to France on May 28 without a ticket, and Klopp knows he must be careful what he says after getting in trouble in 2016.

He urged Liverpool supporters to follow his team to Basel – even if they had no match day ticket – for the Europa League final in his first season in charge, and was swiftly told that was the wrong thing to say.

“If you don’t get a ticket, I don’t want to invite people to Paris but this time it’s big enough and I did this last time for Basel in Switzerland and it was ‘oops’,” he remembers.

“I hope they all can make it somehow and can create – of course they will – an incredible atmosphere,” Klopp went on to say.

Despite his previous misdemeanours on the subject, Klopp could not help himself.

“But I think Paris is big enough to go there without a ticket and have a good time, behave yourself but be in the best possible mood,” he said.

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'Where are these tickets?' – Klopp questions UEFA's Champions League final plans

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has questioned UEFA for the way the governing body has distributed tickets for their Champions League final against Real Madrid, with the clubs receiving fewer than 20,000 seats each in the 75,000 capacity Stade de France in Paris.

A total of 19,618 Liverpool supporters will be in the French capital for the showpiece match, after Klopp’s side navigated their way past Villarreal at the semi-final stage.

With this allocation allowed for both teams, it means that almost half of the crowd will be made up of people who are not supporters of the clubs in the final.

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Speaking about the situation, Klopp was puzzled, saying: “Is it right that we only get 20,000, they get 20,000 and there’s 75,000 in? That makes 35,000 left over. Where are these tickets?”

Soime 12,000 of the remaining tickets were available for fans worldwide to buy, but the deadline to get hold of those was 28 April – nearly a week before the second leg matches of the semi-finals had taken place.

National associations, commercial partners and broadcasters are among those who will snatch up the final batch of 23,000 tickets.

The Premier League club have advised fans to avoid travelling to France on May 28 without a ticket, and Klopp knows he must be careful what he says after getting in trouble in 2016.

He urged Liverpool supporters to follow his team to Basel – even if they had no match day ticket – for the Europa League final in his first season in charge, and was swiftly told that was the wrong thing to say.

“If you don’t get a ticket, I don’t want to invite people to Paris but this time it’s big enough and I did this last time for Basel in Switzerland and it was ‘oops’,” he remembers.

“I hope they all can make it somehow and can create – of course they will – an incredible atmosphere,” Klopp went on to say.

Despite his previous misdemeanours on the subject, Klopp could not help himself.

“But I think Paris is big enough to go there without a ticket and have a good time, behave yourself but be in the best possible mood,” he said.

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'Where are these tickets?' – Klopp questions UEFA's Champions League final plans

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has questioned UEFA for the way the governing body has distributed tickets for their Champions League final against Real Madrid, with the clubs receiving fewer than 20,000 seats each in the 75,000 capacity Stade de France in Paris.

A total of 19,618 Liverpool supporters will be in the French capital for the showpiece match, after Klopp’s side navigated their way past Villarreal at the semi-final stage.

With this allocation allowed for both teams, it means that almost half of the crowd will be made up of people who are not supporters of the clubs in the final.

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Speaking about the situation, Klopp was puzzled, saying: “Is it right that we only get 20,000, they get 20,000 and there’s 75,000 in? That makes 35,000 left over. Where are these tickets?”

Soime 12,000 of the remaining tickets were available for fans worldwide to buy, but the deadline to get hold of those was 28 April – nearly a week before the second leg matches of the semi-finals had taken place.

National associations, commercial partners and broadcasters are among those who will snatch up the final batch of 23,000 tickets.

The Premier League club have advised fans to avoid travelling to France on May 28 without a ticket, and Klopp knows he must be careful what he says after getting in trouble in 2016.

He urged Liverpool supporters to follow his team to Basel – even if they had no match day ticket – for the Europa League final in his first season in charge, and was swiftly told that was the wrong thing to say.

