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...
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...
Supporters of champions Atlético Madrid and second division winners Espanyol could at last see their teams in action“I had waited a long time to live this moment,” Marcelino García Toral said, speaking for so many. Since he took over from Gaizka Garitano in January, the Athletic Club manager has won the Spanish Super Cup, been at two Copa del Rey finals and seen his team beat Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, but he hadn’t seen this. This, he said when at last the place they call the cathedral had fallen quiet again, was “extraordinary.”Saturday evening and along Pozas – less a street, more a portal drawing football fans to the ground – people were spilling out of bars. On...
Supporters of champions Atlético Madrid and second division winners Espanyol could at last see their teams in action“I had waited a long time to live this moment,” Marcelino García Toral said, speaking for so many. Since he took over from Gaizka Garitano in January, the Athletic Club manager has won the Spanish Super Cup, been at two Copa del Rey finals and seen his team beat Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, but he hadn’t seen this. This, he said when at last the place they call the cathedral had fallen quiet again, was “extraordinary.” Related: Real Madrid extend Karim Benzema’s contract and insert €1bn release clause This photo from @sidlowe outside San Mamés last night is one of our...
A day after his sacrifice enabled the signing of Eric García and Memphis Depay, Piqué headed home the latter’s free-kickGerard Piqué was 13 or 14 the day the Barcelona manager came to tea. When his grandfather proudly introduced him as the future Camp Nou centre-back, Louis van Gaal walked over and, without a word, pushed him to the floor. Standing over him, he looked down at this kid lying there and delivered a devastating verdict: you’re too weak to play for Barcelona. Twenty-one years, 567 games, eight leagues, eight cups and four European Cups later, a World Cup and a Euros too, he’s not just still standing; he’s carrying the club on his shoulders. Well, someone has to.That was how...