Aha, Jamie Jackson’s report of another wild Old Trafford European night – it feels very odd to say that unironically – is here.
That being the case, that is us. Thanks for your company and comments, sorry I couldn’t use them all. Peace out.
“It’s hard to describe what it is to be a manager at this kind of club,” he says to finish, “because you want to give something to them,” meaning the fans. “We were so disappointing during the season, so it’s more important to give something to them than to put it on my sheet as a winner. I thin I talk for every player in that dressing room. We want to give something to our fans.”
Having a full squad makes a difference, Amorim continues. You can go back, go forward, change the game. Then, back to Mount, he says he does everything, working hard, eating well, resting, ice bath “and you just want to help him”.
And there’s more! “He is perfect for that position because he can be like a midfielder, he can run like a winger, he can play with hos back to the goal.”
Ruben Amorim is with TNT, telling them he’s “Stressed already, because of the final. If you don’t win it in the end, is nothing.”
Asked about the adulation he’s getting off the fans who’ve stayed behind, he says he feels uncomfortable because he should be a better manager, but United have done “quite well” in Europe, but not the league.
Asked about the subs, he says they gave energy – Mazraoui is tired. Amad, though, gave the spark you need to change the game – in his absence, they’ve had to leave Garnacho on sometimes because he’s the only one with pace in behind.
Amorim is really happy for Mount, who you can tell he really likes – “such a player”, who works really hard and has quality. And he also really likes Mainoo, who only played 10 minutes but kept doing the right thing.
“Can’t say I profess much love for Utd,” confesses Colum Fordham, “but pleased for Mason Mount that he has had a decent match and scored a sumptuous goal to remind everyone what a talented player he is. I’ll be supporting Spurs in the final but have an ominous feeling that Amorim will get his trophy after a disastrous league season. Two less worthy finalists would be hard to find.”
Mount was a mad buy given United’s limited finances – £60m when he was free a year later and a midfield of him, Bruno and Casemiro could never work. But I agree he’s a good – and clever – player, even if I’m not sure he’s a future at United as a first-choice. Also, though United and Spurs are no good, they’ve come through a load of games over the course of a full season to get to the final – and, as I said, United have done it without losing a game. To me that makes them worthy. Still rubbish, but worthy.
“The problem for Man Utd now is that while the Europa League campaign has worked well, the final is a Premier League match,” chuckles Michael Meagher. “That, and the fact it’s the law that Ange wins a trophy in his second season…”
I can’t imagine how much he’ll enjoy reminding the press of that if Spurs win in Bilbao. As he should.
In the Conference League, Chelsea are through the final having beaten Djurgarden 1-0 on the night and 5-1 on aggregate; in the other semi, Fiorentina have beaten Betis 2-1 on the night to make it 2-2 on aggregate, thus extra time is currently being played.
Meanwhile…
Mount tells TNT it’s been difficult with all the injuries and setbacks, but he knew something good would come. They knew it’d be difficult as the start as Athletic went as them and the goal settled everything.
Back to his injuries, he says he kept working hard in training every day, staying positive and looking to make an impact when getting a chance. It was tight when he and the other subs came on and they tried to calm things down, while seeking to affect the game.
Asked abot his second goal, he saw the keeper come out, said to himself if it comes to him, first tuoch and shoot. He saw the defender was quite far from the goal so thought he could score, and says the first goal was instinct, looking to pinch a yard.
These were his first goals at Old Trafford and it’s a special night, one he’s been waiting for for a long time. Now they want to go back to Bilbao and finish the job.
Spurs have beaten Bodo 2-0 on the night, 5-1 on aggregate. The great Scott Murray has all the reaction.
There are final places to play for now, and the way tonight went, I wonder if Amorim will think about a change in personnel. United were so much better once they started to play – in this team, Bruno is better deeper because no one else can pass through midfield as he can, while Amad gives them a proactive mischief that’s missed in his absence, and Mount knowhow, composure and a goalscoring instinct.
We started the night talking about Wilderness Years classics, and this was indubitably that – incompetence and excellence in outrageous, unexpected quantities.
FULL TIME: Manchester United (7) 4-1 (1) Athletic Bilbao
United will play Spurs in the Europa League final! Wednesday 21 May, Bilbao, Spain!
