Federico Chiesa dedicated Juventus' late victory over Udinese to Gianluca Vialli following the legendary former Bianconeri striker's death at the age of 58.

Vialli, who also played for Cremonese, Sampdoria and Chelsea, passed away in London on Friday.

He was originally diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2017 and, after announcing he had been given the all-clear in April 2020, he was re-diagnosed the following year. 

Vialli played over 100 times for Juventus, with whom he won the Champions League, Serie A, Coppa Italia, Supercoppa Italiana and the UEFA Cup across a four-season spell.

Juve paid tribute to Vialli with a minute's applause ahead of Saturday's 1-0 league win over Udinese and played footage of his greatest moments on the big screen at full-time.

Chiesa worked closely with Vialli during the latter's time working as Italy's assistant manager alongside Roberto Mancini, with the Azzurri's Euro 2020 triumph being the highlight.

After setting up Danilo's late winner against Udinese, second-half substitute Chiesa told DAZN: "Our first thoughts go to Gianluca Vialli. 

"He was a wonderful person and I was so lucky to cross paths with him in my life, as he was a real champion, but above all a marvellous human being. 

"At the Euros he really was like an extra player, he was on the pitch with us. We could talk for hours about what a great man he was. The victory is for him."

Thanks to their second late victory in a row to kick off 2023, Juventus have now won eight on the spin without conceding in Serie A for the first time since March 2018.

 

The Bianconeri have recovered from a slow start to the season to climb up to second and within four points of next opponents Napoli, who face Sampdoria on Sunday.

Despite closing the gap on the leaders, Allegri insists finishing in the top four remains the immediate target for his side.

"Napoli are still clearly the favourites to win the Scudetto," he said. "They have a big advantage, whereas we want to consolidate the top four. 

"We're almost halfway through the season and are doing well. As I said, raising the bar means the performances rather than the results or targets. 

"We have to take it one step at a time, focus on working and achieving the minimum objective, which is a top-four finish."

Juventus have now scored six goals after the 85th minute in Serie A this season, which is the most of any team. 

Danilo's tap-in against Udinese came after Leandro Paredes played in fellow substitute Chiesa, who in turn laid the ball on a plate for his stand-in skipper.

"We were a bit too hasty at times with our crosses and passes," Allegri said. "We knew there could be difficulties, but that the game would improve as time wore on.

"We brought home the win late on because of good fitness levels and also mental strength. 

"Technical skill is crucial, but if you don't have that desire to give that little bit extra and get there a few centimetres before your opponent, you don't win these games.”

Juve now have 12 clean sheets after their opening 17 Serie A games, a tally only Cagliari in the 1966-67 season (13) can better at this stage of a campaign.

"As the coach says, we have to keep raising the bar," Chiesa added. "Eight wins in a row isn't enough; we have to keep doing better."

Yann Sommer will not be sold to Bayern Munich, with Borussia Monchengladbach sporting director Roland Virkus vowing to keep the Switzerland international despite transfer speculation.

The Bundesliga champions are in the market for a new goalkeeper after first-choice Manuel Neuer sustained a season-ending injury on holiday following the World Cup.

Sommer has been touted as a possible replacement, with Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic confirming their interest earlier this week.

Now though, Virkus has bluntly stressed there will be no exit to the Bavarian giants for the shotstopper – whose contract expires in June – during the January transfer window.

"We will not be giving up Yann Sommer," he said following Borussia's friendly against Oldenburg.

"That is what we told Bayern as well. It is planned that he will be used in the last two friendlies."

Virkus' words strike a sharp contrast to those of Salihamidzic, who confirmed interest in Sommer on Friday, though he walked back his comments to an extent at a subsequent press conference.

Neuer was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign after he was involved in a skiing accident in the wake of Germany's dismal World Cup campaign.

It has left Bayern with Sven Ulreich and 19-year-old Johannes Schenk as their goalkeeping options, leading the club to intensify a search for reinforcements.

The champions are top of the Bundesliga, four points ahead of Freiburg, and remain on course to defend their crown when the season restarts later this month.

Newcastle United suffered their first defeat since August as they were eliminated from the FA Cup by Sheffield Wednesday in a 2-1 defeat at Hillsborough on Saturday.

