'Why would Hazard want to leave Chelsea?' – former Blues captain Hollins questions Real Madrid move

With the Belgian continuing to be linked with a move to Real Madrid, an ex-skipper questions why he should even consider leaving

Eden Hazard has no reason to leave Chelsea, according to former Stamford Bridge captain John Hollins.

Hazard has regularly been linked with a move to Real Madrid in recent months and has spoken publicly about his desire to play for the Spanish giants in the past.

The Belgium international is currently weighing up whether to extend his current contract past 2020 as speculation continues about his future.

But former Blues skipper Hollins has questioned why Hazard would want to consider leaving at all at this stage of his career, even to a club like Madrid.

“Hazard is happy here, he’s in London, it’s a lovely city and his family are all settled,” Hollins told Love Sport Radio. “Why would you want to get up and settle again when you are on top money, you’re the main man of Chelsea who can do anything you want, and you’re still a Belgium international? You must think to yourself ‘why would I want to move?’

“The players around him suit him, he also uses his skills against players who want to kick him and [those around him] protect him.”

Chelsea face Manchester United at Stamford Bridge on Saturday looking to maintain their unbeaten start to the season under new boss Maurizio Sarri.

And Hollins has been impressed with the impact Sarri had made since replacing Antonio Conte in July.

“[Sarri] is not one that wants to be in the limelight. He sits on the side there and has a cigarette now and again. I don’t know whether that’s what keeps him calm!”

Hollins has also backed Alvaro Morata to succeed at a difficult few months for the striker at Stamford Bridge.

Morata scored just once in his opening nine matches of the campaign but has since scored twice in his last two games ahead of Saturday’s Red Devils visit.

“There’s always someone saying ‘let’s get rid of him and bring somebody else in’ but Morata has scored again now so hopefully that will strengthen his position – and it’s a very good position to be in, whoever is in it,” added Hollins.

“You’ve got Hazard, Willian and other people around you. They’ve started off, they haven’t been beaten, they’re playing well, Christmas will come and there might be a few presents bought there and brought into the team and they’ll most probably win the league. Then all of a sudden you’re in the Champions League!”

PSG's Tuchel hopes Verratti and Di Maria can face Napoli

Marco Verratti and Angel Di Maria both came off in Paris Saint-Germain’s 5-0 win over Amiens, yet Thomas Tuchel hopes they can face Napoli.

Thomas Tuchel expects to have Paris Saint-Germain pair Marco Verratti and Angel Di Maria available for Wednesday’s Champions League tie with Napoli, despite both coming off in the 5-0 win over Amiens.

PSG’s winning streak to start the 2018-19 Ligue 1 campaign was stretched to 10 games with another comfortable victory on Saturday, with Marquinhos and Adrien Rabiot heading in from first-half corners before Julian Draxler, Kylian Mbappe and substitute Moussa Diaby all scored in the final 10 minutes.

Tuchel was able to rest Neymar after he had featured for Brazil four days earlier, yet the German was given cause for concern as Verratti came off at half-time while Di Maria, who had set up the first two goals, only lasted 59 minutes.

PSG travel to Naples next week for a crucial Champions League tie with Napoli and Tuchel is confident both players, and Thiago Silva, will be fit to feature.

“[Verratti] felt a muscle discomfort,” Tuchel explained at his news conference.

“Like Angel Di Maria. But I think they can play against Napoli. Same for Thiago Silva, who also felt muscle discomfort at the end of training [on Friday]. It was too risky to play this afternoon.”

PSG had scored at least three goals in their previous nine victories and they kept that sequence going with a late flurry, though Tuchel admitted the final scoreline was a little flattering.

“It was not a great performance on our part, but we were serious and provided a great collective effort,” Tuchel added.

“We deserved to win, even if the score seems a little too high.”

One man who did not got on the scoresheet was striker Edinson Cavani.

PSG’s all-time top scorer sliced a glaring opportunity wide in the first period and Tuchel admitted he had kept the striker on the pitch so he could try and get among the goals.

“It’s normal that a real number nine like him is sad when he has not scored,” Tuchel said.

“Maybe it was better to take him out after an hour of play but I left him on the field because I was hoping he would score a goal. That was not the case but he can score against Napoli.”

