Morning all.
Let’s begin with the draw for the Champions League which was made yesterday, and we’ll face Porto. We’ll be away for the primary leg on February twenty first, and at residence for the second on March twelfth. It was 2010 the final time we performed them, a 5-0 win on the Emirates the place Nicklas Bendtner bagged a hat-trick, whereas Samir Nasri and Emmanuel Eboue chipped in with one every.
Our reward for that win was Barcelona within the subsequent spherical, and at residence we had that well-known 2-2 recreation when Cesc Fabregas scored a late penalty with a damaged leg. The return leg in Spain was a bit totally different although. Bendtner by some means irritated Lionel Messi by placing us 1-0 up however earlier than we’d even completed celebrating within the stands, he’d equalised, and went on to attain 4 that evening.
Certain, you must caveat that by acknowledging our again 4 contained Mikael Silvestre, however it was type of wonderful to observe a participant of that expertise do what he did that evening. I believe that cemented my perception that he was the perfect participant on the planet at the moment, and doubtlessly the best ever. Which I believe he proved over time. Anyway, let’s hope beating Porto this time round results in a barely much less difficult opponent within the subsequent spherical.
We’ll must get by them first although. They’re going properly within the Primera Liga, sitting simply three factors off leaders Sporting, and on the draw yesterday, Sporting Director Edu mentioned:
We are able to see how they’re enjoying, how organized they’re, and the gamers that they’ve. Porto is a membership that you must be actually ready to play in opposition to or we’ll have issues, so what now we have to focus on is sustaining our ranges and the best way we’re enjoying.
A lot to debate round that nearer to the time. The complete draw is as follows:
Champions League Spherical of 16 draw
Porto v Arsenal
Napoli v Barcelona
Paris St-Germain v Actual Sociedad
Inter Milan v Atletico Madrid
PSV Eindhoven v Borussia Dortmund
Lazio v Bayern Munich
Copenhagen v Manchester Metropolis
RB Leipzig v Actual Madrid
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Reflecting on what has occurred within the Premier League during the last couple of days, it was so vital that we took most factors after Metropolis slipped up in opposition to Crystal Palace and Liverpool and Man Utd drew. The inevitable questions on Pep Guardiola’s crew that appear to pop up each season are being requested once more. It’s essentially the most great time of the yr when folks surprise ‘Are Metropolis weak this time round?’, earlier than they go on a run of 19 straight wins, with no accidents due to their particular vegetable eating regimen, and take the title with a few video games to spare. Write them off at your peril.
Liverpool didn’t look nice in opposition to United, however there’s one thing about that fixture which regularly produces an underwhelming recreation. Essentially the most attention-grabbing factor about it was the late sending off for Diogo Dalot, responsible of committing two acts of dissent inside 4 seconds which led to Michael Oliver issuing a pink card. It’s laborious to take these things critically now. I don’t need to go off on refs once more, however seeing them crack down on dissent or managers waving or celebrating too laborious, whereas gamers are being allowed week after week to bash opponents within the head is only a bit bizarre to me.
In seriousness, I believe it’s setting a harmful precedent, as a result of whereas most gamers don’t go round elbowing folks within the face and head, there are some who love a little bit of that, and the officiating has informed them that it’s open season on whoever you fancy. Don’t fear although, should you’re a supervisor asking why it’s certainly one of your gamers has been assaulted GBH-style, you’ll get a yellow card. I actually fear somebody goes to get critically damage, and I don’t perceive the crack-down on comparatively innocent stuff whereas these things continues to go unpunished.
As for Michael Oliver, it’s fairly humorous how he can hear a double-dissent so clearly within the cacophony of noise late in a Premier League recreation, however by some means not see this as a second yellow card offence.
Lastly, let’s hope that Luton City captain Tom Lockyer recovers totally from the cardiac arrest he suffered throughout their recreation in opposition to Bournemouth on the weekend. What it means for his profession at this level isn’t vital, his well being comes first, and I’m positive he’ll make the perfect choice within the fullness of time. It regarded like a massively traumatic expertise for everybody there, he’s now secure in hospital, and fingers crossed all goes properly for him and his household.
For extra on the weekend’s recreation, check out The 30 over on Patreon – our Premier League round-up podcast. There’s additionally a brand new Arsecast Additional for you beneath should you haven’t had an opportunity to pay attention but. That’s it for now, have a very good one.
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