The Bernabéu tie this week has rekindled memories of the occasion when one of Real Madrid’s finest sides met a Napoli inspired by Diego MaradonaThe teams are in and Diego Maradona will be leading Napoli in Madrid. He touched down at Barajas airport on Monday and took refuge in his hotel – the same hotel Real Madrid use when they are brought together the night before home games – from where he will head to the Santiago Bernabéu on Wednesday night, invited by the Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis. Thousands of Neapolitans will be there too, high in the north stand. The ones who get tickets, anyway. The sports newspaper AS said on its front-page: “10,000, plus Maradona”. Marca warned...
Real Madrid ought to have too much for Napoli, but there are tough challenges ahead for Arsenal, Leicester and Paris Saint-Germain Related: Champions League final: Ronaldo ‘had feeling’ he would score winner Related: Arsenal better set for deep run in Champions League, says Arsène Wenger Related: Juventus 1-3 Barcelona | Champions League final match report Continue reading...
Since being persuaded to move to Glasgow at a meeting in London, the young French striker has created a real buzz with his goalscoring exploitsHad things worked out differently, Moussa Dembélé would have worn the white of Tottenham Hotspur and be preparing for the club’s Champions League tie against CSKA Moscow at Wembley on Wednesday night. There would also have been the thing about the name clash.How would he and Mousa Dembélé have been differentiated? “I will go to another club, then,” the Tottenham and Belgium midfielder with the single S had joked in April. “Or, they’ll need to find a nickname for him. We’ll see …” Related: Celtic end Manchester City’s winning run with thrilling Champions League draw Continue...
The podders look back on all the midweek European action. Also up for discussion: Swansea’s six-pointer with Crystal Palace; Bayern’s second defeat in a week; and another new manager at CharltonSubscribe and review: iTunes, Soundcloud, Audioboom, Mixcloud, Acast & Stitcher.On today’s Football Weekly Extra, AC Jimbo is joined by Barry Glendenning, John Ashdown and international man of mystery Philippe Auclair to look back on a stonking midweek of European action. Continue reading...
Playmaker is an easy target for some but yet again the German World Cup-winner made a decisive intervention in a tournament which brings the best out of himAs game-seizing moments go, Mesut Özil’s part in Arsenal’s defibrillation after a deathly first half against Paris Saint‑Germain was among the more quietly understated acts of on-field leadership. Arsenal needed it, though. They were outplayed by PSG for most of this 2-2 draw, overrun in midfield and flattered to escape with a point.In avoiding defeat they were indebted to a moment of stirring incision against the head from Özil, who has often been accused of disappearing in these big games. “As soon as there is physicality involved, Özil disappears,” Raymond Domenech, always good...