by UNITED
Blackburn Rovers 1995-96, Manchester United 2005-06, Manchester City 2012-13. Before this week’s events, this was the full list of Premier League teams that finished bottom of their group in the Big Cup. This season, two English clubs finished bottom of the pile, ending their European adventures before Football Daily had wrapped up / thought about buying any Christmas presents. Oh United! Newcastle followed Manchester into the Cup’s Hall of Shame on Wednesday night; The Magpies’ campaign didn’t come close to the “we’re-gonna-concede-one-more-than-you” escapes, from Erik ten Hag’s clown-car control, but in its own way was just as disappointing.
With 35 minutes left to play, Newcastle had a buffer of sorts with two goals, which Milan gave through Joelinton’s underhanded goal and PSG continued at Dortmund. And then came the double sucker punch: PSG leveled in Germany before Milan’s Christian Pulisic added a second blow with the solar plexus to level the scores at St James’ Park. It was classic Super Cup cruelty, waiting for the moment Newcastle fans finally began to believe before pulling the rug out from under them with success.
In a further painful twist, PSG ended up settling for the draw, after Kylian Mbappé was denied by Niklas Süle’s telescopic leg and Uefa’s offside detector. Newcastle paid the price for failing Rule 1 of their group-stage exit: if you need to win your game, win your game. Rule 2 goes something like this: if you lose qualification to a team you beat 4-1 in the second game, something is obviously off.
While Football Daily worked out who to root for in the battle of Saudi, Qatari and US investors, Samuel Chukwueze’s fine late finish allowed Milan to clinch third place and force Newcastle out of the Big Vase funnel. Well, who cares about that, you might ask. But wait – rival fans enjoying a laugh at Manchester and Newcastle United’s expense might be thinking of The Coefficient. Please, won’t someone think of the Coefficient? The two teams leaving Europe in December leave the World’s Best League™ on the trail of the Bundesliga and Serie A in the race for fifth place in next season’s strange new Bigger Cup format. It’s a blow to the likes of Tottenham, who are currently fifth in the Premier League, and the two teams directly below them – oh, Manchester United and Newcastle.
In order to push five English teams into the Big Cup next term, progressing to the Big Vase/Pot this season could be crucial. Those group stages will conclude later today, with Brighton and Liverpool (Vase) and Aston Villa (Pot) already through to the top spots. That’s no excuse for Major League fans of all stripes not to gather around their televisions and cheer every goal to the rafters. Would you like a resourceful, overachieving club like Bologna get an extra Our League place? Because that is what could happen. While the Premier League is about to try to get back on the field, four Spanish clubs have advanced to Monday’s Super Cup as group winners. The four are also playing in La Liga to come up against leaders Girona, a satellite team in Manchester City’s universe. Football: still a funny old game.
LIVE ON A BIG WEBSITE
Join Sarah Rendell for some great Women’s Cup action at Stamford Bridge: Chelsea 2-2 Häcken as the Blues look to leapfrog the Swedish side to the top of Group D. Elsewhere Niall McVeigh (and later Will Unwin) lead the Grand Vase/ Pot Clock Watch, impressing as Union Saint-Gilloise 0-3 Liverpool, Brighton 1-1 Marseille, West Ham 1-2 Freiburg and Real Betis 4-1 Rangers.
STATEMENT OF THE DAY
“I want Bournemouth to play in Europe – that’s our goal. It’s not going to be easy but I’m confident we can achieve it. Brighton are a great inspiration, they do a great job. We can certainly be in Europe within five years” – a few good results and Bill Foley, the chairman of the Cherries, an American billionaire, has completed this whole football business. Don’t tell Todd Boehly, Bill!
DAILY FOOTBALL LETTERS
“Great predictions in yesterday’s forecast daily – probably Rob Smyth – for Wednesday Night’s Grand Cup scores, marred only by a late consolation goal from Justine Kielland for Brann. Any tips for the weekend games, Rob?” – Richie Philpott.
“There are at least 36 Masters courses in football management available in the UK. I would say that question 1 on the final exam papers should read: ‘Championship football matches are still working fine without VAR. Discuss’” – Mick Beeby.