“If you don’t get a ticket, I don’t want to invite people to Paris but this time it’s big enough and I did this last time for Basel in Switzerland and it was ‘oops’,” he remembers.

“I hope they all can make it somehow and can create – of course they will – an incredible atmosphere,” Klopp went on to say.

Despite his previous misdemeanours on the subject, Klopp could not help himself.

“But I think Paris is big enough to go there without a ticket and have a good time, behave yourself but be in the best possible mood,” he said.

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‘A lot of money’ – Conte says spending spree needed to close gap on Liverpool

Antonio Conte says Tottenham will need to invest smartly and heavily in the transfer market if they want to close the gap between themselves and Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015 and was asked whether his Tottenham team are in a similar position now compared to Liverpool seven years ago.

He said: “I don’t know but if I was sure this type of situation can happen, I sign, you understand?

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“But also, the time for Liverpool was easier than now because when Liverpool started this work with Jurgen, they were a top team but not in a way they are now – so consolidated with an important manager, always the same team, big investment, big money spent on the transfer market.

“They had also the right space to improve and reach this.

“Now, in my opinion, I am talking about this league, it is more difficult because the space is not so big.

“To reduce this gap, you need to spend a lot of money because you need to buy important players. You have to know this otherwise you cannot reduce this gap and hope always for a miracle.”

Spurs have come close to winning the Premier League and Champions League during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at the club.

The north Londoners were Leicester’s main rivals in their stunning title triumph, before ultimately finishing third. Meanwhile, they finished in second and seven points behind Conte’s Chelsea side in the 2016/17 campaign and reached the 2019 Champions League final, losing to Liverpool.

The Italian believes the Reds are the ideal model to follow in order to ensure long-term success.

“First of all, I think it depends on the desire of the club. I think Liverpool put Jurgen in charge seven years ago, they wanted to build something important and to bring Liverpool again to fight for (the) Champions League, to win titles and to continue the important story of Liverpool,” he added.

“I think maybe he signed a contract for three years and then extended. For sure, if you want to create something important you need time, you need patience – especially if you start to work with a team that start behind the top positions. It is not easy.

“You need time. I think in these seven months, we did a really good job with the club and the opportunity we had also in January to sign two good players for us, to help us, to improve the quality of the team.

“I think we did a good job but, for sure, you need time. Liverpool is a clear example. I don’t want to tell something wrong but maybe they struggle, no? They struggle at the start of Klopp’s path with Liverpool, also to qualify for the Champions League.

“Maybe they needed four years before they started to win.

“It is not simple because you have a master in front of you, you need time, you need a big investment because you have to spend a lot of money if you want to be competitive and try to reduce this gap, otherwise you have to accept to stay in the middle and finish.”

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‘A lot of money’ – Conte says spending spree needed to close gap on Liverpool

Antonio Conte says Tottenham will need to invest smartly and heavily in the transfer market if they want to close the gap between themselves and Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015 and was asked whether his Tottenham team are in a similar position now compared to Liverpool seven years ago.

He said: “I don’t know but if I was sure this type of situation can happen, I sign, you understand?

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“But also, the time for Liverpool was easier than now because when Liverpool started this work with Jurgen, they were a top team but not in a way they are now – so consolidated with an important manager, always the same team, big investment, big money spent on the transfer market.

“They had also the right space to improve and reach this.

“Now, in my opinion, I am talking about this league, it is more difficult because the space is not so big.

“To reduce this gap, you need to spend a lot of money because you need to buy important players. You have to know this otherwise you cannot reduce this gap and hope always for a miracle.”

Spurs have come close to winning the Premier League and Champions League during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at the club.

The north Londoners were Leicester’s main rivals in their stunning title triumph, before ultimately finishing third. Meanwhile, they finished in second and seven points behind Conte’s Chelsea side in the 2016/17 campaign and reached the 2019 Champions League final, losing to Liverpool.

The Italian believes the Reds are the ideal model to follow in order to ensure long-term success.