WHAT A GOAL! Manchester United (7) 4-1 (1) Athletic Bilbao (Mount 90+1)
AND WHAT A CAMEO! A ball into the channel for Hojlund, but again, Agirrezabala is out sharply. This time, though, his clearance picks out Mount, 10 yards inside the Athletic half, he takes down with his right foot then lashes a left-footer into the unguarded net. My days, he’s earned this elation.
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90 min We’ll have two additional minutes.
90 min Nice feet from Mainoo, who then flicks square with the outside of his boot seeking Bruno, but the pass is intercepted.
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87 min “Well that’s that then,” says Dave Estherby. “Two of the worst sides in living memory contesting a trophy no one really wants anyway. How the mighty (and Tottenham) have fallen…”
And yet winning this trophy is massively important to both these clubs. Spurs will take anything, while it’d supercharge the pace of United’s rebuild. I hope the Bilbao dressing rooms have lots of toilets, because these players will be bricking it.
GOAL! Manchester United (6) 3-1 (1) Athletic Bilbao (Hojlund 85)
Yoro’s been superb in the second half of the second half and he again lanks froward, this time finding Dorgu who moves on to Amad. He jinks down the outside of his man, conjuring space where there appeared to be none and somehow catching up with the ball to cut back; Hojlund taps home from inside the six-yard box. What was all the fuss about?
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84 min Lovely turn from Amad on halfway – his proactivity shouldn’t stand out as much as it does – and he squares for Mount, who leaps to flicks behind his standing leg, finding the marauding Amass. What a goal this could be, but as he looks to check inside, his first touch is heavy and the shot blocked at source. United have been much better the last 20.
83 min You’ve got to credit Athletic, who’ve given this match everything. If they’d had their front three, this match might’ve looked different, but ultimately United have deserved to go through.
81 min Two more changes for United, Amass and Mainoo on for Lindelof and Casemiro.
GOAL! Manchester United (5) 2-1 (1) Athletic Bilbao (Casemiro 80)
Bruno puts it into an area, swinging to the near post, Casemiro dashes from the middle into the space, and a perfect shoulder-glance sends the ball into the far side-netting and United into the Europa League final! He aged about 30 years during the final suspension of his first season in England, but he’s been at the biohacking and has been superb in this competition.
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79 min Fernandes will swing the free-kick out, right-hand side, 25 yards from goal…
78 min Dorgu, whop’s been good tonight, again dashes forward, crosses, and though Athletic clear, they sustain the attack, then Bruno robs Nunez, who fouls him and is booked.
76 min Old Trafford is enjoying itself again, but United have been very poor tonight. Credit to the manager, though, who made positive, attacking changes, and brought about an immediate improvement.
75 min Robbie Savage also references the Macheda goal, saying this one is more important. I daresay your average United fan would argue stopping Liverpool winning the league at the same time as retaining the title easily outranks it.
GOAL! Manchester United (4) 1-1 (1) Athletic Bilbao
This is a lovely goal! First, Amad – always up to something – nips outside his man, crosses, and the ball is too high for Mount, skidding off his head. But United sustain the attack, Yoro injecting pace with a dart into the box before squaring for Mount who turns with a lovely little Cruyff, then curls low into the far corner – think Machedaaaaaaaaa – and what a moment that is for him. He was almost in tears when he was taken off with his most recent injury, the last three years of his career amounting to almost nothing. But he’s enjoying himself now!
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71 min United have been much better since the changes. Amad, in particular has made a difference, but so has Yoro, now stepping into the attack as the wide centre-backs in a 3-4-2-1 are meant to.
71 min Spurs have scored again in Bodo. They’re going to Bilbao, but who with?
69 min Amad forages and wins the ball, allowing United to build an attack, Yoro also joining in, twice, before sliding back for Bruno who shoots … but a defender, I didn’t see which, blocks superbly at source.
68 min Hojlund loses it and find Sannadi, but Lindelof makes a good challenge, then overruns the ball and gives it away, Olabarrita swivelling into a shot from 22 yards, dragging it just wide.
67 min Another change for Athletic, Guruzeta on for Gomez.
66 min In Bodo, Solanke has scored for Spurs. They lead 4-1 on aggregate and are surely into the final.
65 min Bilbao win a free-kick on the right and at the back post, Nunez is unmarker, looking a curving header that’s not far away from the far post … but doesn’t have quite enough draw on it. I think Onana would’ve got there if he’d needed to, but, well.
63 min I guess United will move Dorgu to the right and stick Shaw on the left; Bruno will move back to deeper midfield, and Amad is in the 10.