Eddie Howe's men have been impressive in the Premier League this season, rising up to third in the table.

But they could not get past League One side Wednesday, who took the lead thanks to Josh Windass' deft finish early in the second half.

Windass got an emphatic second just past the hour, and although Newcastle pulled one back through Bruno Guimaraes' close-range goal soon after, they could not turn things around.

It is the third season in a row that Newcastle have failed to get past the third round of the FA Cup, with Wednesday becoming only the second team to beat the Magpies this season and first since Liverpool on August 31.

Wednesday will play in the fourth round for the fifth time in six years.

Carlo Ancelotti was reluctant to blame the referee for Real Madrid's defeat to Villarreal because he thought neither team's penalties should have been given.

Madrid were beaten 2-1 at Estadio de la Ceramica on Saturday as Los Blancos were denied the chance to return to LaLiga's summit ahead of Barcelona playing Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Yeremy Pino gave Villarreal the lead just after half-time, before referee Cesar Soto Grado took centre-stage.

Juan Foyth was penalised when the ball brushed his hand as he tried to grapple with Vinicius Junior, allowing Karim Benzema to equalise.

But Foyth then won a penalty at the other end on the very next attack as his pass was cut out by the hand of David Alaba, whose arm appeared to be outstretched to break his fall.

The second incident – which yielded Gerard Moreno's match-winning spot-kick – looked particularly contentious, hence Ancelotti being asked after the game if Madrid had been hard done by, but the Italian thinks his team's penalty award was harsh as well.

"We have to get used to this," he told Movistar+. "When there is a hand in the area, it is a penalty, for either side.

"If it was up to me, neither one nor the other [is a penalty]. We have to get used to it, because this is the rule."

During his press conference, Ancelotti added: "Soccer has changed in that sense. There is a clear rule, for everyone, if it is touched with the hand and it is not close to the body, it is a penalty.

"If you slip or don't slip, it's not important. You have to get used to this.

"The two penalties, with the rule, are correct. The fans don't like this, but the referees have to respect this rule."

There was not any doubt regarding Ancelotti summary of the match, however, adamant the Yellow Submarine were worthy winners.

"They played better than us and when you do, you deserve to win," he said. "The game was even, competitively, [but] Villarreal played better than us.

"The key is that we did not defend well in our half. We were not compact enough, we left balls between the lines and they took advantage of it.

"They played very well, at a high level. We didn't, especially defensively.

"We have been dangerous [going forward], but we have left too much control in things that we usually do very well. We must focus well to solve the problem."

Juventus again left it late as they defeated Udinese 1-0 on Saturday through Danilo's tap-in to extend their winning run in Serie A without conceding to eight matches.

The hosts paid tribute to Gianluca Vialli ahead of their first match since the death of their former striker on Friday from pancreatic cancer at the age of 58.

It had looked like being a frustrating day for Massimiliano Allegri's in-form side as draw specialists Udinese held firm for 86 minutes at the Allianz Stadium until Danilo struck.

Juve, who also scored a late winner against Cremonese on their return to action on Wednesday, are now within four points of leaders Napoli having played a game more.

 

Mikel Arteta believes criticism over his touchline behaviour has been unfair following complaints about his conduct against Newcastle United.

Arteta clashed with Magpies' boss Eddie Howe during a 0-0 draw at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday, as the league leaders dropped points in the Premier League for just the third time this season.

Howe and Arteta were involved in an angry confrontation on the sidelines when referee Andrew Madley chose not to award Arsenal an injury-time penalty, with Arteta calling the decision "scandalous" after the game.

The Arsenal manager came in for criticism following the match for how he acted, and the Gunners were charged by the FA on Friday for failing to control their players in the aftermath of the late incident.

However, Arteta believes some of the commentary about his touchline actions has been unjust, saying he only acts in the best interests of Arsenal.

"I try to do my best for this football club, to defend it, to promote it, and to play with the passion that the game has to be played in," Arteta said. "Every game is special and every manager behaves very differently regarding the circumstances.

"You can't take the context out of a situation. That is not fair. That is me, here and on the pitch, for the good and the bad.

"That is me and I will try all the time to be better and whatever I do, if it is tomorrow, the next day, or the next one, is to make the club stronger and my players better, to play better, and to win.