“First of all, I think it depends on the desire of the club. I think Liverpool put Jurgen in charge seven years ago, they wanted to build something important and to bring Liverpool again to fight for (the) Champions League, to win titles and to continue the important story of Liverpool,” he added.

“I think maybe he signed a contract for three years and then extended. For sure, if you want to create something important you need time, you need patience – especially if you start to work with a team that start behind the top positions. It is not easy.

“You need time. I think in these seven months, we did a really good job with the club and the opportunity we had also in January to sign two good players for us, to help us, to improve the quality of the team.

“I think we did a good job but, for sure, you need time. Liverpool is a clear example. I don’t want to tell something wrong but maybe they struggle, no? They struggle at the start of Klopp’s path with Liverpool, also to qualify for the Champions League.

“Maybe they needed four years before they started to win.

“It is not simple because you have a master in front of you, you need time, you need a big investment because you have to spend a lot of money if you want to be competitive and try to reduce this gap, otherwise you have to accept to stay in the middle and finish.”

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‘A lot of money’ – Conte says spending spree needed to close gap on Liverpool

Antonio Conte says Tottenham will need to invest smartly and heavily in the transfer market if they want to close the gap between themselves and Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015 and was asked whether his Tottenham team are in a similar position now compared to Liverpool seven years ago.

He said: “I don’t know but if I was sure this type of situation can happen, I sign, you understand?

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“But also, the time for Liverpool was easier than now because when Liverpool started this work with Jurgen, they were a top team but not in a way they are now – so consolidated with an important manager, always the same team, big investment, big money spent on the transfer market.

“They had also the right space to improve and reach this.

“Now, in my opinion, I am talking about this league, it is more difficult because the space is not so big.

“To reduce this gap, you need to spend a lot of money because you need to buy important players. You have to know this otherwise you cannot reduce this gap and hope always for a miracle.”

Spurs have come close to winning the Premier League and Champions League during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at the club.

The north Londoners were Leicester’s main rivals in their stunning title triumph, before ultimately finishing third. Meanwhile, they finished in second and seven points behind Conte’s Chelsea side in the 2016/17 campaign and reached the 2019 Champions League final, losing to Liverpool.

The Italian believes the Reds are the ideal model to follow in order to ensure long-term success.

“First of all, I think it depends on the desire of the club. I think Liverpool put Jurgen in charge seven years ago, they wanted to build something important and to bring Liverpool again to fight for (the) Champions League, to win titles and to continue the important story of Liverpool,” he added.

“I think maybe he signed a contract for three years and then extended. For sure, if you want to create something important you need time, you need patience – especially if you start to work with a team that start behind the top positions. It is not easy.

“You need time. I think in these seven months, we did a really good job with the club and the opportunity we had also in January to sign two good players for us, to help us, to improve the quality of the team.

“I think we did a good job but, for sure, you need time. Liverpool is a clear example. I don’t want to tell something wrong but maybe they struggle, no? They struggle at the start of Klopp’s path with Liverpool, also to qualify for the Champions League.

“Maybe they needed four years before they started to win.

“It is not simple because you have a master in front of you, you need time, you need a big investment because you have to spend a lot of money if you want to be competitive and try to reduce this gap, otherwise you have to accept to stay in the middle and finish.”

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‘A lot of money’ – Conte says spending spree needed to close gap on Liverpool

Antonio Conte says Tottenham will need to invest smartly and heavily in the transfer market if they want to close the gap between themselves and Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015 and was asked whether his Tottenham team are in a similar position now compared to Liverpool seven years ago.

He said: “I don’t know but if I was sure this type of situation can happen, I sign, you understand?

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“But also, the time for Liverpool was easier than now because when Liverpool started this work with Jurgen, they were a top team but not in a way they are now – so consolidated with an important manager, always the same team, big investment, big money spent on the transfer market.

“They had also the right space to improve and reach this.

“Now, in my opinion, I am talking about this league, it is more difficult because the space is not so big.

