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Vinícius kickstarts Bernabéu party and comes of age as Real Madrid hero | Sid Lowe

Real returned home after 560 days away and the fans’ embrace of the once mocked Brazilian shows how far he has comeIn the end, the police had to pull him out of there. There was a party back at his place and Vinícius Júnior was enjoying this more than the last time he was there and probably more than he should have been, but he didn’t care and you couldn’t really blame him: this had been a long time coming and when at last it did, boy was it good. Boy was he. After 560 days, football finally returned to the Santiago Bernabéu and, having conceded inside 200 seconds, twice trailed and been reacquainted with whistles, the Brazilian put Real...

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Ronaldo and Lukaku deals show fans’ need for new signings outstrips thirst for change | Jonathan Liew

Transfer culture is a basic part of fandom and sustaining concerted opposition to owners is almost impossible Oh! pleasant exercise of hope and joy! For mighty were the auxiliars which then stood upon our side, we who were strong in love. Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive. But to be on Fulham Road, wreathed in canisters of blue smoke, holding a home-made banner reading FANS NOT CUSTOMERS, was very heaven.Yes: who can forget the famous European Super League protests of April 2021? They were a vibe, weren’t they? Peace and love and Florentino Pérez memes. Prince William ferrying cups of tea and bottled water out to the picket line. Gary Neville, hair wreathed in daisy chains, serenading...

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Ronaldo and Lukaku deals show fans’ need for new signings outstrips thirst for change | Jonathan Liew

Transfer culture is a basic part of fandom and sustaining concerted opposition to owners is almost impossible Oh! pleasant exercise of hope and joy! For mighty were the auxiliars which then stood upon our side, we who were strong in love. Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive. But to be on Fulham Road, wreathed in canisters of blue smoke, holding a home-made banner reading FANS NOT CUSTOMERS, was very heaven.Yes: who can forget the famous European Super League protests of April 2021? They were a vibe, weren’t they? Peace and love and Florentino Pérez memes. Prince William ferrying cups of tea and bottled water out to the picket line. Gary Neville, hair wreathed in daisy chains, serenading...

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Unai Emery loses plot as Atlético snatch draw after comedy own goal | Sid Lowe

The Villarreal manager had to watch as his goalkeeper went walkabouts and his defender headed into his own net in the 95th minuteOh Mandi. All that and it ended like this, everything falling apart on the stroke of midnight. Sunday became Monday and Atlético Madrid had just taken their 16th corner, their last chance gone, when it happened. Villarreal had not taken any and they had only two shots, compared to Atlético’s 23, but both had gone in and so here they were about to beat the league champions. After 14 attempts, Unai Emery was actually going to defeat Diego Simeone. And then a ridiculous 95th-minute own goal changed everything, leaving those who weren’t falling down falling about.Villarreal led 2-1...

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Unai Emery loses plot as Atlético snatch draw after comedy own goal | Sid Lowe

The Villarreal manager had to watch as his goalkeeper went walkabouts and his defender headed into his own net in the 95th minuteOh Mandi. All that and it ended like this, everything falling apart on the stroke of midnight. Sunday became Monday and Atlético Madrid had just taken their 16th corner, their last chance gone, when it happened. Villarreal had not taken any and they had only two shots, compared to Atlético’s 23, but both had gone in and so here they were about to beat the league champions. After 14 attempts, Unai Emery was actually going to defeat Diego Simeone. And then a ridiculous 95th-minute own goal changed everything, leaving those who weren’t falling down falling about.Villarreal led 2-1...

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