"But if I have to do something, I will do it, and if I have to change something, believe me I will look in the mirror myself and change it very quickly."

Manchester City took advantage of Arsenal's draw with Newcastle by beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Thursday, closing the Gunners' lead at the Premier League summit to five points.

Arteta's men turn their attentions to the FA Cup as they travel to play League One side Oxford United in the third round on Monday.

Arteta revealed Emile Smith Rowe could feature in that match, having not played for Arsenal since early September because of a groin injury.

"First of all we need him fit and at his best." Arteta said. "When we have that we have an incredible player that we have missed a lot in the last few months.

"Emile can play as an attacking midfielder, as a winger and even as a nine, I think he's played there before.

"If he trains tomorrow, hopefully he will be available to give us something in the game."

Gerard Moreno's penalty condemned Real Madrid to their second LaLiga defeat of the season as Villarreal beat the champions 2-1 on Saturday to do coach Quique Setien's former employers Barcelona a favour.

Madrid had hoped to return to the summit ahead of Barca's tough trip to Atletico Madrid on Sunday, but Villarreal were good value for victory during a thriller at Estadio de la Ceramica.

Villarreal created a host of promising openings during an entertaining first half but had to wait until just after the break to make the breakthrough thanks to Yeremy Pino.

Karim Benzema levelled with a spot-kick conceded by Juan Foyth on the hour mark, but the Argentinian then won one at the other end, with Moreno's confident finish ultimately sealing the win.

Villarreal had been the better side right from the start, going close after 28 seconds as Alex Baena sliced over. Francis Coquelin then saw an impudent backheeled finish clip the post following Alberto Moreno's low cross four minutes later.

Villarreal were indebted to Jose Reina just before the break, however, rushing out to deny Vinicius Junior.

The Yellow Submarine capitalised 65 seconds after the restart as Gerard Moreno released Yeremy into the box, his finish finding the net via deflections off Courtois and David Alaba.

Benzema spurned a glorious chance to level when Foyth blocked his goal-bound effort on the line, but the Frenchman made the most of his penalty reprieve after the defender's handball in the build-up was punished following a VAR review.

Villarreal went straight up the other end and won a penalty of their own moments later, though, Foyth seeing his pass handled by Alaba, and Moreno made no mistake.

Madrid's desperation led to Courtois going forward for a late corner and Arnaut Danjuma almost made it 3-1 on the break, though his inability to score into the empty goal did not matter.

Antony thanked Manchester United for their support an undisclosed "shock" ahead of his goalscoring appearance against Everton on Friday.

The Brazil international scored on his return to action in the FA Cup tie at Old Trafford, as Erik ten Hag's side claimed a 3-1 win.

It marked a return for the winger after his absence for Tuesday's Premier League victory over Bournemouth, with his manager only stating it was down to injury.

But Antony has now suggested he missed the 3-0 win over Bournemouth through another issue, though he refused to elaborate on its exact nature.

"First of all, it's a feeling of joy," he told TNT Sports. "I'm happy to score again, especially at home.

"I've set some goals for myself this season, and it's good to score as soon as I've started to think of personal goals.

"I also feel relieved, as in the last few days, I had a shock. I prefer not to comment on what happened. It was a personal matter, [and] really hard.

"[But I am] grateful to the club, to the players [and] to the manager that stayed by my side. It is in the past now. I'm happy to score and I hope to keep going."

Antony has scored four goals in 15 games across all competitions for the club so far this season, though a knock in late October sidelined his involvement ahead of the World Cup.

With progression to the fourth round secured, United next play in the quarter-finals of the EFL Cup against Charlton Athletic, before they return to Premier League action for the Manchester derby.

Harry Kane is trying not to think about becoming Tottenham's record all-time goalscorer after he moved one shy of Jimmy Greaves' haul with an FA Cup winner against Portsmouth.

The England captain put Spurs into the fourth round with a clinical finish early in the second half of the tie at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday.

Kane's next goal will put him level with the legendary Greaves on 266 for the London club, a feat he could achieve against fierce rivals Arsenal next Sunday.

The prolific striker, who has scored four times in as many games since the World Cup and 17 this season, is determined not to let the prospect of making history play on his mind.

