{"id":335384,"date":"2017-03-09T14:26:42","date_gmt":"2017-03-09T06:26:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/the-warm-up-cancel-all-future-football-weve-peaked\/"},"modified":"2017-03-09T14:26:42","modified_gmt":"2017-03-09T06:26:42","slug":"the-warm-up-cancel-all-future-football-weve-peaked","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/the-warm-up-cancel-all-future-football-weve-peaked\/","title":{"rendered":"The Warm-Up: Cancel all future football;\u00a0we\u2019ve peaked"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.eurosport.com\/2017\/03\/09\/2039396-42783415-640-360.jpg\"><\/p>\n<h2>THURSDAY\u2019S TOP STORIES<\/h2>\n<h2>What just happened?<\/h2>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Jesus Christ. Jesus. Bloody. Christ. I mean\u2026 f**<em>*<\/em>! Where do you even start?<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">How about with <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/luis-enrique_prs180587\/person.shtml\">Luis Enrique<\/a>, putting the victory into valedictory, jumping like a schoolboy after the final whistle, all the angst and pain of the last few months forgotten, sweated away into the night air? \u201cIf they scored four, we can score six,\u201d the Asturian had said before the match.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">How about with <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/edinson-cavani_prs207421\/person.shtml\">Edinson Cavani<\/a>, who surely, <em>surely<\/em>, thought that his emphatic strike had settled the tie in <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/teams\/paris-saint-germain\/teamcenter.shtml\">Paris Saint-Germain<\/a>\u2019s favour, despite all the defensive lapses in the first half and the complete absence of the rhythm they achieved in the first leg?<\/p>\n<div class=\"storyfull__content-picture storyfull__content-picture--picture\" readability=\"32\">\n<div class=\"wrapper-interchange img-interchange wrapper-interchange--on format-16-9 focal-point lazyload-ok\"><span><img alt=\"Paris Saint-Germain's Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani (L) celebrates with teammates after scoring their first goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match FC Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Ba\"\/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"storyfull__content-picture-legend\" readability=\"34\">\n<p>Paris Saint-Germain&#8217;s Uruguayan forward Edinson Cavani (L) celebrates with teammates after scoring their first goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 second leg football match FC Barcelona vs Paris Saint-Germain FC at the Camp Nou stadium in Ba<span class=\"storyfull__content-picture-legend-agency\">AFP<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">How about with Angel Di Maria, portentously telling the home fans to be quiet after Cavani\u2019s goal? Or <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/unai-emery_prs206144\/person.shtml\">Unai Emery<\/a>, stalking up and down the touchline like a man waiting for his degree result, finally slumping to the floor after finding out he has failed?<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">How about with <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/michael-owen_prs17\/person.shtml\">Michael Owen<\/a>, so excited by the winning goal that he did a lap of the presenting table on BT Sport?<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">No, we must surely start with <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/neymar_prs189167\/person.shtml\">Neymar<\/a>, so often the callow prince of the MSN triumvirate but elevated here to king of kings, dragging his side over the line. When other heads were dropping at 3-1, his did not. A startlingly good free-kick jumpstarted the comeback, before he kept his cool from 12 yards after Luis Suarez\u2019s tumble.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Then, deep into added time, when so many players would have simply lumped the ball into the box, he had the nerve to dribble past his man and caress a stunning ball into the path of <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/sergi-roberto_prs247036\/person.shtml\">Sergi Roberto<\/a>. The rest, as they say\u2026<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Three goals in 436 seconds. What a finale. What a recovery. And on the flipside, what a choke for the ages.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Debates will rage in the days ahead. Was this the greatest comeback ever? Just what is PSG\u2019s issue in Europe? Are Barcelona \u2018back\u2019, whatever that means? Should other managers starting handing in their P45s in search of an Enrique-style results bounce?<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">For now, though, let\u2019s all just bask in the afterglow of one of the great sporting fireworks displays in living memory. It was amazing and you \u2013 even if just from your sofa \u2013 were watching.<\/p>\n<h2>Somewhere Auba the rainbow<\/h2>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">It was a touch less dramatic than Barcelona\u2019s effort, but <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/teams\/borussia-dortmund\/teamcenter.shtml\">Borussia Dortmund<\/a> also came from behind to book a spot in the Champions League quarter-finals, putting <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/teams\/benfica\/teamcenter.shtml\">Benfica<\/a> to the sword at the Westfalenstadion.