62 min now three changes for United: Shaw, Mount and Amad for Ugarte, Mazraoui and Garnacho.
61 min Ch ch changes. Bilbao replace De Galaretta, Gorosabela and Djalo with Prados, De Marcos and Olabarrieta.
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60 min Most of Athletic’s attacks have come down the right but when they come down the left, Ugarte is forced to kick clear, then when he gets to carry forward a few seconds later, he immediately gives the ball away before Sannadi eventually shanks high and wide.
59 min Casemiro is late on someone, Djalo I think, and after Athletic’s latest counter peters out, the ref brandishes a yellow card.
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57 min A flick-on, Yoro blocks, Mazraoui lumps away, and back come Athletic, Djalo crossing and Lindelof heading clear, then De Golaretta shoots and Dorgu blocks, the ball flying behind for another corner. This time, a cross ends up on the roof of the net, and United are readying Shaw, Amad and Mount.
55 min Again, Bilbao wander through the space where United’s midfield should be – this is like the Ten Hag days – Djalo playing infield to Bereguer, but Mazraoui does well to follow him all the way infield from the left, then makes a telling challenge. Again, though, Bilbao sustain the attack, forcing Dorgu to leather behind for a corner.
53 min Onana lashes the ball downfield and can United keep it there? They’re really struggling to pass to each other and when Maguire gives it away, again, they’ll be relieved to see Berenguer’s pass hit too strongly for Djalo. Amorim must surely change this…
52 min Bereguer flights in, and the whistle goes for an infringement of some sort.
51 min Oh, and Djalo goes down the outside of Bruno, out on the right dips back the other side, and is caught by a stray arm. Free-kick Bilbao, a few yards outside the right-hand side of the box, and this is dangerous…
49 min “When the rest of the Red Devils are not feeling particularly bothered,” says Kári Tulinius “they can usually rely on Bruno Fernandes working himself into the sort of quiet fury befitting a gunslinger out to take vengeance upon the gang of cattle rustlers who stole his price steer. But so far he hasn’t seemed too fussed. I expect, if Athletic score, he’ll probably mount up, but so far he’s not been on one.”
Imagine what United’s last five years would’ve been like if the Bruno signing was of the quality of all the others since Fergie retired. Meantime, Athletic keep United under pressure, every time they clear the ball coming right back at them.
48 min Again, it’s Athletic dominating the ball. United need to find a way of stopping that – perhaps bringing Mainoo on for Ugarte might help with that.
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46 min Dorgu tries to clear the ball but clears Sannadi instead. Chance for Athletic to hump into the box before United settle, Berenguer to cross … and he hits the effort well beyond the back post, Gomes unable to volley it back across.
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46 min We go again. Can United hold it down? Will Athletic find a way?
“Given the way United have relied on Garnacho to play so many matches over the last couple of seasons,” says Brian Broderick, “they should think long and hard before letting him go. ‘Pure profit’ won’t mean much if they need to sign two players to replace his game time.”
That’s true, though given he’s played that many games, I imagine they’d have wanted to see greater improvement in the time.
Half-time email: A shoo-in for this category is Future Islands and Seasons – especially this Letterman performance,” says Nick Sims. “It’s not widely known that the lead singer is a massive Red and goes home and away. This song is about his yearning for Alex Ferguson’s spiritual successor to emerge (this may or may not be true).”
In Bodo, it’s 0-0 on the night, 3-1 Spurs on aggregate.
HALF-TIME: Manchester United (3) 0-1 (1) Athletic Bilbao
This match is still alive. The next goal, if there is one, will determine what kind of night this is, but for now, hilarity remains possible.
45+2 min United struggle to make a telling challenge as Yoro and Casemiro both extend legs, Bilbao work it wide to Gomes, he crosses low … but straight at Onana.
45+1 min Old Trafford, seriously lively at the start, is pretty quiet now. All the noise is coming from the away end.
45 min We’ll have two additional minutes.
42 min Better again from United, Hojlund holding up and laying off, for Dorgu to touch a lovely through-pass around the corner, and Garnacho is in! He screeches through the middle, again Agirrezabala is out smartly, and this time the finish is dinked … only to bounce wide! That was a great chance – everything was in the attacker’s favour – but his finishing remains ruthful in the extreme.
