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Weekend In Football Perspective


El Clasico.
 In the build up, we related the encounter largely to how much effect it would have on whoever wins  Spanish Championship. But, Lionel Messi came, ran tooth-gnashing terror, championed in totality and completely stole this one away. I mean, when you are 29 and you're are mentioned in the same breath as the the greatest characters in football history, scored 500 times for a single football club, scored the most cumulative goals in El Cassico, scored and made the most goals and assists, respectively,  in La Liga History, whilst playing the best brand of football alongside of that, I can only be proud you came during my time.


Calabar Tragedy

   The regrettable loss of lives of football fans, which majority are believed to be Manchester United faithful, in Calabar, South-South Nigeria, has received quite a sizable level of attention, nationwide and across the globe alike. President Mohammadu Buhari and other dignitaries, including former vice president, Atiku Abubakar, Senate Leader, Bukola Saraki and his counterpart in the House of Assembly, Yakubu Dogara, commiserated with Delta State government and its people. I sense political stunt, but they did it anyway.
   
  A statement credited to the stated football club's twitter handle reads: "Our thoughts go out to the United fans, their friends and families affected by the tragedy in Calabar, Nigeria, yesterday.”
   British High commission in Nigeria stated: “Our deepest sympathy for the loss of lives in Calabar during a Europa League football match between Manchester United and Anderlecht.”

     Thirty fans were initially reported to have been killed while watching an Europa League match between Manchester United and Anderlecht last Thursday, when an high tension cable fell on the crowd at a viewing center. On the contrary, ten people, as a matter of fact, were killed in the sad occurrence, with over Eighteen casualties currently receiving treatments, as against widespread claims of thirty deaths. However, 30 or 10, the significance of a single life cannot be overestimated.
 
  While I have nothing but deep and sincere sympathy for friends and families of the deceased, I however strongly believe, that, in all of this, the most important lesson there is to take away is ensuring that not one more life is lost to a similarly embarrassing occurrence while led by their passion. Beyond what the government can do, individuals must have penchant towards taking meticulous cognizance of potential threats to their existence. I don't know how you explain watching football at viewing centers that are not only constructed with metal sheets but have high tension cables running over them. You may be right if you are of the view that these things have  slim chances of happening, but when one happens, it leaves behind wounds that may never be healed in a life time.

English FA Cup

  Arsenal earned a third FA cup final in four years after dumping Pep Guardiola's Manchester City out of the competition, in an intensely contested match. The sides ended 1-1 in regular time, but, Alexis Sanchez's winner ensured his former coach, Pep Guardiola would finish a season without at least a trophy for the first time in his football management career.
 
  Arsenal are arguably improved since Arsene Wenger modified his team to a 3-4-3 shape which has effectively enabled his players to defend better, neutralizing, for example, Leroy Sane, a prevailing creative outlet for the Citizens, who wrecked the most damage the last time the two teams met in the English Premier League. City, far from their peak of forms, paid the ultimate price.

   Chelsea who will be the other finalists on May 27, having  clearly benefitted from Antonio Conte's tactical acumen, Eden Hazard's individual brilliance and Tottenham's poor run of form at the Wembley Stadium. The victory, for Chelsea, is directly crucial to repeating a double which they bagged ten years ago, when Carlo Ancelotti was in charge.

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