AND THEN THERE WERE EIGHT
Nowadays, almost anything can be classified as nostalgia. If you squint far enough down, even the most mundane or objectionable things can be rebranded in sepia. Why does Football Daily miss Andy Townsend co-commentating (when Ally McCoist is such an obvious upgrade) and still enjoy seeing the Continental Tires logo every time he passes a parked car? Maybe because football and life were better once: a free Grand Cup, referees making honest and understandable mistakes in a fast-paced match, Darren Bent scoring against Liverpool with a Liverpool-branded beach ball. None of this would be possible in 2024. And football is now poorer in this respect.
Now behind a considerable paywall or shown in pubs selling £7 Tins, the Modern Big Cup has never been more predictable, dominated by elite superclubs with the GDP of a small country. This season’s groups went as expected (yes, Manchester United finished last, as did the first qualifying round): Copenhagen and Real Sociedad were swamped by the elite teams of the UAE and Qatar, while an exciting Leipzig team beat Real Madrid at the Bernabéu did. and even the best draw of the round between Spain and Italy’s champions Barcelona and Napoli felt like a draw between two depleted teams already on the boil.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t beautiful pieces. Jadon Sancho continued to rediscover his excitement in Dortmund, Arsenal v Porto was a great pleasure and Diego Simeone went on such a rollercoaster The only surprise during Atlético’s clash thriller with Inter was that he didn’t leave the Metropolitano with a large teddy bear, cotton candies and vomit all over his all-black suit. Lazio and Porto’s Bayern and Arsenal Big Cup branded, Do One! Although they threatened to send him to the marked tunnel, there was no shock in the end.
But if the overall lack of danger is the bad news, the good news is that we now have eight strong players left in the quarter-finals. They’re not minnows, and just like the bread you used to eat, Friday’s quarter-final draw is non-seeded, meaning anyone can face anyone. Real Madrid and Manchester City are inevitably the teams to avoid and Dortmund are probably the weakest, but any draw should be very impressive. It’s so complicated as we approach next season’s 36-team Major Cup that the bright minds at UEFA need to enlist our robotic overlords in the draw. Hooray!
LIVE ON MAJOR WEBSITE
Join Michael Butler and Rob Smyth from 17.45 GMT for the evening’s Big Vase last 16, second leg action, including… Rangers 1-2 Benfica (aet, agg: 3-4), West Ham 2-1 Freiburg (aet), agg: 2-2, 5-4 on penalties), Brighton 2-1 Roma (total: 2-5) and Liverpool 3-1 Sparta Prague (total: 8-2).
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“The people who saved Tom’s life got a little emotional when they saw him talking to the paramedics. Thanks to them he can hold his newborn baby. Sometimes it’s important to be a little realistic and maybe that will bring some of the point home” – Luton boss Rob Edwards on Tom Lockyer He describes the player’s emotional return to Bournemouth, where he met and thanked the medics who saved his life for 89 days, before the rearranged Premier League match. The regular Hatters went 3-0 up at half-time before Andoni Iraola’s team staged a wild comeback to win 4-3. passed.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
There was a time, perhaps pre-Premier League, when football was ‘the greatest thing in the world’ for many (yesterday’s Football Daily). This is falling pretty short at elite level these days where we are witnessing obscene wage levels, VAR, increasing foreign ownership creating strife for many fans, TV managing everyone and ignoring the fans, as well as more unnecessary kits. From where? Just to squeeze more money from the fans. ‘Some weeks when you witness a player earning obscene wages not really caring about his performance on the pitch, you can probably tell it’s not the greatest thing in the world anymore’ – Russell Pulford.’
Answer: Yesterday’s Memory Lane photo of Jimmy Nail and Alan Shearer (full email edition). Check out yesterday’s cryptic puzzle on the Big Website and 4 down: ‘Oz actor prepares to punch (4,3)’ = Quotation set. Spooky, isn’t it? – Michael Bland.
Send a letter to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of the non-prize letter of the day is… Michael Bland.
WE RECOMMEND YOU LISTEN
Football Weekly Extra is back with lots of content for your auditory pleasure. Atléti chat.
HERE COME THE BELGIANS
There is some desperation in Belgium’s efforts to make it count in major tournaments over the last decade, where the golden generation of players has counted. Unfortunately, things didn’t work out despite the best efforts of Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku and co as they finished third at the 2018 World Cup. So perhaps before another big summer, a light touch is needed that includes a nod to a talented red-haired hero – no, not KDB. Yes, Belgium’s Euro 2024 away jersey, a tidy blue number, is inspired by The Adventures of Tintin, which pays homage to the works of cartoonist Hergé. “As a huge Tintin fan, I am delighted that our Red Devils will conquer Europe in the jersey of one of Belgium’s greatest heroes,” said the country’s FA chief Piet Vandendriessche.
NEWS, TITS AND BOBS
Spartak Moscow forward Quincy Promes was arrested in Dubai at the request of the Netherlands; He was sentenced in absentia to six years in prison last month for drug trafficking in the Netherlands and now faces possible extradition.
Aston Villa manager Carla Ward has described player-coach relationships in women’s football as “unacceptable” following news that Willie Kirk has been suspended and is being investigated by Leicester. “It makes me so angry because we are here to create an environment, a comfortable place where people can come to work, feel safe, feel supported, feel cared for,” she said. “I don’t understand anyone who crosses that line.”
The answer to beleaguered Reading owner Dai Yongge’s cash flow crisis? It is selling its state-of-the-art training base to rival Wycombe on a cut-price deal. “They are intent on one thing: killing off Reading FC, which has a proud 152-year history,” said Caroline Parker, spokeswoman for fan group Sell Before We Dai. “This club is now firmly on life support.”
A group of fans have lashed out at Manchester United after the club cited the development of young players as one of the reasons for switching their regular seats at Old Trafford from next season. “The legions of loyal fans who have weathered the storms and basked in victory are the ones who received the boot, or rather were ‘repositioned’ for this forward-thinking masterstroke,” South Stand United fumed.
There’s no room for Kalvin Phillips in Gareth Southgate’s England squad, but there is room for Ivan Toney, Joe Gomez, Jarrad Branthwaite and Anthony Gordon. Another name missing is Ben White, who signed a new four-year contract with Arsenal and made himself unselected. “For me it’s a great shame,” Southgate sighed. “I want that door to be wide open.”
Manchester City will be without De Bruyne for the FA Cup quarter-final against Newcastle due to a minor strain in his groin.
And Josh Cavallo, who in 2021 became the only openly gay senior player in the world at the time, got engaged to partner Leighton Morrell after proposing at Adelaide United’s home ground.
MOVING GOALKEEPS
The latest edition of our sister email is out now: Here’s a recap focusing on the kick-off of the new NWSL season this weekend.
STILL WANT MORE?
Is Pepe in danger of becoming unpopular? John Brewin’s Grand Cup team this week includes a Portuguese man.
Chelsea’s Jess Carter speaks to Xaymaca Awoyungbo about her relationship with Emma Hayes and the big affair against Arsenal.
And Steven Pye drives his DeLorean back to 1985, when Bryan Robson scored the best goal of his career to give Manchester United FA Cup glory against Liverpool.
WITH MEMORY STRIP
Bournemouth manager Freddie Cox is said to have been seen “in a council of war with his players” to plan tactics for their FA Cup fifth round appointment with Spurs in February 1957. The sides won 3-1 before narrowly going down to Manchester United in the last eight.
WISH US LUCK