Top 10 sights in Rome

Rome may not be the capital of the world these days, but it is still one of the most historically-packed cities. It’s cityscape as theatre, filled with monumental spectacle. Here the past thrusts through the walls of the present, but it’s not a heritage city pandering to the past: it’s chaotic, relaxed and frantic, filled to the brim with its stylish, traditional, anarchic, conformist, self-centred, charming and ebullient inhabitants. There’s a lot to see, but make time for idling in sunbathed cafes, getting lost in narrow cobbled streets, and whiling away hours at local trattorie. Rome is so packed with wonders, be they ancient Roman, Renaissance or baroque (and often all three rolled into one), that they appear around every corner, even if you don’t seek them out.

1. The Vatican

Historically beautiful, rich and powerful, it was in the Ager Vaticanus stadium just south of the Vatican that 1st-century emperor Nero martyred the Christian faithful. Among them was apostle Peter, whose tomb lies beneath the monumental St Peter’s Basilica (Basilica di San Pietro). Downstairs in the Vatican grottoes are the papal tombs, among them the simple marble slab that Pope John Paul II now calls home. Far less modest are the adjacent Vatican Museums, an exhausting feast of art, and home to the world’s most famous frescoes in the legendary Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo’s astounding ceiling and wall frescoes that take the cake – picture terrified sinners and ravishing prophets bursting out in 3-D brilliance.

2. Trastevere

Rome’s picture-perfect ‘left bank’ can still sock an edgy cultural punch. Hip, contemporary galleries stud its cobbled streets and it’s here you’ll find the ever-diminishing trasteverini, the real-deal locals who consider themselves Rome’s true classical descendants. It’s no wonder sensitive souls still feel at home. Trastevere is a visual charmer, crammed with ivy-tickled ochre façadesk, labyrinthine laneways, vintage trattorias and buzzing, chilled-out squares. Indeed, the area is a hit with foreigners, who flock here to live out their Roman fantasy. There’s even an American university on Via della Lungara for those needing a heftier reason to linger.

3. Palatine Hill

With its tranquil vibe and unforgettable views, the Palatine’s appeal is clear. A snoop around Museo Palatino is a good place to start your hillside exploration. From here, ramble through the ruins, which boast highlights such as Emperor Domitian’s epic Domus Flavia (Imperial Palace); the stucco-laced Casa dei Grifi ; the 16th-century Orti Faranesi gardens; and the Casa di Livia, whose sumptuous frescoes now wow in Museo Nazionale Romano: Palazzo Massimo alle Terme.

4. San Lorenzo & Il Pigneto

Political street art, grungy centri sociali (social centres) and hardcore leftist leanings – San Lorenzo is Rome’s radical heartland. Born as a 19th-century slum and famed for its anti-Fascist history, it’s now a hip hang-out for real-deal bohemians, avant-garde artists and the swarms of students from the nearby La Sapienza university campus. To the east, beyond the Bladerunner-style overpasses of Circonvallazione Tiburtina, raffish Il Pigneto is quickly becoming Rome’s hippest quartiere (neighbourhood). It’s a beguiling mix of African migrant hang-outs, counterculture cool, and slinky new bars and shops. Drop by in the evening to feel the local vibe, when local bohemians pour into the bars. Leave some room for new-school dining, before grungy late-night culture and clubbing.

5. Appian Way

The cypress-fringed Appian Way is a classical Sunset Blvd; it’s shrouded in legends and tales of famous faces. Only here the protagonists aren’t faded divas, they’re saviours and saints. Heading the cast is Christ himself, who is said to have appeared to St Peter where Chiesa del Domine Quo Vadis now stands. It’s hard to dispute the otherworldly lure of Rome’s ancient highway, where secret frescoes and long-forgotten epigraphs lurk below rolling hills, crumbled mausoleums and ancient chariot racetracks. If possible, hit the strip on Sundays, when traffic is banned and Rome’s ‘Queen of the Roads’ turns into pedal-friendly bliss.

6. Roman panoramas

Originally perched on seven hills, and now sprawling over several more, Rome seems specially made for jaw-dropping vistas. Other cities might boast taller peaks – both natural and artificial – but few can match the Eternal City’s near-flawless historical sweeps.

