PEP TALK
Triumph and crisis. That’s how Kipling described “life’s two impostors” in probably the most quoted line from If, his paean to equanimity. But sod him, as a result of a) it says right here he is been canceled and b) he died in 1936 and subsequently is aware of the sq. root of bugger all about Big Cup. Goodbye triumph and crisis, hi “visionary genius and bald fraud”. Those are the impostors Pep Guardiola can be wrestling with in the following couple of weeks as he tries to in any case win the Big Cup with Manchester City, a adventure (drink two arms) that resumes in opposition to Bayern Munich on the Etihad this night.
With each and every passing 12 months they do not win it, City’s love-hate-need courting with the Big Cup will get extra intense, and extra scrutinised. At his pre-match press convention, Guardiola appealed for nuance and adulthood, which used to be comparable to asking other folks to get to understand one every other first at a Bacchanalian pageant. “We want to try to win the Big Cup but it doesn’t mean we are going to win,” he mentioned. “Yesterday, it was the Masters. How many majors did Jack Nicklaus play in his career? How many wins out of 164 tries? To install Eighteen wins. Wow. He loses more than he wins. That’s sports. , Michael Jordan, the best athlete for me in basketball, won six NBA titles out of 14 years. What is important is to be here, compete well, do our best… no more than that. I live my profession that way. After that if I lose, I lose. I’m not perfect.
This is Guardiola’s seventh try with City, and his 11th since he won his second Big Cup with Barcelona in 2011. At times he has thought himself out of contention, so it’ll be interesting to see whether he tinkers tonight, as in the 2021 final against Chelsea, when he put an ingeniously subtle spin on the concept of subconscious self-loathing by picking a side without a specialist No 6 – the position Pep himself used to play, and arguably the most important position in any Guardiola team. Chelsea’s manager that night was future Bond villain and occasional Peptonite Thomas Tuchel, whose hasty appointment as Bayern Munich manager may or may have been connected to the Big Cup draw.
“I was sad but I congratulated him and Chelsea for the victory,” said Guardiola of the 2021 final. “It happened. I reviewed the game a month later. It was not as bad as I thought, but it was not at all a good enough performance to win it,” he continued, absent-mindedly writing ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES PEP A DULL BOY on a bespoke pad provided by City’s official stationery. partner. “It was a tight, tight game like they always have been against Chelsea. [So]:forget it and try again. A mature and reasonable sentiment; deepeven. And one that will almost entirely fall on deaf ears.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Big Website, Big Cup. Join Rob Smyth for Manchester City 2-1 Bayern Munich, and Tim de Lisle for Benfica 0-0 Inter (both 8pm, BST) as the quarter-final, first-leg ties begin. Plus: Daniel Gallan will provide updates from Lionesses 3-2 Matildas (7.45pm BST).
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“I play for Switzerland, and will give 100% for them. But I was born in Kosovo and I love both countries. It will be a proud moment for sure, because all of my family is going to come. It’s going to be emotional for me” – Xherdan Shaqiri tells Dan Williams about going through the rustic of his beginning in an upcoming Euro 2024 qualifier, fleeing warfare as a kid and recollections of Liverpool.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
Was it two points dropped, or a point gained for Arsenal after Liverpool’s late onslaught at Anfield? The Football Weekly crew discusses that, Burnley’s return and much more in Monday’s pod. Plus! Look out for Women’s Football Weekly on Wednesday, looking back at England’s games against Brazil and Australia.
“Chelsea are looking for a PERMANENT head coach. [Thursday’s Football Daily], That I would love to see!” – Tim Allen (and others).
“The situation at Chelsea was chaotic enough – introducing Frank Lampard into the equation will surely have Netflix offering Todd Boehly the inflated price of at least two more midfielders to document the outcome” – John Weldon.
“Thanks to Howard Webb and his PGMOL crew for all the money Brighton fans will save when we don’t have to travel to Europe next season” – Allan Clark.
