A TALE OF TWO ROCKETS (AND MORE)
While it may not have matched the nerve-shredding whiteknuckle ride of last season’s thriller at the Bernabéu in terms of excitement, Tuesday night’s Big Cup semi-final first leg between Real Madrid and Manchester City was not short on drama or controversy and leaves the tie finely poised before what one hopes will be a nerve-shredding whiteknuckle ride at the Etihad Stadium next week. Completely dominated by their visitors for the opening 36 minutes, Real Madrid bided their time before going ahead through a Vinícius Júnior surface-to-air screamer from distance that threatened to rip the goal-net from its moorings, only for City to restore parity courtesy of a low-trajectory Kevin De Bruyne howitzer against the run of play, after the hosts had abandoned their meek approach and begun to dominate proceedings.
In a game that saw countless fouls by Real Madrid players go unpunished, City’s equaliser proved a bone of contention for Carlo Ancelotti. The normally pragmatic Italian’s fabled eyebrow did a passable impression of the Wembley arch when he was shown a yellow card for protesting that it should have been disallowed because the ball had apparently gone out of play down by the touchline, not so much in the build-up, as the build-up to the build-up, some time before the otherwise excellent Eduardo Camavinga gave the ball away. While both goalkeepers were forced to make excellent saves, a draw seemed a fair result, while the shackling of Erling Haaland by Antonio Rüdiger was one of the more intriguing sub-plots on an evening when the hulking Norwegian automaton had one of his quieter nights in a City shirt.
While Haaland the younger may have had a conspicuously uneventful evening, the same could not be said of his old man. In much the same way as his son was contained by Rüdiger, Alfie found himself tightly marked by a couple of Bernabéu security guards who escorted him from his VIP box after he was spotted goading Madrid fans in the wake of City’s equaliser. Haaland Sr was reported to have thrown peanuts at assorted supporters – (“I did not. Not true,” he retorted. “We had some good b@nter”) – from his spot in the corporate box, a seating arrangement unlikely to prompt a reconciliatory reach-out from his old nemesis Roy Keane. He later tweeted that Madrid’s fans were “not happy we were celebrating”.
Whether or not Alfie will be getting up to any shenanigans in celebration next week remains to be seen, with this semi-final on a knife-edge before the return leg in Manchester. While City have home advantage, Madrid can prepare for the second leg unencumbered by any need to beat Getafe this weekend and rest their players accordingly. With the small matter of having a Premier League tilt to maintain, Pep Guardiola, by contrast, must decide which of his stellar names he can afford to leave out for a trip to Goodison Park. Can he afford to rest his heaviest artillery in a match against Sean Dyche’s free-scoring Samba boys, starring their own version of Viní Jr in the unlikely form of Dwight McNeil?
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Join Scott Murray from 8pm BST for hot Big Cup MBM coverage of Milan 0-0 Inter, while John Brewin will be your guide for Chelsea 4-1 Leicester in the WSL at 7pm.
QUOTE OF THE DAY
7 May: “Hearing what clubs pay [there], I’m not talking top four but lower down, and how competitive it is, is a big ask next season. We have 20 players out of contract as well … The club has now got to move forward” – manager Gary Bowyer isn’t underestimating the challenge facing Dundee after they secured promotion back to the Scottish Premiership.
10 May: “Given the importance of the weeks and months ahead, I felt it was necessary to ensure we are all aligned on the direction needed to ensure the club is ready for its return to the Premiership” – senior suit John Nelms decides Dundee will move forward without Bowyer.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
For Saints supporters Monday night wasn’t so much rejoicing in ‘inexpert barbecue chef-ery’ (yesterday’s Football Daily) but wondering why still no one had managed to light the Guy Fawkes bonfire” – Carol Hayden.
Reading your BBQ-inspired missive reminded me of that trivia question from a few years ago. Which footballers have names that are something to do with a BBQ? The answers of course were Joe/Ashley/Andy Cole, Patrick Berger and Paolo Wanchope. You weren’t allowed to have Phil (Ke)Babb” – Elaine Shaw.
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Carol Hayden.
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