7. City summer festivals

Puccini among the ruins, Herbie Hancock under the stars: summertime in Rome is a seriously swinging affair. While temperatures continue to soar and many clubs and restaurants still shut for a little R&R, the Eternal City has shrugged off its reputation as a summertime wasteland with a bumper season of thumping festivals. From June to September, mammoth culture-fest Estate Romana transforms the city into a giant stage: conductors rouse their orchestras at the Roman Forum, celluloid classics light up the Colosseum, and parks turn into theatres.

8. Capitolene Museums at Piazzo Del Campidoglio

The planet’s oldest public museum is a powder keg of legend, lust and melodrama, encapsulated in Rome’s collection of classical treasures. The collection was established by Pope Sixtus IV in 1471, who donated a few bronze statues to the city. One of the gifts was the iconic 5th-century BC Etruscan bronze She-Wolf (complete with suckling Renaissance twins), now feeding happily on Palazzo dei Conservatori’s 1st floor.

9. Museo e Galleria Borghese

There are good art museums. There are great art museums. And then there’s the Museo e Galleria Borghese. Upstaging most of the national competition (no mean feat in Italy), and one that’s well worth the slight hassle of the phone call or mouse click required to book a ticket. You have bon vivant Cardinal Scipione Borghese to thank for the collection. He was the most ruthless art collector of his day, stopping at nothing to get what he wanted. He had Cavaliere d’Arpino flung into jail in order to confiscate his canvases, and had Domenichino arrested to force him to surrender The Hunt of Diana. Less questionable was his decision to have 17th-century wedding cake Villa Borghese built to house his ever-expanding cultural booty.

10. Galleria Doria Pamphilj

Lavish Galleria Doria Pamphilj boasts one of the capital’s richest private art collections, with works by Raphael, Caravaggio, Titian, Tintoretto, Brueghel, Bernini and Velázquez in the mix.
It’s housed in the blingtastic Palazzo Doria Pamphilj, whose decadent Gallery of Mirrors resembles a snack-sized Versailles. Ready to help you tackle the booty is palace resident Jonathon Pamphilj (on the free audioguide), whose anecdotes about the art, sumptuous rooms and the odd ancestral scandal transform the space into a living, breathing entity. The most striking piece is Velázquez’s psychologically-present portrait of Pope Innocent X. Upon its unveiling, the pontiff grumbled that the depiction was ‘too real’. He wasn’t wrong – you can actually feel his critical gaze sizing you up. Thankfully, Bernini’s sculpted version of the 17th-century pontiff won’t leave you feeling quite as guilty.

Sarri 'not interested' in Christensen father's quit threat

The Denmark international’s Chelsea future remains shrouded in doubt, but his manager at Stamford Bridge says he still features in his plans

Maurizio Sarri is “not interested” in threats made by Andreas Christensen’s father that the defender could ask to leave Chelsea in the next transfer window.

Denmark international Christensen said this month that he may look to depart Stamford Bridge if he fails to force himself back into the first-team reckoning.

Christensen has struggled to nail down a regular spot this term, with boss Sarri employing a four-man defence and choosing to regularly partner Antonio Rudiger alongside David Luiz at centre-back.

Indeed, the 22-year-old’s only appearances this season have come in the Carabao Cup and Europa League, leading his father and agent Sten to tell Danish television that they will ask Chelsea for a January transfer if the situation does not change.

“If his situation doesn’t change around Christmas, we’ll obviously schedule a chat with Chelsea and say: ‘Okay, what can we do for Andreas? Can we move him?’” Sten told Danish television.

“For me it’s not a loan again. Either it’s Chelsea or else he needs to leave. I don’t think a loan is the optimal situation for Andreas. It’s sort of either or.

“I think, unfortunately, Chelsea have too many players who just go out on loan if [the club] isn’t going to use them and I don’t think Andreas should get caught in that.”

But Sarri, who insists Christensen still has a future with the Blues, is giving those comments little thought.

Speaking at a news conference ahead of Saturday’s Premier League clash with Manchester United, Sarri said: “I am not interested in [the father’s comments]. What can I say? 