"I try to not think about it," he told BBC Sport.

"Sometimes you can think too much. Obviously I feel in good form and I feel fit. My mindset is to help the team and hopefully the goals will come.

"It was a tough game. We were clear favourites and people probably expected a bigger score but credit to them, they stayed compact and made it difficult.

"We thought after the first it might open up, but they stopped us getting the second one. It's good to get through – that was the objective – and we'll see who we get next."

Yves Bissouma was a late withdrawal from the Spurs team to take on manager-less League One side Pompey, Oliver Skipp taking the midfielder's place due to an ankle problem.

Cristian Stellini, Tottenham's assistant head coach, revealed the former Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder pulled out as a precaution and will be available to take on Premier League leaders Arsenal next weekend.

He said: "The injury came from the last match. An ankle problem. He tried to push himself but he was not 100 per cent.

"It's very good when the player tells us they are not 100 per cent as Skippy was and he played well. He will [be] [for the Arsenal clash]."

Daley Blind revealed his shock move to Bayern Munich has received the backing of Louis van Gaal and Erik ten Hag.

Former Netherlands boss Van Gaal, who stepped down after the World Cup, is a former Bayern head coach, while Manchester United manager Ten Hag previously had a spell in charge of Bayern's reserve team.

Both think Blind has made a smart move by joining the German champions in a step that few saw coming.

The 99-cap Netherlands defender had been heavily linked with Royal Antwerp, but he jumped at the chance to join Bundesliga leaders Bayern, who are chasing an 11th consecutive league title.

Blind has committed to a six-month contract, with the 32-year-old adding the Bavarian giants to his illustrious list of clubs, having also had a four-year stint at United that ended in 2018.

Asked about the influence on the deal of Van Gaal and Ten Hag, who was his former coach at Ajax, Blind said: "I did not speak to them before. Everything went real quick.

"They messaged me after and told me it was a great step, a great opportunity. They were really happy and wished me all the luck."

Speaking at his presentation in Doha on Saturday, Blind refused to go into the reported falling-out with Ajax coach Alfred Schreuder that preceded him being cut free, six months before the end of his contract.

"There is a lot of news lately about Ajax and me, but I don't think is the right moment to talk about that," he said.

Blind is eager to fight for a place in the Bayern team, aware he will be "maybe not a first choice" initially.

His hope is that there will be the chance to extend his short-term deal, but Blind veered clear of looking too far into the future.

"We'll see what happens," he said. "I'll enjoy the moment for now and see what happens after."

Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic revealed talks with Blind happened prior to his Ajax exit being announced on December 27.

"Before Christmas we got in touch with him and he showed us straight away this would be his first option," Salihamidzic said.

"We got along very well straightaway and had a good feeling for each other.

"He's an asset for us. We know he's a great player so we hope we can win a few titles together."

Lisandro Martinez believes Marcus Rashford "can be anything he wants to be" after the forward extended his superb run of form with a sparkling FA Cup display against Everton.

Rashford headed into Friday's tie at Old Trafford having scored in four straight matches, and he played a part in all three of Manchester United's goals as they booked their place in the fourth round with a 3-1 victory over the Toffees.

His cross set up Antony to open the scoring just four minutes in, before more dazzling Rashford work on the wing forced Conor Coady into an own-goal to put United 2-1 up.

Rashford then capped his excellent performance by slotting home from the penalty spot after Alejandro Garnacho was brought down by Ben Godfrey, becoming the first United player to score in seven straight home games in all competitions since Wayne Rooney in 2012.

Rashford spoke after the match on his current form being "up there with the best" he has ever produced, and Martinez feels the sky is the limit for the 25-year-old.

"For me, Rashy is an incredible player," the World Cup winner told Sky Sports.

"He can be anything he wants to be, it all depends on him.

"I see him around the place and he's such a professional. I know how much he gives every day in the training sessions, and I like to think that I'm always there to help him and speak with him if he needs any advice."

 

Prior to the Everton win, United team-mate Casemiro labelled Rashford a "spectacular" player who can go on to be one of the top five players in the world, and Martinez agrees with the Brazil international, citing the work Rashford carries out for the team as a key part of his game.

"I totally agree with Casemiro," the centre-back explained. "He's a key player for us and he's the sort of player who can turn a game in an instant. 

