Karim Benzema’s equaliser demonstrated the danger that lurks for Thomas Tuchel’s side if they fail to find composure up frontKarim Benzema’s brilliant equaliser for Real Madrid on Tuesday night was more than a random act of genius. It was a punishment that Chelsea brought on themselves by failing to land the killer blow when they were on top during the first leg of their Champions League semi-final at Valdebebas, demonstrating they cannot simply rely on Thomas Tuchel’s keen tactical mind against Europe’s best.The lesson was not lost on Tuchel, who knew Chelsea had only themselves to blame after missing a chance to put away the 13-time champions. There was no point complaining about Madrid’s goal coming against the run of...
Champions League clash could be described as sportswashing derby with rich royal family owners going head to headSometimes sport can be a stage for the most beautiful dramas. It can thrill, it can inspire, it can move. It can offer the most plangent insights into life, showcase the full potential of the human brain, the human heart, the human body. Who does not feel the lump in the throat, the warm glow of shared experience, the great sense of human potential when they remember Bob Champion winning the National on Aldaniti, Dennis Taylor outlasting Steve Davis, or Ben Stokes at Headingley? Sport is a fairytale land where dreams can be made flesh.Once upon a time there was a football club...
Liverpool were knocked out by a team of big personality players who do the right things at the right momentsOn a night of steadily deflating momentum, Jürgen Klopp’s marauding Liverpool did their best Jürgen Klopp’s marauding Liverpool impression. And for a while it was tempting to believe.Anfield looked splendid under open blue cold skies, one of those nights when the wind comes scudding in off the sea and the place seems to boil and throb with, well, what exactly? Related: Liverpool rue missed chances as Real Madrid end Champions League hopes Related: Liverpool 0-0 Real Madrid (agg 1-3): Champions League quarter-final – as it happened Continue reading...
Having been well off the pace in January, Real beat Barcelona to briefly return to the top of La Liga on Saturday“I’ve been locked up for two weeks, as if I was in a cage, and I feel like a fight,” Zinedine Zidane said, so he went out and found one. Having tested positive for the coronavirus and isolated at home, he had heard the whispers, read the press, taken the hits and knew what lay beneath. Worse, he had watched his team. He had seen his assistant David Bettoni insist that Real Madrid’s fans “still believe because our DNA is to fight to the end” but even in empty grounds – where there are no whistles and no white...
Elegant German midfielder revelled in the space and time he was afforded by a Liverpool who are down but certainly not outWith 35 minutes gone at the Estadio Alfredo di Stéfano, Toni Kroos was yet to misplace a pass, or indeed, break into a jog. He looked fresh. He looked unhurried. At times he seemed to be carrying his own respectful green space around the pitch with him, ringed by discrete royal protection, like Edward VIII having a game of golf.With 36 minutes gone Kroos finally missed his mark. Unfortunately for Liverpool his diagonal pass was met with a terrible defensive header by Trent Alexander-Arnold, and the ball nodded straight to Marco Asensio, who bundled it past Alisson to put...