“Re yesterdays Football Daily: “Rashford and Anthony Martial missed last night’s game due to illness after standing in the cold for too long at St James’ Park.” Hopefully Manuel Neuer won’t get sick after standing around in the cold at Old Trafford” – Thomas Lund Hansen.
Send any letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s letter winner is … Thomas Lund Hansen, who receives a copy of Reign of the Lionesses, published by Pitch Publishing. Visit their amazing football book store here.
RECOMMENDED LISTENING
It’s Football Weekly Extra Time: Max Rushden, Nicky Bandini, Archie Rhind-Tutt and Lars Sivertsen cut the fat and unpack a wild week of Premier League action, previewing Premier League fixtures this weekend.
NEWS, YEAST AND BOBS
Rebecca Welch will become the first woman to referee a Premier League game when she takes charge of Fulham’s home game against Burnley on December 23.
PROFESSIONAL NEWS: Mr and Mrs 15% are still scooping in the loot. Even more than ever, in fact. Clubs spent more than £700m on agent and intermediary fees in 2023.
Mikel Arteta escaped punishment following FA charges following a post-match rant about refereeing standards in the win at Newcastle last month, in which he called a number of decisions “disgraceful” and “disgraceful”.
Big Ange needs a shiny new center back at Spurs in January. “At the moment we’re on the fence in case something else happens.” sighed the Australian.
Emma Hayes says Lauren James is “not in a very good place” after being racially abused on social media. The Chelsea manager compared it to David Beckham’s treatment in 1998. “It’s fair to say if I was in the job I’d think there’s racial profiling going on,” Hayes said.
Manchester City: the next gen. Goals from Micah Hamilton and Oscar Bobb at Red Star Belgrade had Pep in full gushing mode. “WOW. What a goal, eh!” whooped Pep of Hamilton. “I’m so happy with it.”
Legia Warsaw fans have been banned from their team’s next five matches after some bad behavior at Aston Villa last month in Tin Pot.
José Mourinho, despite managing these days in Serie A, has returned to his favorite target, Pep and Manchester City, as he tries to explain Roma’s slide. As ever, José needs more players. “It’s not that I’m jealous,” said the Portuguese, not jealous at all, but Man City paid €80m for Kalvin Phillips and now Pep has said it would be better for him to leave in January. So he’ll leave and they’ll find someone else.”
STILL ABOUT MORE?
There is a reference in Max Rushden’s column to John McGinn walking past a tritium and a nice picture of a Manchester City themed Santa Claus. What’s not to like?
The soar of Copenhagen, the scream of Sergio Ramos, the misery of Manchester United and Newcastle. Get your match day in the Champions League six grades.
Famous Sunderland fan Jonathan Wilson picks the bones of Newcastle’s misery.
Women’s football in the UK lacks diversity, writes Eni Aluko, and the approach to player recruitment needs to change.
As Euro 2024 approaches, Matt Ford reports on the violence that is developing between the police and the fans in the host country, Germany, with the police accused of unnecessary brutality.
MEMORY LANE
Hugo Gatti, Argentina’s famous goalkeeper, pictured (left) as a 22-year-old unused squad member for his country’s 1966 World Cup. He played a record number of Argentinian league games, 765, and is best known as the goalkeeper of Boca Juniors when they won the Copa Libertadores in 1977 and 1978. And the Intercontinental Cup in 1977, when Boca beat Borussia Mönchengladbach, who played both of those. -legged game because Liverpool refused to participate. Despite that trip to England for the World Cup, he only won 17 international caps, as holder Ubaldo Fillol was the country’s keeper when they lifted the 1978 World Cup. “El Loco” was seen to – as Gatti was known – less reliable than his great rival despite, just like Fillol, saving 26 penalties. The long-haired Gatti was known for his efforts up the field to challenge defenders and to have a good first touch with a goalkeeper. At the age of 79, he famously claimed that Emi Martínez was Argentina’s real hero at the Human Rights World Cup. “The goalkeeper was more important than Messi,” Gatti said. “He covered the basic balls, he won the penalties.”
A LITTLE TREAT
