A Striking Comparison
Three minutes and 35 seconds that’s all it took for Manchester City’s hopes of a comeback at the Bernabeu to be completely shattered. Pep Guardiola’s side once again fell victim to their ultimate weakness: a rapid forward running onto a long ball. Kylian Mbappe effortlessly sprinted past Ruben Dias and John Stones before delicately lifting the ball over Ederson with one lethal touch. Moments later, Stones limped off injured, and it felt as though he had taken the rest of his team with him.
Mbappe wasn’t done. The Real Madrid star delivered two more clinical finishes in a ruthless display, bringing his tally of Big Cup goals against City to seven the same as Lionel Messi while having represented three different clubs. In a competition that has essentially become Real Madrid vs. the Rest over the past decade (with Madrid leading 5-4 in titles since 2015-16), the remaining teams in the last-16 draw must now figure out how to stop the reigning champions, who have unlocked the full potential of their latest superstar striker.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa and Liverpool also secured their spots in the last 16. Away from the European spotlight, the two sides played out a thrilling Premier League contest at Villa Park. Mohamed Salah put Liverpool ahead early on, but the visitors seemed just as surprised as everyone else to see Marcus Rashford donning claret and blue. Villa fought back, determined to climb into European contention. A deflected Trent Alexander-Arnold strike set up a dramatic final half-hour, culminating in Darwin Núñez being gifted a golden opportunity to win it. With the goal at his mercy, he inexplicably blazed his effort high into the North Stand. A missed one-on-one chance soon followed, and while Villa failed to capitalize further, Núñez’s horror misses may come to symbolize Liverpool’s biggest stumbles this season.
Despite some recent wobbles drawing half of their league games since the turn of the year Liverpool still hold an eight-point cushion over Arsenal. However, the Gunners have an opportunity to close the gap if they beat West Ham on Saturday. A victory would see them cut Liverpool’s lead to five points ahead of a massive clash at the Etihad, where Guardiola’s side, already bruised from their European nightmare, must face the league leaders. Losing to both Real Madrid and Liverpool in the same week would be a stark indicator of City’s regression. While Villa and Liverpool produced a captivating back-and-forth battle, City’s showing at the Bernabeu felt more like a defeated champion stepping into the ring one too many times. They barely laid a glove on their opponents and now face the daunting task of hosting a team 17 points ahead of them in the standings.
City’s title defense may be over, but they still have a chance to shake up the race. Their best hope? That Darwin Núñez once again leaves his shooting boots at home.
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Quote of the Day
“It’s a really interesting question I’ve always wanted to answer. What made me this way? It’s also true when I became a professional. I felt superior. I felt I knew what was going to happen next… in the media, we’d probably call it mind games, but I wanted everyone I played against to be a little scared of me or at least to be thinking about me.”
Peter Schmeichel reflects on his career, his mindset, and his experiences with Cantona, Keane, and the struggles of Manchester United post-Ferguson.
Football Daily Letters
“Regarding Wednesday’s Memory Lane (full email edition), and at the risk of going down a rabbit hole from which we’ll never return, there is also a photograph of that photograph being taken. Hopefully, there’s also a photograph of the photographer taking the second photo, but sadly, I haven’t been able to find it. Yet.”
Jon Gregory.
“What a pity the picture of Roy Pritchard (Tuesday’s Memory Lane, full email edition) should have been at Wolves, not Newcastle. The Gallowgate End would have written itself as a caption.”
Trevor Field.
“I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out because I would like to find a new home for my late husband’s Yamaha baby grand piano. It holds sentimental value, and I would love to see it go to someone who truly appreciates music. If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in offering it a new home, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.”
Beverley James.
