A STRIKING COMPARISON
Three minutes, 35 seconds. That was all it took for Manchester City’s fragile hopes of a Bigger Cup comeback at the Bernabéu to be extinguished as Pep Guardiola’s side were exposed to their kryptonite – a very fast forward running on to a long ball. Kylian Mbappé jogged away from Rúben Dias and John Stones, and lifted the ball over Ederson with a single, devastating touch. Stones hobbled off injured moments later, and he may as well have taken the rest of his team with him. Mbappé wasn’t finished; the Real Madrid forward added another two beautifully taken goals in a merciless individual display. He has now scored seven Big Cup goals against City – the same as Lionel Messi – and for three different clubs to boot. In a competition that has, in the last decade, become essentially Real Madrid v Everyone Else (with Madrid leading 5-4 since 2015-16) the other 15 sides still in the perspex bowl for Friday’s last-16 draw must contemplate how to beat the defending champions, who have found a way to get the best out of their new superstar striker.
Aston Villa and Liverpool are also in the hat for the last 16. They met away from the Bigger Cup spotlight on Wednesday night, playing out a Premier League thriller at Villa Park. The visitors led through Mohamed Salah but, perhaps as perturbed as the rest of us by the sight of Marcus Rashford in claret and blue, ended up falling behind to hosts desperate to climb back into European contention. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deflected equaliser set up a grandstand final 30 minutes, and when Dominik Szoboszlai rolled the ball across an open goal to substitute Darwin Núñez, the narrative appeared to have been written. Instead, the much-maligned striker blazed the ball high into the North Stand. Núñez then failed to convert a one-on-one and Villa missed chances to twist the knife further, but if Liverpool are to topple from their perch this season, this is surely the moment that will cap the highlight reel.
That, of course, is a very big if. Even though Liverpool have drawn half of their eight league games since the turn of the year, they still sit in relative comfort, eight points clear of Arsenal. The Gunners do have the chance to apply some pressure this weekend – if they beat West Ham on Saturday. The gap would be reduced to five before Arne Slot’s side face a tricky trip to face … Pep Guardiola’s flying circus at the Etihad. Getting turned over by Real Madrid and Liverpool inside a week, their former arch-rivals in Bigger Cup and the Premier League respectively, would be a sad indictment of City’s stark regression this season. While Villa and Liverpool went toe-to-toe until the final bell, Guardiola’s latest battle with Real Madrid felt like a rematch too far. City barely laid a glove on their hosts in the Bernabéu cauldron, and now welcome a team 17 points above them in the table. City’s Premier League reign is over, but they at least have another chance to climb off the canvas and deliver a telling blow in the title race. Either that, or hope Núñez leaves his shooting boots at home again.
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One for the footy hipsters, join Rob Smyth for piping hot Europa League clockwatch action, with some achingly cool ties including Real Sociedad v Midtjylland, Ajax v Union Saint-Gilloise and, of course, Bodø/Glimt v FC Twente.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“It’s a really interesting question I’ve always wanted to answer. What made me this way? It’s also true when I became a professional. I felt superior. I felt I knew what was going to happen next … in the media we’d probably call it mind games but I wanted everyone I played against to be a little scared of me – or at least to be thinking about me” – Peter Schmeichel sits down for a Big Interview with Donald McRae to talk about his career, Cantona, Keane, his double-agent dad and the hurt of Old Trafford misery.
“Re Wednesday’s Memory Lane (full email edition), and at the risk of going down a rabbit hole from which we’ll never return, there is also a photograph of that photograph being taken. Hopefully there’s also a photograph of the photographer taking the second photo but sadly I haven’t been able to find it. Yet” – Jon Gregory.
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“What a pity the picture of Roy Pritchard (Tuesday’s Memory Lane, full email edition) should have been at Wolves, not Newcastle. The Gallowgate End would have written itself as a caption” – Trevor Field.
“I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out because I would like to find a new home for my late husband’s Yamaha baby grand piano. It holds sentimental value, and I would love to see it go to someone who truly appreciates music. If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in offering it a new home, please don’t hesitate to get in touch” – Beverley James.
Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Jon Gregory. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed here.
Article by:Source: Niall McVeigh
