The Paris Saint-Germain fans did all they could to lift their team against Real Madrid but the French side depart the competition with barely a whimper and questions over the ‘project’“All that, for that?” read L’Équipe’s damning headline on Wednesday morning. On a night when the team’s fans had done their best to create a raucous, fiery atmosphere, evincing their belief in a comeback for their side, Paris Saint-Germain unequivocally let their supporters down. Overturning Real Madrid’s 3-1 lead from the previous leg was always going to be a tall order, and the loss of Neymar to injury was also a not inconsiderable obstacle, even if his replacement, Ángel Di María had been in form of late. However, it was...
For the manager, no excuse will be tolerated – losing Neymar was unfortunate, but losing this tie will be seen as carelessAs he previewed his team’s Champions League showdown with Real Madrid on Tuesday, Unai Emery posed a question and tried not to sound like a man clutching at straws: “Why does Uefa let group winners play the second legs at home?” the Paris Saint‑Germain manager asked before providing the obvious answer. “Maybe because it is an advantage to play the second leg at home. Related: PSG can beat Real Madrid without Neymar – by playing as a team Continue reading...
The Sevilla stalemate drew mention of betraying United’s identity. José Mourinho is entitled to play the way he believes will get results but football should be about more than successSome Manchester United fans saw a wonderful game in Seville, it just wasn’t the one their team played in. A handful of supporters made the most of their team’s Champions League match, travelling to Spain early, and on Sunday they were at the Benito Villamarín with 50,000 others to see Real Betis lose 5-3 to Real Madrid. Three days later and three-and-a-half kilometres away they were among the 40,000 who watched United draw 0-0 at the Sánchez Pizjuán, on a night when their team had one shot on target.There is something...
Max Rushden and co reflect on Manchester City’s FA Cup exit, Champions League action and Sunderland’s sausage-making facilitiesRate, review, share on Apple Podcasts,Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast and Stitcher, and join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and email.Max Rushden is joined by Barry Glendenning, John Brewin and Jonathan Wilson to review an unexpected FA Cup exit for Manchester City, a goal at last for Lionel Messi against Chelsea and discuss what José Mourinho is doing to make Manchester United so boring. Continue reading...
United manager’s omission of France midfielder from the starting XI suggests relationship is still subject to turbulenceWell, we got there in the end. Grudgingly, belatedly and against the manager’s better judgment. But with 17 minutes gone in this Champions League first leg, on a breezy, boisterous night in Seville, José Mourinho found himself forced by circumstance and bad luck into playing his most talented midfielder in his favourite position.It is, of course, important not to be drawn too deeply into another Mourinho psychodrama. On a scale of one to Ramos the current half-glimpsed friction with Paul Pogba is hardly likely to rate a top-10 mention in the all-time annals of toxic José-dom. Related: Manchester United overrun by Sevilla but David...