“I think that in the first part of the season David and Antonio have played very well, it is not easy to change. 

“In our last six matches, Christensen has played in three matches. I think for his father he thinks he is not important, but for us he is important. 

“He is very young, he has to improve, but I think he is a technical defender so is suitable for my way of football. In the future he will be able to play very often.” 

Guardiola hails 'extraordinary' Fernandinho after Burnley drubbing

The Catalan boss paid tribute to the Brazilian and John Stones among others after the 5-0 thrashing of the Clarets at the Etihad on Saturday

Pep Guardiola has singled out an “extraordinary” Fernandinho after the midfielder scored a breathtaking goal in a 5-0 defeat of Burnley that sent Manchester City back to the top of the Premier League.

City were already on track for victory at the Etihad Stadium thanks to goals from Sergio Aguero and Bernardo Silva before the Brazilain’s rocket secured all three points for the champions.

Riyad Mahrez and Leroy Sane added further goals in the closing stages, with an ideal day for City completed by Kevin De Bruyne’s return to action after two months on the sidelines.

But it was Fernandinho and John Stones – the England defender filling in on the right side of defence – who caught Guardiola’s eye.

“All the players make a good performance, especially John, playing in a position that is not natural for him in the absence of Kyle [Walker] and Danilo,” the Spaniard told a news conference. 

“He did really well, Fernandinho made an extraordinary performance and in general, especially in the second half, it was a good performance.

“Fernandinho was so important for us, no doubt. Today he was clever in finding more time to find the strikers, wingers and attacking midfielders. His body shape, every time he received the ball he was ready to play.

“So he was incredible, today was one of the best performances of the season and we’re delighted, he is a key player for us.”

Mahrez bounced back from missing a penalty at the end of a 0-0 draw at Liverpool before the international break with a fine display that was capped with the goal of the day, a 25-yard curler which beat Joe Hart on his return to the Etihad.

“He played so good at Anfield, that’s why I decided to play him again,” Guardiola told reporters of the former Leicester City star. “It was not easy there, he plays with a lot of personality, football can happen, but only takers can miss penalties.

“He scored an incredible goal, with an aggressive approach with the ball to go to the full-backs, the movement between the full-backs, especially in the second half with Phil [Foden], was so good. The second half Bernardo moved better in that position and we made a good performance.

“But we knew it – he [Mahrez] is a talented player and a guy who likes to play with the ball and he doesn’t miss balls. In the box, he is a dangerous guy because he can go to the byline or score with his left or his right, he is a good signing for us.”

City face Shahktar Donetsk in the Champions League on Tuesday and Guardiola indicated the returning De Bruyne is ready to play a part.

“He has no pain, physically he is a guy who is so strong, he needs minutes, this is the first time he played 30 minutes and this is so important,” the Catalan continued.

“We have a lot of games but of course he’s not new – not like Riyad – three years together so when I say something he knows what we have to do. He’s another important player and he’s back and will help us to achieve what we want to do. The first target is to play good.”

Simeone glad to have Costa back for Dortmund clash

Atletico Madrid’s manager praised his striker ahead of Wednesday’s match in Germany

Diego Simeone emphasised the importance of Diego Costa ahead of the Atletico Madrid striker’s potential return against Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

Costa has been sidelined with a hamstring injury but the Spain international is in the squad for Wednesday’s Group A trip to in-form Bundesliga side Dortmund.

The 30-year-old has struggled for form this season, the former Chelsea star is yet to score in LaLiga, though he did find the net in Atletico’s 2-1 triumph over Monaco in Europe.

Simeone, however, praised Costa as he told reporters: “Diego Costa always give us physical and moral strength.

“He is a very important player for the character he transmits to the team, and his potential as a football player.

“He didn’t play the last days, and we’ll see if he is in the first 11 or not. He trained very well [on Monday], and he showed enthusiasm.

“When he is enthusiastic, it makes the fans, his team-mates, and the technical staff happy.”

Dortmund and Atletico are the runaway leaders in Group A with two wins from as many matches, while Club Brugge and Monaco are yet to register a point.