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41 min Mazraoui and Hojlund combine to set Garnacho away, but Berchiche reads him. United, though, sweep forward again – as in the Sociedad home game, they’ve improved after going behind – and when the ball is squared across the face of the box, it looks like Ugarte is fouled, but the ref reckons not.
39 min “Anything is possible with this atrocious Ruben-ball,” reckons Robert Hisnay. “With Athletic missing the Williams brothers this should be easy for United. Instead ... another crap goal gifted.”
I don’t think we can blame Amorim for that goal, but how many of these players do we think he really rates and wants? Yoro, Dorgu, Fernandes might be the extent of it.
38 min On the touchline, Amorim paces. He will not like that which he’s seen so far.
35 min if Athletic could somehow find another goal before half-time, they’d really be talking. But here come United, Ugarte winning a good challenge and charging through midfield before spreading to Garnacho. He cuts back, Fernandes is there waiting for it … but Dorgu runs on to it, and, rather than shoot first-time from the edge, as the situation demands, he takes a touch and is smothered. Better from United, though.
33 min Athletic deserve that goal. They’ve taken the game to United, who aren’t playing their natural game, whatever that is, rather looking to nurse their lead. And when you do that, you open yourself out to the prospect of conceding a wonder goal.
WHAT A GOAL! Manchester United (3) 0-1 (1) Athletic Bilbao (Jaureguizar 31)
NOW THEN! Maguire doesn’t deal with a high ball, compounds the error by giving it away, and when Di
jalo hammers a shot into Yoro, Jaureguizar takes a touch, has a look, and from 22 yards, curls a beauty that a flying Onana can only shove into the net. They couldn’t, could they?
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30 min Hojlund comes deep, holds up well, and lays back for Casemiro, whose one-touch ball sets Dorgu away, the wing-back again the outlet. Garnacho, meantime, sprints into the box, but the cross is poor, way too close to the keeper.
29 min Is it just me singing this every time Sannadi gets the ball?
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28 min In Bodo, it’s 0-0 on the night, so still 3-1 Spurs on aggregate.
27 min Athletic win another free-kick in a potentially dangerous position, this time just off the left touchline, maybe 30 yards out … and Onana comes, then collects. This is worthy of note as it is not exactly a common occurrence.
25 min Maguire clears, Hojlund pursues Nunez, looks to have bundled past him, then is penalised for handball. After which the ref goes back to book Mazraoui, who leapt with a leading elbow a moment ago.
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23 min At the time, I thought it was a hand in the back, but we’ve not had a proper look; VAR thinks it might be a foul, changing the light from white to orange, before deciding that it isn’t.
22 min Fernandes slides Dorgu in – think Cantona’s pass for Solskjaer at West Ham in 1996-97, though not as good, he bursts into the box, and Gotosabel challenges, then he goes down. The ref gesticulates at Dorgu to get up, but VAR wants a look…
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21 min Athletic come again, Berenguer allowed to move forward with the ball, so from the edge of the box, he tries a curler, feeding it well wide.
20 min Credit where it’s due, since becoming a manager, Robbie Savage has become an infinitely better pundit – you can tell he’s got the bug, absolutely obsessed. He notes that United are defending in a 5-4-1 with Garnacho and Mazraoui unsure about who should mark who.
19 min A cross from the right, which Yoro takes care of by extending a telescopic leg, then one from the left which United also handle.
17 min Bruno out to Dorgu, whose first touch is excellent, taking him inside, and he finds Hojlund, who looks to swerve around Unai Nunez … but the defender does well to stand up and get a foot in. A better couple of minutes from United, though.
16 min Casemiro whips a low free-kick over halfway and in Bruno, who controls superbly and slides Garnacho in … but again, Agirrezabala is out quickly, smother a shot that needed to be a dink. I think he was offside, and the ref gestures towards the lino, but it’s not clear.
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14 min Before the game, Amorim talked about United starting well; they haven’t, really. I guess they’ve looked less like conceding than in the first bit of the first leg, but also less like scoring.
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13 min Onana punches the delivery clear, and a first-time ball from Ugarte sends Garnacho away … but Agirrezabala is out smartly to hoof clear before he can catch up with it.
12 min Bilbao have started fairly well, enjoying most of the territory, and when Yoro stretches, missing the ball but landing on Berenguer, they’ve a free-kick out on the right, 22 yards out.
10 min Looping a curler over the top sounds more like Corrie than United.
