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A European draw that not even John Terry could liven up
BIG CUP O’ TEDIUM
Following Monday morning’s draw for Big Cup Round of 16, the general consensus on social media abominations and elsewhere appeared to be that it was the most boring of its kind ever conducted. While Football Daily would not be so bold as to suggest it wouldn’t have been considerably enlivened if Uefa’s special guest for the occasion had turned up in full Chelsea 2012 kit to help swirl, select and unscrew the little footballs before pairing the teams for the first knockout stage, the blame for any tedium induced cannot realistically be placed at the door of 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.
After all, it’s not as if the Danish champions provided much in the way of entertainment while helping to eliminate Manchester United in the group stages. And who isn’t excited by the prospect of seeing PSG finding an even more new and amusing way of getting bounced out of the tournament when they face a Basque club fabled for the number of academy graduates it fields and whose record signing is a £17m Nigerian striker best known in the UK for failing to making any sort of impression, let alone coming close to cutting the mustard in Scotland during a loan spell with Rangers?
Back in Big Cup for the first time in six years and having progressed serenely through their group as winners, the Premier League’s other remaining representatives, Arsenal, can look forward to a trip to Porto, who they swatted aside at the same stage more than 13 years ago when a young Lord Bendtner chipped in with a second-leg hat-trick. While the Gooners may not have anyone among their ranks boasting the same type of professionalism, ambition and dead-eyed precision these days, they will certainly be optimistic regarding their chances of making it through this Round of Arsenal snooze-fest, into the last eight and possibly beyond.
Last 16 draw: Porto v Arsenal, Napoli v Barcelona, PSG v Real Sociedad, Inter v Atlético Madrid, PSV Eindhoven v Borussia Dortmund, Lazio v Bayern Munich, Copenhagen v Manchester City, Leipzig v Real Madrid.
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QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Thank goodness common sense and human decency prevailed [and] the game was abandoned. It was a wonderful touch by the Bournemouth fans to join in singing with real vigour for Tom. It was a distressing, upsetting and awful situation, but also an example of thousands of people coming together to show their support to a fellow human being, and those affected by a tragic situation” – Phill Macbeth-Seath, from the We Are Luton Town podcast, describes the harrowing incident on Saturday when Tom Lockyer collapsed after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch at Bournemouth. The game was abandoned, while the Wales international – who also collapsed during last season’s Championship playoff final due to an atrial fibrillation – remains in hospital, undergoing tests.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
Re: Howard Webb’s backing of VAR’s ability to remove on-pitch errors (Friday’s Quote of the Day). What about removing the off-pitch errors created by VAR, such as the Spurs-Liverpool offside howler? It seems to me the solution is itself clear and obvious: Video Assistant VAR. Vavar officials would sit in a sequestered office with screens showing all the action in Stockley Park, ready to intervene if needed. Of course, this ignores the tradition of what VAR is all about and would snatch away the current unbridled joy of fans being able to celebrate a VAR decision going their way. There would always be that moment of doubt until the Vavar check is complete. But surely Howard wouldn’t want to leave VAR errors in the game, would he?” – Ian Potter.
As a Union SG fan (not ‘SG Union’) may I take issue with the description of our victory over Liverpool being ‘about as meaningful as a Christmas card from your broadband provider’ (Friday’s Big Vase section, full email edition)? For this fan at least it was bloody amazing (and also ensured we at least drop down into Tin Pot)” – Dave Lloyd.
Given that no goals were scored in a fixture that featured seven last year, I can only conclude that both Liverpool and Manchester United have been nought-y this year” – Peter Oh.
Send any letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Ian Potter.
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