Spurs made the European champions look limp, lazy and disorganised – maybe the competitiveness at the top of the Premier League is finally benefiting the English sidesIt was one of the greatest nights in Tottenham’s history. It was better than beating Internazionale 3-1, probably the equal of those fraught nights in 1983-84 when Bayern Munich, Austria Vienna, Hajduk Split and Anderlecht were overcome on the way to the Uefa Cup. Almost whatever happens over the next three decades, it is safe to assume that in 2050 Christian Eriksen’s goal will still be included in the pre-match White Hart Lane montage as Danny Blanchflower’s voice, the crackle of time even more pronounced, explains once again that the game is about glory.And...
Dele Alli, Harry Winks and Kieran Trippier showed no respect for reputations by forcing Toni Kroos into errors and putting Casemiro and co on their backsidesShortly before half-time on a thrilling, boisterous European night, there was a moment of rare comedy at Wembley. Tackling back in his own half, Harry Winks let an arm trail lightly across Casemiro’s shoulder, only for the Brazilian to reel back, stunned, tumbling over backwards desperately. Casemiro didn’t want the ball. He wanted a break. He wanted his free‑kick.Ten minutes into the second half something similar happened. As Marcelo rumbled upfield Dele Alli sprinted 40 metres in an arc to harry him and eventually concede another foul as Marcelo crumpled gratefully. Marcelo didn’t really want...
Zinedine Zidane’s side arrive in London after their worst start in the league since the José Mourinho era but the Champions League has often been their escapeOn the plane back from defeat in Girona on Sunday evening Zinedine Zidane went over the game again while in the rows behind him his players quietly watched films or TV series, keen to clear their minds of what had just happened. “It wasn’t a nice feeling,” Sergio Ramos admitted, and it didn’t make for good viewing either. “I’m not worried,” the Real Madrid manager had said as he sat in front of the media after the match; now, as he sat in front of his captain flying west, and with no need to...
The Manchester United manager continued his needless bickering with a section of the home support in his programme notes but his reasons remain unclearEnjoy the game is a phrase every football fan reads every week if they buy a match programme and bother with the manager’s notes. It is a standard greeting, an anodyne pleasantry, so of course José Mourinho, who did not get where he is today by being standard or anodyne, chose to subvert it.“I hope you enjoy the game more than some of you did against Tottenham,” was how the Manchester United manager addressed his public, continuing the needless bickering with the club’s supporters he began after the narrow league victory on Saturday.Chelsea (Nov 2014) Related: Manchester...
It is early days but managerial stability is powering an upsurge in results which suggests the Premier League sides can threaten Europe’s bestThe Champions League group stage is now at its halfway point, each team having played three matches with three more to come, and before anything happens to spoil the effect it might be worth pressing the pause button for a moment to take in the unexpectedly fine view.Not only does the Premier League boast the impressive total of five entrants this time, thanks to Manchester United’s dogged perseverance in last season’s Europa League, but all five English clubs at present top their groups. The competition is still young, yet even though Tottenham have visited the Bernabéu and Chelsea...