8 min Bilbao win a throw deep inside the United half and somehow don’t get the ball as far as the box. But they manage to win it, send a cross over towards the back post, and Mazraoui’s header is poor, allowing Gomes to lay back for Bereguer, left side of the box, 15 yards out. This is a chance! But there are bodies in the way and he can only loop a curler over the top.
6 min “I have United seeing this one out,” says Tim Smith, “but also predict it will be Lamine Maguire (as my local Spanish language broadcast referred to him last week) up top from minute 75, in order to get them there!”
It’s hard not be pleased for Maguire. I’ll admit I was already relishing his inevitable fronting-up interview after the Lyon home game, but things have changed a lot since then. If we’re being honest, he’s not of the standard required, but in a back three, with two men in front, he’s more than good enough to be useful.
5 min Jaureguizar is allowed to rampage through where United’s midfield should be, but Dorgu wins a decent challenge. Then, when Gomes crosses from the left, Lindelof clears.
4 min On which point, Lindelof’s new do is, in mine, a pretty smart effort.
3 min As well as pressing, United are looking to play out. They find Hojlund on the right, Nunez grabs him by the waist, and that’s a free-kick, taken short to Garnacho; he returns the blal to Bruno, the cross is good, and the ball skids of Lindelof’s hair.
1 min For now, at least, United are pressing high. For those of you watching in black and white, Bilbao are in the blue shirts – they look like Chelsea in 2004.
1 min Away we go!
United huddle and Bruno Fernandes gives them a pre-emptive going-over. I daresay he’s done that before, to zero effect.
“I’m not expecting every reader to be aware of their correspondent’s allegiances,” emails Matt Burtz, “but as soon as I saw your name on this one I recalled that you were a Manchester United supporter, which is evidenced by the litany of underachievements in the preamble that only a loyal follower could or would be able to rattle off in short order. (I could easily do one for Everton, for example.) I think Man U will see this one out but we all know anything is possible.”
I think I could have a good go at Everton; I think we all could! The one that always got me was drawing Wigan at home in the 2013 Cup quarters, and being 0-3 down after 33 minutes.
Fireworks at the game, and when it’s still light? I don’t know. But our teams are tunnelled, and here they come! Old Trafford is both bouncing and jumping.
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There’s been a bit of chat these last few weeks about the idea of a 15th v 16th playoff for a Champions League place, about which I’m not sure. It’s fair that United and Spurs qualified, it’s not their fault the other teams haven’t, so far, been good enough to stop them – United are the only side to have played in European competition this season who’ve not been beaten. This, of course, reflects the imbalance in money sloshing about the Prem relative to everywhere else, and of course that needs attention – which it won’t get – but I’m not sure that the likeliest final is any kind of specific issue in and of itself.
On the other hand, one thing I’ve been thinking about recently, and please let me know how and why I’m wrong: no side that has won a European competition should be eligible for the Conference League.
Something to think about while we’re thinking about football: my man Black Sherif has just released Iron Boy – in mine, the album of the year so far, if you’ve not heard it, check it out.
My wife and I were discussing how much we’re looking forward to hearing him sing absolutely flat-out, when the time’s right, then started thinking about our favourite examples of an artist doing just that, so here are four starters:
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“This strange iteration of Manchester United can always find a way to make life as hard as possible for themselves and their fans,” reckons Justin Kavanagh. “So expect Bilbao to race into an early 0-2 lead tonight and for Amorim’s mob to maximize that elastic space-time ad nauseam known at Old Trafford as squeaky-bum time.”
Things will definitely get nervy if Bilbao score first, but without their three best attackers, even this United should muster the minor competence necessary not to make this one close. This is not the first time I’ve spoken these words.
TNT are now discussing Alejandro Garnacho who, for my money, had his best game for United in Bilbao, then followed it up with more decent work at Brentford. He is, though, in danger of being sold in the summer for PSR reasons, which makes some unpleasant sense: he’s definitely good enough to be a squad player in a serious team but whether he gets good enough to be a starter is unclear, and the system isn’t ideal for him.
On the other hand, he has the kind of mentality of which United need more, not less; he’s an excellent sub; and is starting to understand how to use a system that doesn’t obviously suit him, to suit him. If it wasn’t for the money troubles and required rebuild, selling him would never be on the agenda, but if United did sell him, they ought to be able to replace him with someone better.
A United v Spurs final: two bald men fighting over a free hair transplant.
