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MADONNA

Madonna lashes out at Paris concert ‘thugs’

Madonna has blamed a handful of "thugs" for an rowdy outbreak that marred the end of a concert in Paris last week when the star bowed out after barely 45 minutes on stage.

Madonna lashes out at Paris concert 'thugs'
David Shankbone

Videos on YouTube showed concert-goers shouting "refund", while the US diva came under fire on Twitter from angry fans, some of whom paid more than 250

euros (300 dollars) and queued through the night for Thursday's event.

In a statement posted on her website Thursday, Madonna insisted that "playing the Olympia was a magical moment for me".

"Unfortunately at the end of the show — after I left the stage — a few thugs who were not my fans rushed the stage and started throwing plastic bottles pretending to be angry fans," she said.

"The press reports have focused on this and not the joyous aspect of the evening. But nothing can take away or ruin this very special evening for me
and my fans."

Madonna's performance at the Olympia was initially greeted with enthusiastic cheers but the mood turned sour as it became clear that the
53-year-old diva was not coming back for an encore after about 45 minutes.

A spokeswoman for the star said she had made an effort to keep ticket prices affordable for the Olympia show, which cost close to a million dollars
to produce.

The US celebrity website TMZ reported that the Thursday night fracas involved just a few dozen people, including supporters of France's far-right
National Front party.

The National Front has taken legal action against Madonna for screening a video showing its leader Marine Le Pen with a swastika on her forehead during
a concert in Paris earlier this month.

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FOOTBALL

Barça play ‘perfect game’ to thrash Roma in Champions League clash

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez hailed his team's 6-1 rout of Roma in the Champions League as a "perfect game", which also saw Lionel Messi start for the first time since returning from injury.

Barça play 'perfect game' to thrash Roma in Champions League clash
Photo: Lluis Gene/AFP

Suarez scored twice as the holders celebrated qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League with another stunning display on Tuesday.

Barcelona discovered they had qualified from Group E before they had kicked a ball at the Camp Nou, the 1-1 draw between BATE Borisov and Bayer Leverkusen in Belarus ensuring their passage.

Fresh from crushing eternal rivals Real Madrid 4-0 in La Liga action at the weekend, they then produced a performance that the Italians could not match to secure top spot in the section.

“We know that every player has to fulfil their expectations,” Suarez said.

“We played a perfect game, very complete, and we didn't leave any space in midfield. In the first half we put the game away.

“Neymar, Messi and I are here for the good of the team, for the good of Barca. We don't think individually.”

Messi, making his first return since injury, also notched up two goals.

“The people were waiting for Messi to return and we're all happy that he scored,” acknowledged Suarez.

Messi said there was an evident synchronicity with his teammates.

“With Neymar and Suarez we get on really well. We know we have a responsibility but we also want to have a good time,” the Argentinian said.

“I was really excited to have that feeling of coming back and playing again. I enjoyed watching the team, but playing is better.”

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