“To reduce this gap, you need to spend a lot of money because you need to buy important players. You have to know this otherwise you cannot reduce this gap and hope always for a miracle.”

Spurs have come close to winning the Premier League and Champions League during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at the club.

The north Londoners were Leicester’s main rivals in their stunning title triumph, before ultimately finishing third. Meanwhile, they finished in second and seven points behind Conte’s Chelsea side in the 2016/17 campaign and reached the 2019 Champions League final, losing to Liverpool.

The Italian believes the Reds are the ideal model to follow in order to ensure long-term success.

“First of all, I think it depends on the desire of the club. I think Liverpool put Jurgen in charge seven years ago, they wanted to build something important and to bring Liverpool again to fight for (the) Champions League, to win titles and to continue the important story of Liverpool,” he added.

“I think maybe he signed a contract for three years and then extended. For sure, if you want to create something important you need time, you need patience – especially if you start to work with a team that start behind the top positions. It is not easy.

“You need time. I think in these seven months, we did a really good job with the club and the opportunity we had also in January to sign two good players for us, to help us, to improve the quality of the team.

“I think we did a good job but, for sure, you need time. Liverpool is a clear example. I don’t want to tell something wrong but maybe they struggle, no? They struggle at the start of Klopp’s path with Liverpool, also to qualify for the Champions League.

“Maybe they needed four years before they started to win.

“It is not simple because you have a master in front of you, you need time, you need a big investment because you have to spend a lot of money if you want to be competitive and try to reduce this gap, otherwise you have to accept to stay in the middle and finish.”

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‘A lot of money’ – Conte says spending spree needed to close gap on Liverpool

Antonio Conte says Tottenham will need to invest smartly and heavily in the transfer market if they want to close the gap between themselves and Liverpool.

Jurgen Klopp arrived at Anfield in 2015 and was asked whether his Tottenham team are in a similar position now compared to Liverpool seven years ago.

He said: “I don’t know but if I was sure this type of situation can happen, I sign, you understand?

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“But also, the time for Liverpool was easier than now because when Liverpool started this work with Jurgen, they were a top team but not in a way they are now – so consolidated with an important manager, always the same team, big investment, big money spent on the transfer market.

“They had also the right space to improve and reach this.

“Now, in my opinion, I am talking about this league, it is more difficult because the space is not so big.

“To reduce this gap, you need to spend a lot of money because you need to buy important players. You have to know this otherwise you cannot reduce this gap and hope always for a miracle.”

Spurs have come close to winning the Premier League and Champions League during Mauricio Pochettino’s tenure at the club.

The north Londoners were Leicester’s main rivals in their stunning title triumph, before ultimately finishing third. Meanwhile, they finished in second and seven points behind Conte’s Chelsea side in the 2016/17 campaign and reached the 2019 Champions League final, losing to Liverpool.

The Italian believes the Reds are the ideal model to follow in order to ensure long-term success.

“First of all, I think it depends on the desire of the club. I think Liverpool put Jurgen in charge seven years ago, they wanted to build something important and to bring Liverpool again to fight for (the) Champions League, to win titles and to continue the important story of Liverpool,” he added.

“I think maybe he signed a contract for three years and then extended. For sure, if you want to create something important you need time, you need patience – especially if you start to work with a team that start behind the top positions. It is not easy.

“You need time. I think in these seven months, we did a really good job with the club and the opportunity we had also in January to sign two good players for us, to help us, to improve the quality of the team.

“I think we did a good job but, for sure, you need time. Liverpool is a clear example. I don’t want to tell something wrong but maybe they struggle, no? They struggle at the start of Klopp’s path with Liverpool, also to qualify for the Champions League.

“Maybe they needed four years before they started to win.

“It is not simple because you have a master in front of you, you need time, you need a big investment because you have to spend a lot of money if you want to be competitive and try to reduce this gap, otherwise you have to accept to stay in the middle and finish.”

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