That dilemma will soon sort itself: Lindelof, out of contract in the summer will leave, and Ayden Heaven, so impressive until his injury, will soon be back in contention. One that has no obvious resolution is what to do with Kobbie Mainoo, a fantastic talent who doesn’t really fit the manager’s system. The two men in midfield will ideally be monstrous athletes, and perhaps Mainoo could develop into one – he’s certainly added muscle – but as Amorim has himself acknowledged, charging about covering large spaces that’s not the best use of a player who has phenomenal and unusual small-space ability. The thing is, though he is fantastic when it’s tight inside the box, he’s also not a no 10, but someone needs to come up with something because he’s too good, too loved and too local to be let leave.
Taking a closer look at that United team, I’m not surprised it’s unchanged. They might’ve played Luke Shaw at left-centre-back and sent Yoro over to the right – that’s probably a better option than the one they’ve gone for, in Victor Lindelof – but Amorim is, as you would, easing Shaw back in slowly. If they make the final he’s still fit, having played the games in between, the manager has a decision to make.
Also going on:
Nani is on TNT, hanging out with Paul Scholes and Owen Hargreaves. He was not widely loved during the time he was at United – I remember seeing him in a suit at Chelsea once, and my dad quipped that hopefully he had a job interview – but goodness me, they’d have appreciated him these last years.
Tangentially, a funny thing about these Wilderness Years: almost every Premier League club would happily swap United’s last 12 years for their own. And probaby add a decade or two on to that.
“Given your preamble opener,” writes Ben Hennessy, “I’m gonna take a huge gamble on the idea that you’re not a Manchester United fan.”
Er, I’ve already booked flights to Bilbao for the final, which is to say it’s possible to be partial of heart yet honest of analysis. I don’t suppose my allegiance is much of a secret, but don’t worry, I was going to out myself as it’d be unfair if unkonwing readers were denied the total joy of my narrating any collapse.
Ruben Amorim speaks, and asked if it’s just a case of doing as they did last week, he notes that a better start will be required. When Patrick Dorgu is mentioned as someone who was nervous in Bilbao, he explains that his players know what to do. Otherwise, the team need to do something for the fans.
I’ll write these teams down, then we’ll do some emails.
United are unchanged from the first leg; Athletic make four changes. In come Unai Nunez, who replaces the suspended Vivian; Gorosabel, instead of De Marcos at right-back; while in attack, Inaki and Nico Williams are both injured, so Alvaro Djalo and Gomez play, while Sancet, the regular centre-forward, is also still hurt.
Teams!
Manchester United (3-4-2-1): Onana; Lindelof, Maguire, Yoro; Mazraoui, Casemiro, Ugarte, Dorgu; Garnacho, Fernandes; Hojlund. Subs: Bayindir, Heaton, Amass, Fredricson, Kamason, Shaw, Eriksen, Mainoo, Mount, Amad, Mantato.
Athletic Bilbao (4-2-3-1): Agirrezabala; Gorosabel, Yeray Alvarez, Unai Nunez, Berechiche; Ruiz De Galarreta, Jaureguizar; Alvaro Djalo, Gomez, Berenguer; Sannadi. Subs: Unai Simon, Paredes, Vesga, Guruzeta, Inigo Lekue, De Marcos, Prados, Peio Canales, Adama Boiro, Aingeru Olabarrieta, Alejandro Rego, Iker Varela.
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Preamble
They couldn’t, could they?
There are many strong contenders for the Post-Fergie Wilderness YearsTM eff-up hit parade, and we all have our favourite favourite, whether the 7-0 defeat at Anfield; the various capitulations against Sevilla; the various slappings off Brighton and Bournemouth; the 4-0 defeat at MK Dons; the 2018 FA Cup final no-show; every single aspect of the 2021 Europa League final; the multifarious Champions League embarrassments; the derby outclassings; failing to score before half-time in 11 consecutive home games; three games in a week – one against a team from a division below which went to extra time – with no goals scored; losing thrice in one season to Spurs; watching Liverpool and Manchester City win everything in sight; and on and on and Ariston.
But, though the world of football is perhaps more disputatious than any other, we can surely all agree that, if they somehow make a mess of a 3-0 advantage, at home, we’ll be lauding a new entry, straight in at no 1. Which will feel like a birthday present, relative to the infinite, irredeemable and eternal shame of losing a European final to the aforementioned Spurs. Oh yes, there’s plenty more mileage in this yet.
Kick-off: 8pm BST