"He's got a great attitude and I think he's going to be one of the best players in the world.

"But it's not just about his individual aspects, it's his work-rate as well. He's got that team ethic and team spirit about him."

Friday's cup triumph was United's seventh consecutive win in all competitions, and Martinez believes players fighting for their places is one of the main reasons for that streak, saying: "I like when there's competition for places, I think it's a positive.

"The vibe and the atmosphere in the dressing room is really positive and I'm proud we're on this good run. It shows we are on the right road and we are making progress.

"Training is even more lively than it's ever been. We can't drop our guard, but three wins and three clean sheets is something to build on."

United boss Erik ten Hag, meanwhile, labelled Martinez as having the personality needed to succeed at the club, and did not hold back in hitting out at some of the club's previous signings over recent years.

"The club has bought an unimaginable number of players in recent years who have not been good enough," Ten Hag told VI Magazine.

"Most purchases have been average and at United average is not good enough.

"United's shirt weighs heavily. Only real personalities, who can perform under great pressure, can play here.

"We needed personalities. That's why the acquisition of Casemiro was so important. Along with Raphael Varane, we now have a second player who has experience of winning titles.

"[Tyrell] Malacia, Martinez, Casemiro, Antony are all fighters, while Christian Eriksen is a technical winner and a great personality. We want the best of the best."

Martinez only returned to Manchester last week after his success in Qatar with Argentina, travelling back to his home nation to join the celebrations before switching his attentions back to club football.

"The celebrations were crazy," Martinez added. "One thing that really hits home is how happy you've made everybody back home.

"Growing up, we've all watched videos of previous World Cups, back in 1978 and in 1986 with Diego Maradona.

"I have to look at images and videos for it to sink in because the idea that we actually won it, to see the enormity of that reality, you have to look at the images to know it's true."

Bayern Munich ruled out rushing through a deal for a new goalkeeper as Yann Sommer emerged as a prime target to replace the injured Manuel Neuer.

The 34-year-old Sommer has a contract with Borussia Monchengladbach that runs to the end of this season.

Bayern are weighing up a bid before the January transfer window closes, but they are away in Doha at a training camp for now, so nothing appears imminent.

Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic spoke at a press conference in the Qatari city on Saturday, where he said efforts were under way to resolve the problem that arose when Neuer suffered a broken leg on a post-World Cup skiing holiday.

Having confirmed Bayern's interest in Switzerland international Sommer on Friday, Salihamidzic has now stressed a deal is not yet in place.

"As I said yesterday, I don't like to talk about other clubs' players," said the former Bayern defender. "The topic of the goalkeeper is of course one where we're thinking about it, but we're working on everything.

"Of course, Manuel's injury is a big blow for us. We're going to continue our work, check options, and then make a decision.

"We have until January 31 and until then we'll either do something or not."

The prospect of the goalkeeper issue going to the wire still appears unlikely, given Bayern resume their Bundesliga campaign on January 20 after the extended winter break.

Coach Julian Nagelsmann would ideally want the situation resolved by then, with there being seemingly little prospect of Alexander Nubel returning from his loan at Monaco.

Nubel has indicated a reluctance to come back, having become a regular in the Monaco team, and Salihamidzic says Bayern are aware of his stance.

"We have had very good communication between us, him and his management. We know exactly what the situation is," said the sporting director.

Bayern will be without defender Noussair Mazraoui for several weeks after announcing on Friday that medical tests had showed up an inflammation issue relating to his heart.

The Morocco international tested positive for COVID-19 at the World Cup, before recovering in time to face France in the semi-finals.

Subsequent tests have shown Mazraoui has a mild inflammation of the pericardium, which is the fluid-filled fibrous sac surrounding the heart.

Salihamidzic said it was unclear whether Mazraoui had been brought back too soon by Morocco.

"It's hard to tell if it was too early or not. He talked to [Morocco] medical staff, he talked to our medical staff, and he had tests. The tests were okay," Salihamidzic said.

"We don't know how it is with post-COVID. It's quite a blow for us that we have to be without him now.

"We'll talk about why this has happened to us. He's an important player for us, so we'll have to try to replace him.

