I blink
Watching highlights of the Champions League’s first knockout round, I was surprised to see Thomas Tuchel on Chelsea’s touchline. Apparently, he’s been working there since January. Already he holds the record for consecutive victories by a manager who is beginning at the club.
(It seems like only yesterday when the previous gaffer, Frank Lampard, was scowling at those same players’ ludicrous displays.)
I also was surprised that the 6,000-seat Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano was the venue of Real Madrid’s knockout game against Atalanta. Indeed, Real Madrid have been playing there since June of last year, and the Santiago Bernabéu is under renovation.
In other words: I’ve been ignoring world-famous clubs like Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain (the club that employed Tuchel as recently as December, and for which he also had record-breaking success). And there’s nothing special about those giants: I’ve been ignoring soccer in general (though I do usually watch a game or two over the weekend).
This neglect is certainly due to COVID. Soccer is just not as exciting when no one is in the stands.
Which is a pity. The footballers are, if anything, less inhibited now; and the quality of play is better.
(It seems like only yesterday when the previous gaffer, Frank Lampard, was scowling at those same players’ ludicrous displays.)
I also was surprised that the 6,000-seat Estadio Alfredo Di Stéfano was the venue of Real Madrid’s knockout game against Atalanta. Indeed, Real Madrid have been playing there since June of last year, and the Santiago Bernabéu is under renovation.
In other words: I’ve been ignoring world-famous clubs like Real Madrid, Chelsea, and Paris Saint-Germain (the club that employed Tuchel as recently as December, and for which he also had record-breaking success). And there’s nothing special about those giants: I’ve been ignoring soccer in general (though I do usually watch a game or two over the weekend).
This neglect is certainly due to COVID. Soccer is just not as exciting when no one is in the stands.
Which is a pity. The footballers are, if anything, less inhibited now; and the quality of play is better.