Dortmund are also top of the table in Germany thanks to the goals of Paco Alcacer, who has scored eight times in all competitions since arriving from LaLiga champions Barcelona.

“Regarding his football, we are not surprised,” Simeone added. “He is a decisive player, close to the area, short moves that make the full-backs find him to finish the game.

“And confidence is something so important for a player. Paco just found continuity and he has answered with something he did in the teams where he has that situation.”

Barcelona regretting sending Paco Alcacer to Borussia Dortmund

The striker has been reborn since joining BVB on loan, netting eight times in five games in all competitions, as well as scoring three goals for Spain

Is it a fairy tale, or a miracle?

Already joint-top of the Bundesliga goal chart with seven goals from four appearances, Paco Alcacer seems reborn at Borussia Dortmund after two dismal years with Barcelona.

The Spanish hotshot’s instant stardom in Germany has come as such a surprise that the search for an explanation has sparked some extreme theories.

“It’s almost like a modern-day fairy tale,” general manager Michael Zorc said. “Nobody would have expected Paco to work out so well, so soon.”

Even Spain boss Luis Enrique has been unable to resist a striker who may have been blessed by a higher power after mostly overlooking the 25-year-old in their year together at Camp Nou.

“He is massive at the moment as he is in a state that players rarely reach,” he said amid Alcacer’s run of three goals in two games for La Roja last week. “What we are seeing from him is miraculous.”

But the story of Alcacer will not be found in any anthology of whimsical stories, nor is it written in biblical prophecy. The move to Dortmund has not revealed him as football’s ugly duckling and although Borussia Dortmund fans are basking in his goals, they are not manna from heaven.

Instead, it was Japanese manga artist One who came closest to predicting the unlikely hero’s rise to prominence in the famous series ‘One-Punch Man’.

The webcomic and now popular anime show’s main character, Saitama, is an underestimated 25-year-old who possesses no real superpowers, but regardless of the threat of the monster or villain wreaking havoc, he only ever needs one hit to save the planet.

Having taken seven shots on target to score as many goals in just 126 minutes of Bundesliga football, as well as netting once in the Champions League too, Alcacer has shown Dortmund that he is the unlikely hero to call upon to land a crucial blow when needed.

He has been impressive enough to fight his way back into the national team, announcing himself on his first Spain game for over two and a half years with a double against Wales.

As Spain were being pummelled 3-0 by England at half-time days later, Luis Enrique introduced the man he knew packed a fair wallop capable of wounding the Three Lions. A minute after coming on, he made his impact as he headed in Marco Asensio’s corner to lift La Roja.

Although Alcacer had been known as a dangerous attacker as he blossomed at Valencia before taking on a minor role at Barcelona in 2016, he is firing at a new level now.

Being stuck behind the stars in Catalunya does not seem to have damaged his confidence and he looks even sharper with his positioning and eye for space.

“I don’t think I’ve lost two years [at Barcelona],” he said this week. “In terms of the number of minutes I had, it’s clear that I’d have liked to play more, but I have improved a lot as a footballer and as a person.”

The sudden revitalisation sounded simple when he explained it to Teledeporte : “It’s a bit of everything: a [good] streak, confidence, having minutes and, above all, working every day when you do not play to be able to be well when you return.”

Had Barcelona known it was that easy to get the best out of him, they may have held off on allowing him to move to Germany on loan with a €23 million (£20m/$26.5m) buying option, especially as the Spanish side head into Sunday’s meeting against Real Madrid without Lionel Messi.

Indeed, the struggles of former Bordeaux sensation Malcom only reflects worse on their summer business, whereas it seems the German team have pulled off a masterstroke.

Dortmund already seem convinced and ready to snap him up permanently, even though he has played only one full game.

Alcacer was injured when joined in late-August but got off to a perfect start as he came off the bench and soon blasted in from the edge of the box to seal a 3-1 win against Eintracht Frankfurt.

In his next appearance, he came on for the last 30 minutes against Bayer Leverkusen to score a late double and complete an impressive comeback as Dortmund won 4-2. He went one better in the same amount of time the following week in a thrilling encounter against Augsburg – landing the final blow deep in injury time to complete a hat-trick in a 4-3 victory.