"Of course he will be able to take all the time that he needs to recover. We'll have a test every week and see how he feels from week to week, but for now we're without him."

Jamaican footballer Tarick Ximines has signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Belgian Pro League club Cercle Brugge K.S.V, the club made the announcement via social media on Wednesday.

Ximines, 18, played a vital role in Jamaica College’s success in the recently-concluded schoolboy football season which saw them win the Manning Cup and Champions Cup double.

He also played for two Jamaica Premier League teams Harbour View and Mount Pleasant, scoring one goal in 16 games for the former and one goal in five appearances for the latter.

Ximines has also made two appearances for the Reggae Boyz and became the youngest ever Reggae Boy to feature for the senior team in a Concacaf World Cup Qualifier at 17 years and 5 months when he made his debut against Canada at the BMO Field on March 27.

The Football Association (FA) is investigating an alleged homophobic chant during Manchester United's FA Cup tie with Everton.

United won Friday's contest 3-1 at Old Trafford to reach the fourth round at the expense of their fellow Premier League side.

A section of home supporters were heard using homophobic language, with the chant thought to be aimed at Everton manager Frank Lampard.

The FA released a statement after the match confirming it is looking into the matter.

"We continue to work closely with the Crown Prosecution Service, as well as the UK Football Policing Unit, in relation to the use of this term," the statement read. 

"Part of our work in this area has been to provide the relevant authorities with impact statements from LGBTQ+ supporters, detailing how chants of this nature affects their experience and feeling of inclusion at football matches, so that a clearer stance and understanding on the chant can be established.

"We stand firmly against all forms of discrimination and we are striving to ensure our game is a safe environment for all, which truly embraces diversity and challenges hateful conduct both on and off the pitch."

Conor Coady levelled up for Everton after Antony's early strike, but the defender then put into his own net prior to Marcus Rashford's late penalty sealing progression for United.

In a widely released statement of their own on Friday, United also condemned the chanting from their supporters.

"Homophobia, like all forms of discrimination, has no place in football," the statement read. "Manchester United is proud of our diverse fan base and the work we have done to reduce instances like we sadly heard today.

"We will continue to campaign for inclusivity and to tackle discriminatory abuse whether inside stadiums or online. This includes working with fan groups to educate fans on the offence which discriminatory language causes."

The incident comes less than a week on from Nottingham Forest launching an investigation into allegations of homophobic chanting directed at Chelsea fans in a 1-1 draw.

Zinedine Zidane saw an obvious route back into coaching blocked off when France elected to stick with Didier Deschamps, raising the question of where the former Real Madrid boss could end up.

News came through on Saturday of a new deal for Deschamps that keeps him with France through to the 2026 World Cup.

Had Deschamps been unable to agree terms with the French Football Federation, or elected to walk away after his team's World Cup final penalty shoot-out defeat to Argentina, it seemed Zidane would have been the obvious choice as his successor.

Now, however, he must wait for the chance to coach his country, if it ever arrives, but Zidane should not give up hope of working at the top level in international football.

According to former Brazil playmaker Juninho Pernambucano, coaching the Selecao would be a "perfect" role for the 50-year-old former Ballon d'Or winner.

It has been a long-standing tradition for only Brazilians to be head coach of their national team, but ex-Lyon star Juninho thinks an exception should be made for Zidane.

Tite stepped down after Brazil's World Cup quarter-final exit, creating the current vacancy.

"Football is a democratic sport. Everyone can participate, although the priority will always be a coach from your country, who knows the local football," Juninho told French broadcaster RMC.

"But if today you don't have a name that is unanimous in Brazil, why not look outside? But you can't take someone outside because you're going to propose a huge contract."

Juninho floated the name of Fernando Diniz, who is head coach of Fluminense and "makes his team play in an incredible way".

Unlike Zidane, however, Diniz has yet to win major silverware as a coach.

"I see Zidane as the perfect coach for Brazil," Juninho added.

Speaking in October, Zidane, who has won three Champions League titles as a coach, said he was looking to get back into work.

He had been linked with Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain, and club opportunities may be presented now it is clear he will not be stepping into the France job.

"Do I miss the coaching suit? No, I'm not far away," Zidane said. "We're waiting, we're waiting a little bit. Soon, soon."

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