Part of the thinking behind the signing of Brazilian in 2017 was that he would in time become Manchester City’s most effective striker. Perhaps this has now happenedGlory, glory Hallelujah, é Gabriel Jesus. The busker outside the Maracanã knew his audience. For a while the walkway to the stadium was closed before Brazil’s Olympic final, the pre-match crowd backing up down the stairs as fans in yellow shirts sang along to the in-vogue dirge of the Rio games, a chant set to the tune of the US civil war song about John Brown’s body mouldering in his grave, and adapted here to take in the feats of a slightly-built 19-year-old utility attacker from the northern slums of São Paulo.Six months...
Pep Guardiola was right to say if there is any team that can turn the deficit around it is Madrid, but that old belief is starting to look like it may need revisingSergio Ramos walked off the pitch and, many imagined, straight out of Europe. “If there is any team, anywhere in the world that can turn this around it is Real Madrid,” Pep Guardiola said. But as the Real fans departed the Bernabéu, leaving their stadium to the Manchester City supporters singing Blue Moon high in the north-east corner, it did not feel like it.Without their captain, shown the 26th red card of his career at the end of those final 15 minutes that Zinedine Zidane said had been...
A night of noisy defiance at the Bernabéu turned to outright delirium as City emerged victorious from the belly of ‘the cartel’“We ask Manchester City’s fans to stay seated at the end of the match,” the Bernabéu PA pleaded as the minutes ticked down. Ha. Fat chance.Into the belly of the beast. And indeed, fuck Uefa too, as City’s fans insisted throughout the night from their perch in the gods. This was a glorious night for the insurgents from the east side of Manchester, as Pep Guardiola’s team went a long way towards effecting their own summary eviction from the Champions League. Related: Manchester City secure famous win at Real thanks to De Bruyne and Jesus Related: Real Madrid 1-2...
Caretaker manager has brought in new rigour at Bayern, something lacking so far at Chelsea under Frank LampardBayern Munich may not have all the answers, but they know all the right questions. They can finish you in more ways than almost any other team on the planet. You play through the press and they smother you with possession. You lock the front gate and they find a way around the side. You sit deep and they weave their dainty triangles around you. You commit high and they make you turn and run. Thwart their slick passing game for one half, and they simply take you to pieces in the next.This, essentially, is what happened to Chelsea here: after maintaining a...
The Atlético Madrid manager was at his whirling, grizzled best as his side claimed a first-leg advantage against LiverpoolJürgen Klopp stood and watched the referee pull the yellow card from his pocket, a symbol of his frustration, while to his right Diego Simeone raised the roof. Up and down the touchline Atlético Madrid’s manager went, wildly waving, clenching his fists, urging on the fans. Come on, he called, the coach conductor once more. Louder and louder they got, singing, flags waving, scarves whirling, all looking at him, all of them so alive. For Simeone, it has never been just about the players; it is about the place. And this place was his, like never before.With two minutes left, victory was...