This past month I visited two arena’s of football, the old and mighty San Siro rife with history and legend, and the modern palace of the Stade Matmut Atlantique. After watching the circus at Stamford Bridge this season these trips have certainly reaffirmed my love for football, for Chelsea ? Not so much.
Watching Kylian Mbappe tearing down the wing, and Monaco struggling and failing to contain the 19 year old, evoked feelings of excitement and fantasy sorely lacking at Stamford Bridge. Enjoying the swift and tactile interchanges between Dries Mertens, Lorenzo Insigne and Hamsik against Inter, and the clever touches of Adrien Rabiot, dull the pain and heartache of watching Drinkwater shunt the ball hopelessly forward.
Sometimes its easy to get caught up in supporting your team, football becomes a emotional event, and the deeper joys of football can often escape you.
I find the best champions league matches are those where footballing quality is on display and one is watching as a nuetral, free of preformed feelings or hopes going into the match.
As is discussed much on the podcast there are only 3 or 4 possible honours that can be won by any one team, and only 2 significant titles. Not to mention teams face a vast myriad of factors that can decide whether they do indeed find success or not. Of course money and talent make it more likely that a team will succeed. But no amount of money can guarantee you titles.
Why not take a moment to watch another league, or checkup on an up and coming local or foreign talent, and form your own opinion on them. Watching as a neutral you can begin to appreciate different teams identities and build your own tactical comprehension.
With the rise of sensationalist sports coverage and out of context statistics, there is more of a need for the average football fan to be informed than ever.