“Nice to see David Jack get a mention [Thursday’s Memory Lane], It’s worth adding that he was the very first player to score a goal at Wembley, for Bolton in the famous ‘white horse’ FA Cup final of 1923” – Elaine Shaw [also, his full name was David Bone Nightingale Jack – Football Daily Ed],
Send your letters to [email protected]. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Allan Clark.
RECOMMENDED LOOKING
… endless time loop? David Squires looks at the return of Frank Lampard to Frank Lampard’s Chelsea (For Now) and Roy Hodgson’s resurgence with Crystal Palace and asks the question: is the Premier League stuck in an …
NEWS, BITS AND BOBS
With Reading in the Championship relegation zone after a six-point deduction for breaching financial rules, the board have sacked themselves. Not really, they’ve sacked their manager, Paul Ince, with Noel Hunt in charge until the end of the season.
Michael Salisbury has been axed for the next round of Premier League fixtures after failing to recommend a VAR review for a Brighton penalty in their 2-1 defeat at Tottenham on Saturday, forcing Howard Webb to dig out his apology template letter.
The chairman of Ref Support has said Constantine Hatzidakis has been “punished sufficient” over that contretemps with Andy Robertson. “It’s been blown somewhat bit out of share,” Martin Cassidy advised BBC Sport.
Leicester – who sacked Brendan Rodgers with no idea who might replace him – have overcome the humiliation of apparent rejection by Jesse Marsch and appointed Dean Smith, sacked by Norwich in December, to try to keep them up.
Carlo Ancelotti has backed Chelsea’s Frank Lampard (For Now) to do a “incredible process” as interim coach. “I’m a supporter of Chelsea, as a result of I spent two years there,” Ancelotti advised Hacks prior to their Big Cup assembly on Wednesday. “Lampard has been a great player who I coached for two years. He will do well in the time he is there.”
Manchester City’s 19-year-old midfielder Shea Charles is a summer transfer target for Leeds, Brentford and Borussia Dortmund.
In grown adults news, police have been called in after Kevin Clancy, in reference to last weekend’s Old Firm game, received “threatening and abusive emails” after his contact details were published online.
And Ben Foster’s late penalty save earned Wrexham a vital 3-2 win over National League promotion rivals Notts County in a Bank Holiday blockbuster. “I’ve never celebrated a save before, it’s such a douchebag thing to do, but I couldn’t help myself,” he cheered.
STILL WANT MORE?
Wout Weghorst isn’t a long-term answer, so who will have to Manchester United enroll entrance this summer season? Ben McAleer takes a glance.
Talking issues, 10 of them. From the Easter weekend’s Premier League motion, should you insist on additional knowledge.
All aboard the Euroblog Express! First forestall: Milan, the place town’s two competitors may just meet within the Big Cup semis – and likewise omit the highest 4, reviews Nicky Bandini.
Next forestall: Dortmund, the place BVB don’t seem to be going away quietly of their sudden name race with Bayern Munich. Andy Brassell takes a glance.
On we cross to Villarreal, a vacation spot too small to stay this metaphor on course – however a membership the place winger Samuel Chukwueze is discovering most sensible tools, says Sid Lowe.
Finally, it is off to northern France the place Lens are defying the percentages to take a seat 2d within the desk at the back of you-know-who. Eric Devin Les Sang Et Or theirdues.
ChatGPT: Please write us a snappy, pithy sentence summarizing Jason Stockwood’s piece on how AI assistants would possibly in the future dominate the dugout. Ah…oh.
Women’s soccer would possibly not play a large phase in early life tradition simply but, however it may outline tradition for the following technology of youngster ladies, writes Debra Nelson.
MEMORY LANE
On this present day in 1959, Billy Wright become the primary participant to win 100 caps as England beat Scotland 1-0. Here’s the Wolves legend along Ferenc Puskas in 1954, for a tournament between Wolves and Honved at Molineux. In the assembly of England and Hungary’s league champions, Wolves briefly went 2–0 down however rallied to win 3–2 – in all probability beginning the European custom of dramatic comebacks.