It was an excellent treble to showcase the depth of his ability as an attacker. Racing in front of the defenders, he got into the perfect position in the box to meet Jadon Sancho’s low cross to level the score – he had been on for three minutes.

After Augsburg regained the lead, he nipped in to meet a chipped pass and hook it past the goalkeeper at the near post. He saved the best for last, lashing home a free-kick in the dying seconds to put it all to bed.

The excellent record was kept alive on Saturday when he cut out a pass and charged towards goal to beat Ron-Robert Zieler and net the third of a 4-0 win over Stuttgart before being taken off at half-time.

“It was a very, very, very good transfer,” coach Lucien Favre said, summing up Dortmund’s glee as they sit unbeaten at the top of the league.

Embarking on a battle to unseat the Bavarian behemoth that is Bayern Munich and challenging Europe’s best in the Champions League, Dortmund are hoping Alcacer can be the hero who makes the difference.

'Prove you're crazy about Inter' – Spalletti rallies players ahead of Milan derby

The fans will never forget the result of Sunday’s game, according to the Nerazzurri boss

Manager Luciano Spalletti has challenged his players to prove they are “crazy about Inter” by winning the Milan derby at San Siro on Sunday.

Inter are four points ahead of AC Milan and have not lost any of their previous four Serie A meetings with their city rivals, though last October’s 3-2 victory remains their only win during that time.

Spalletti, who took charge in 2017, acknowledged that a derby game is like no other and had no intention of playing it down, calling on his players to show just how much playing for the club means to them.

“The derby is a match that means a lot more because of what it can create in the minds of the players and the fans,” Spalletti told a media conference.

“This week we’ve focused exclusively on the derby.

“This match is the best gauge of just how crazy we are about Inter.”

Spalletti noted the contest has extra significance for Inter fans and suggested it might mean more to them than landmark dates in their personal lives.

“We want to play this derby in an open style,” he added.

“There will be a lot of Inter fans at the stadium and an extra stand of fans who are watching from home.

“The Inter fans might forget the date of their spouse’s birthday, but they won’t forget the result in the derby. If you want to make Inter history, you need to win these games.”

Barcelona show steel after Messi's injury blow in strong start to key week

The La Liga giants had to deal with a knock to their star man, but showed they could cope in a strong start to a crucial week in their season

It would have been no surprise if Barcelona wilted.

Given the fragility of their defence in recent weeks and the nine points dropped from the last 12 available, Lionel Messi’s first-half injury was the last thing the team needed. Especially at the start of a run of three matches which could define their season.

But instead of letting their heads drop, Ernesto Valverde’s men arrested a run of four league games without a win to romp to a 4-2 triumph against Sevilla on Saturday night at Camp Nou..

Messi writhed in agony on the pristine surface, having damaged his right arm. Barcelona limped on for a few minutes with 10 men before doctor Daniel Florit made the signal and Ousmane Dembele came on to replace him.

It was Florit’s first match with the Barcelona first team, having transferred over from the club’s basketball section – what a way to begin.

Barcelona were 2-0 up at the time, the first goal created by Messi for Philippe Coutinho and the second curled home by the Argentine maestro, and against opponents as potent as Sevilla, the stage was set for the champions to collapse.

It has been a gripping Liga season, with any team capable of beating any other, as Barcelona and Madrid have found out. Sevilla, who sat top of the table until Friday night when Alaves overtook them, had a taste and wanted more.

But Barcelona sit top, after they pulled their socks up and swept past Sevilla to the delight of a nervous Camp Nou, who did not know how the team would respond to Messi’s injury.

For the most part it was a clever, cool reaction, and with the No 10  ruled out for the Champions League clash with Inter Milan on Wednesday and Sunday’s Clasico against Real Madrid, they must find this performance again.

Messi is so crucial to the Valverde system, perhaps more crucial than he has been in any other Barcelona side he has played in, that without him it could have fallen to pieces.

Luis Suarez was one of the players who refused to let that happen. The Uruguayan, who worked with physiotherapists during the international break on a long-running knee problem, produced his best performance of the season to drive Barcelona on.

Fighting and scrapping with his usual vigour, Suarez never let Sevilla get on the front foot, keeping Barcelona pressing high in attack.

