BIG CUP O’ TEDIUM
After Monday morning’s announcement of the teams for the Big Cup Round of 16, it seems that the general opinion on social media and other platforms was that it was the most uneventful draw ever. While Football Daily cannot confidently say that it would not have been more exciting if Uefa’s special guest had arrived in a complete Chelsea 2012 uniform to assist in swirling, selecting, and opening the small footballs to determine the match-ups for the next stage, it would be unfair to place the blame for any boredom on John Terry.
No, this Uefa draw was much the same as any other, insofar as it will not live long in the memory of those who slept through it in Nyon, was needlessly convoluted and took place in a room full of besuited middle-aged and elderly club dignitaries and liggers with rumbling tummies, all eager to dispense with the formalities of the day before being seated for a gluttonous lunch in the dining room of Uefa HQ. In fact, it is the outcome of the draw that has been met with widespread disapproval, the European football-watching public at large apparently having decided that none of the eight two-legged ties will be worth watching because the reigning champions Manchester City will only have to face FC Copenhagen, while the ice-cold ball containing the name of Paris Saint-Germain was paired with the sizzling hot one of Real Sociedad.
Ultimately, the Danish champions did not offer much excitement when they helped to knock out Manchester United in the group stages. It is intriguing to see how PSG will fare against a Basque team known for their academy graduates and featuring a record signing of a £17m Nigerian striker who failed to make an impact during a loan stint with Rangers in Scotland.
After six years, Arsenal is back in the Big Cup competition and they advanced easily as group winners. They will now face Porto, who they previously defeated 13 years ago with a hat-trick from Lord Bendtner. Though they may not have players with the same level of dedication and accuracy, Arsenal remains hopeful for their chances to move on to the next round and potentially further.
The most recent 16 matches include Porto versus Arsenal, Napoli versus Barcelona, PSG versus Real Sociedad, Inter versus Atlético Madrid, PSV Eindhoven versus Borussia Dortmund, Lazio versus Bayern Munich, Copenhagen versus Manchester City, and Leipzig versus Real Madrid.
Streaming live on a large website.
Come join Niall McVeigh at 8pm GMT for live MBM coverage of the highly-anticipated match between Birmingham and Leicester, also known as the ‘Wagatha Christie’ Championship clash.
:
“Today’s quote is: “The only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” – Steve Jobs
“Fortunately, rational thinking and compassion prevailed and the match was called off. The Bournemouth fans showed a heartwarming gesture by singing with enthusiasm for Tom. It was a distressing and upsetting event, but it also demonstrated the unity of thousands of people coming together to support a fellow human being and those affected by a tragic situation. Phill Macbeth-Seath, from the We Are Luton Town podcast, recounts the shocking incident on Saturday when Tom Lockyer suffered a cardiac arrest on the field during the match at Bournemouth. The game was stopped, and Tom, who had previously collapsed during last season’s Championship playoff final due to an atrial fibrillation, is currently in the hospital undergoing tests.”
Ignore the advertisement for the newsletter.
after newsletter promotion
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Howard Webb believes that VAR is capable of correcting mistakes made on the field, as stated in Friday’s Quote of the Day. However, what about the mistakes made by VAR itself, like the controversial offside call between Spurs and Liverpool? The solution may be simple: having Video Assistant VAR officials stationed in a secluded office with access to all the game footage in Stockley Park, ready to intervene if necessary. This proposal disregards the traditional use of VAR and takes away the excitement of fans celebrating a VAR decision in their favor. There will always be a moment of uncertainty until the Vavar check is completed. But would Howard really want to leave VAR errors in the game? – Ian Potter.
As a fan of Union SG (not ‘SG Union’), I would like to address the statement about our win against Liverpool being comparable to receiving a Christmas card from our broadband provider. This comment was made in the Big Vase section of Friday’s email edition. However, as a fan, I found this victory to be incredibly exciting and it also guarantees our team a spot in the Tin Pot league. – Dave Lloyd
“Based on the fact that there were no goals scored in a match between Liverpool and Manchester United last year, I can only assume that both teams have not been successful this year.” – Peter Oh.
Please email any correspondence to [email protected]. Congratulations to today’s chosen letter of the day winner, Ian Potter.
This is a passage taken from our daily email about football, known as “Football Daily.” For the complete version, please visit the designated page and follow the provided instructions.
Source: theguardian.com
