The Morning Blog: Missing The Trick

The hidden treasure

In a show of hugely ironic cruelty, Roberto Mancini was sacked by Manchester City an exact year to the day the Italian led the club to its first Premier League title. On that occasion 12 months ago, Mancini was elated after Sergio Aguero’s last gasp stunner against QPR sealed a two-goal rally in stoppage time during the last match of the season. Yesterday, he was most likely feeling dejection after a second place finish in the league and FA Cup final loss earned him the axe. Perhaps the former Internazionale manager is sulking as we speak, or maybe the enormous 28m compensation he’ll receive as a settlement for leaving will be consolation enough.

Regardless of ridiculous payouts, though, the consensus amongst the media elite in England seems to be that Manuel Pellegrini will be making his way from Malaga to Manchester and take over at the Etihad Stadium. If that’s the case, then City will have gotten themselves, by all accounts, a great manager. In doing so, however, they might have equally missed out on a greater opportunity to appoint a better fit.

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The Morning Blog - Die German Machine

If it ain’t broke?

Like a rabid animal, Bayern Munich just keep one attacking, beating opponents into the ground. The latest casualty of their ruthless killing spree? 1. FC Nuremberg who fell to a 4-0 Bundesliga defeat, extending Munich’s unbeaten streak to 19 in a competition they’ve already won in record time.

Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images Europe

What do you think about Pep Guardiola’s imminent arrival?

-heat:

LeBron’s game-winner vs the Celtics.

The morning blog - The heroes’ hero

Magical Messi strikes

The boys were back in full business on Tuesday night. Their passing was crisp, their movement impossible to keep up with, their crowd, as always, in full voice and still, their comeback would not be anything without the other-worldly work of their other-worldly footballer. Tactical superiority is one thing, magic is another. The sublime Lionel Messi provided the latter, ensuring that Catalan’s full return to form did not go unwarranted.

It’s all good and well to say that Barcelona were the better team, that they dominated possession and controlled the match, but none of that necessarily translates into a victory. Especially during a game in which one fell slip could, and nearly did, prove fatal.

Barca were buzzing from the off, and had Milan in the strangle hold for basically the whole match. But they still needed two strikes that simply defied logic. The first one, a quick long-range curler launched centrally from the top of the 18, was so outrageous that laughter, at the time, seemed to be the appropriate reaction. The fact the goal was preceded by an equally outrageous touch with the outside of Messi’s left-boot made the goal even more spectacular. The second, a fast-paced, grass-grazing strike which nutmegged Phillippe Mexes, warranted a statement of reaffirmation: This guy is truly the best.

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