It was his determined run onto a through ball that forced Sevilla goalkeeper Tomas Vaclik to bring him down, and Suarez drove home the penalty to put Barcelona three goals up.

The defence collapsed at the end, letting in two goals which will frustrate Valverde, but for well over an hour, Gerard Pique and Clement Lenglet showed their partnership can work.

Perhaps the goals netted by Pablo Sarabia and Luis Muriel can be chalked up to minds drifting towards the challenges ahead.

Because Messi or no Messi, this is the most important week of Barcelona’s season so far and one which could have a big impact on how the rest of it unfolds.

Denmark Street and Soho: London’s Tin Pan Alley

Picture the scene: in a cramped booth lined with egg cartons, Mick Jagger is crooning ‘Little by Little’ while Gene Pitney tinkles the ivories and Phil Spector taps a coin against an empty bottle to mark the beat. That was how the Rolling Stones’ first album came into being – at least, if you trust Keith Richards’ memories. Which you may well choose not to, under the circumstances.

It’s certainly true that the Stones did spend a few days in early 1964 dashing out songs on an old two-track recorder in Regent Sounds Studio at 4 Denmark Street – and the rest is musical history.

But it’s only a small part of that history. Because this patch of Soho, and particularly Denmark St, has long been the beating heart – and the heart of the beat – of London’s music scene. It’s London’s Tin Pan Alley.

In the 1920s Denmark Street became a centre for music publishing; by the 1960s it was lined with writers’ and publishers’ offices.

Music shops followed the publishers to Denmark Street. In 1920 the Rose brothers and Victor Morris opened their eponymous store – it’s still there, and now the capital’s largest music shop. Macari’s – founded in 1958, now at number 25 – created the Fuzz Box effects pedal beloved of Jimmy Page, Pete Townsend and countless other axe heroes.

Studios blossomed in the 60s, bringing the stars to the street: as well as the Stones, the Kinks, Jimi Hendrix and later Stevie Wonder and Elton John laid down tracks here, while bands including the Beatles and the Sex Pistols jammed in minuscule rehearsal rooms. In fact, the Pistols lived at a flat above no 6, while a then-impoverished David Bowie reputedly lived in a campervan on the street.

Unsurprisingly, this area is the place to catch new acts. Long-time favourite 12 Bar Club at number 26 stages gigs seven nights a week, booking new and rising singer-songwriters for the intimate – OK, tiny – venue. Across Charing Cross Road on Manette Street, The Borderline is a basement dive popular for up-and-coming indie acts.

Just along Oxford Street, the 100 Club, originally Mack’s, has hosted jazz sessions since 1942. It’s still open, success assured by a chameleon booking policy that encompasses blues, R&B, punk and indie music – the Sex Pistols, the Clash, Oasis and Muse have all rocked and rolled here.

The infamous Marquee Club went through a succession of incarnations around here, when at 90 Wardour Street it hosted Bowie, Hendrix, Led Zeppelin, the Cure, Joy Division and – of course – the Sex Pistols.

But it was in the Marquee’s first venue at 165 Oxford Street – now a bank – that an early lineup of the Stones played in 1963. Just a year later they’d be singing to egg cartons… and, a few months down the line, global rock stars.

Today, Denmark Street has an edgy, slightly ramshackle feel that suits its heritage, awash with tattooed, pierced musicians bantering and scheming. Everyone who’s anyone – or who wants to be someone – has picked up an instrument here: Bobs Marley and Dylan, Clapton, Townsend, and still they come. Denmark Place, a dingy alley alongside the 12 Bar, is aflutter with flyers calling for singers and musicians.

At number 4, Regent Sounds – where that first Stones album was nurtured into life – is itself being reborn as a specialist independent guitar shop. At the rear of the store, the wall of that vocal booth is plastered with Stones memorabilia (including frankly frightening shots of a pubescent-looking Jagger), while a small stage hosts in-store events.

Denmark Street is still a place where pipe dreams (or guitar, drum or bass dreams) are born. It’s a fascinating place to wander; after all, it’s good to visit dreamland every now and again. Even if it’s someone else’s dream.