BIG CUP GONNA BIG CUP
First up: an apology. Perhaps Big Cup’s group stages are actually interesting after all. This week chucked up plenty of excitement. That’s once you set aside Manchester City teaching Young Boys a lesson in economic dominance and how it will buy you an unstoppable striker whose version of a goal drought is three matches. But with Manchester United’s redemption act – André Onana and Harry Maguire doing it for Sir Bobby – Tuesday featured real drama before Wednesday brought a lesson in Big Cup oscillations to Eddie Howe’s Newcastle. On a Tyneside night so soggy that even Jason Tindall’s pompadour sagged a tad, Borussia Dortmund arrived on Tyneside and picked off Eddie’s men with greater ease than the 1-0 scoreline suggests.
OK, Gregor Kobel’s crossbar was rattled on a couple of occasions but those in laser yellow might easily have scored a couple more goals, just like the one from Felix Nmecha which proved decisive. That’s the thing about Big Cup: one week you are holding PSG’s hand to the fire, with St James’ Park partying like like it’s 1997 and Tino Asprilla is still performing cartwheels; then suddenly, the away fans have turned the Leazes End’s higher tier into the Yellow Wall. The whole night seemed to get caught in the throat of the Toon Army [a frog on the Tyne? – Daily Ed]. There was tension, and the creeping sense that fortune was not on Newcastle’s side. Alexander Isak’s groin-gah and Jacob Murphy’s shoulder-knack added to a growing injury list. “It’s fine margins,” wailed Eddie Howe, using an explanation now so prevalent, including from England’s brave rugger boys last weekend, that it’s surely due a Bryan’s Gunn video compilation on Social Media Disgrace TwiXter.
Adding to the sinking feeling was le nouveau PSG giving Milan a right chasing in Group F’s other game, with Kylian Mbappé joined in genius by 17-year-old Warren Zaïre-Emery – and the valedictory, though ineffective appearance of Sandro Tonali as a sub at St James’ Park. The Italian played his final 25 minutes of this season before, as expected, the Italian FA announced on Thursday a 10-month ban for betting on football matches, including those of former club Milan. That the offences took place while still a Milan player offers no protection for Newcastle. The ban will cost the player £11m and a place at Euro 2024, should Italy make it.
Tonali’s exile, and his reported gambling addiction, asks more questions – though they are the same old questions – of football’s cosy relationship with gambling. Almost no one is innocent in modern football. Howe might have promised to give Tonali “all the love and support he needs to find solutions to the problems he’s had,” but when Newcastle’s intrepid commercial department somehow struck a £25m-a-year sponsorship deal with Saudi leisure firm Sela, they did so by curtailing a previous relationship with Chinese bookmaker Fun88. But the Fun88 didn’t stop there; they instead became Newcastle’s official Asian betting partner.
LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE
Buckle up for the Big Vase/Tin Pot Euroclocko! John Brewin is on hand for Olympiakos 1-1 West Ham, Sparta Prague 2-0 Rangers and AZ Alkmaar 0-1 Aston Villa (all 5.45pm BST). Then you can join Will Unwin for Brighton 3-2 Ajax, Liverpool 4-0 Toulouse and Aberdeen 1-2 PAOK (all 8pm BST).
QUOTE OF THE DAY
“There were two outstanding candidates: Frank and Philippe, who got the job. The final say wasn’t with me. For me, Frank had the edge … he has still got a great deal to offer. I think he is a football man through and through, and the thing that encouraged me when I met him was he wanted to do it” – Graeme Souness tells TalkSport why he would have given the Rangers job to – yes – Frank Lampard.
FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS
“Here’s a Sheffield Wednesday update for you. After last night’s inevitable loss to Plymouth, we currently have three points and are 15 points off safety after just 13 (THIRTEEN) games. We have had three different managers this season, all with a win ratio of 0%. And to think I used to mock the 15% win ratio that the infamous John Carver achieved. We can only dream of such heights now” – Noble Francis.
“Young Tony Paley’s haircut [yesterday’s Quote of the Day] should absolutely be applauded” – John Plunkett.
“Re: Wednesday’s full email edition …did you forget Memory Lane?” – Paddy Viner [see below – Football Daily Ed].
Send your letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s winner of our prizeless letter o’ the day is … Rollover.
This is an extract from our daily football email … Football Daily. To get the full version, just visit this page and follow the instructions.