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\"><a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/pierre-emerick-aubameyang_prs179149\/person.shtml\">Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang<\/a> was the hero for <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/thomas-tuchel_prs217443\/person.shtml\">Thomas Tuchel<\/a>\u2019s side, scoring three times and erasing memories of the first leg, when he was about as deadly as an Andrex puppy. With <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/marco-reus_prs160972\/person.shtml\">Marco Reus<\/a> to come back and nothing major to play for in the Bundesliga, they\u2019ll be dangerous opponents for someone in the next round.<\/p>\n<div class=\"storyfull__content-picture storyfull__content-picture--picture\" readability=\"31.5\">\n<div class=\"wrapper-interchange img-interchange wrapper-interchange--on format-16-9 focal-point lazyload-ok\"><span><img alt=\"Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring their third goal with team mates\"\/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"storyfull__content-picture-legend\" readability=\"33\">\n<p>Borussia Dortmund&#8217;s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang celebrates scoring their third goal with team mates<span class=\"storyfull__content-picture-legend-agency\">Reuters<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Meanwhile, in Manchester\u2026<\/h2>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Nope.<\/p>\n<h2>RETRO CORNER<\/h2>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">OK, this isn\u2019t actually that old. But it\u2019s a visual continuation of the Neymar love-in above, so you\u2019ll get over it.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Yep, that\u2019s the boy wonder, plus <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/robinho_prs206829\/person.shtml\">Robinho<\/a> and <a class=\"autolink\" href=\"http:\/\/www.eurosport.com\/football\/paulo-henrique_prs167982\/person.shtml\">Paulo Henrique<\/a> Ganso, dancing to Beyonc\u00e9 to promote Brazilian meat brand Seara. Probably worth bookmarking for when you need to make the endtimes more bearable.<\/p>\n<p><iframe frameborder=\"0\" width=\"100%\" height=\"100%\" data-lazy-type=\"youtube\" data-src-lazyload=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/JsoCLxZzgw0?feature=oembed&#038;enablejsapi=1\" class=\"storyfull__content-embedvid lazyload embed_container lazylazy youtube playerYouTube\">[embedded content]<\/iframe><\/p>\n<h2>HEROES AND ZEROES<\/h2>\n<h2>Heroes: Cruzeiro<\/h2>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">To mark International Women\u2019s day, the Brazilian giants used squad numbers to highlight some of the challenges faced by women in Brazil and around the world. So, against Murici-AL, the Foxes had jerseys reading \u201cA rape every 11 minutes\u201d, \u201cSalaries 30% lower\u201d and so on.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Plenty of clubs go through the motions when it comes to supporting good causes, so credit where it\u2019s due: this was a great idea.<\/p>\n<h2>Zeroes: Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Tyrone Mings<\/h2>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">The pair have been banned for three and five matches respectively for their impromptu joint MMA tryout at the weekend, which seems about right.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Bournemouth weren\u2019t happy, though. \u201cIt is our strongly held belief \u2013 backed up by our relationship with the player, and knowledge of his background and character \u2013 that it was an accidental collision,\u201d read a club statement. Remember: nice guys never do anything bad.<\/p>\n<div class=\"storyfull__content-picture storyfull__content-picture--picture\" readability=\"33\">\n<div class=\"wrapper-interchange img-interchange wrapper-interchange--on format-16-9 focal-point lazyload-ok\"><span><img alt=\"Zlatan Ibrahimovic, right, and Tyrone Mings, left, clashed at Old Trafford\"\/><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"storyfull__content-picture-legend\" readability=\"36\">\n<p>Zlatan Ibrahimovic, right, and Tyrone Mings, left, clashed at Old Trafford<span class=\"storyfull__content-picture-legend-agency\">PA Sport<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>HAT TIP<\/h2>\n<div class=\"storyfull__content-blockquote\" readability=\"34\">\n<blockquote readability=\"11\">\n<p><span>&#8220;<\/span>If the spending seemed indiscriminate, there was a method to the madness, and it was inspired \u2013 believe it or not \u2013 by The Lion King. Executives had studied the way Disney managed to create not just a box-office smash, but a long-term entertainment brand that generated merchandising and spin-off revenues long after the film had left the cinemas.<span>&#8220;<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph-hyperlink\">Hindsight being 20:20, yesterday perhaps wasn\u2019t the ideal day to publish a piece on the endemic issues at Barcelona. <a href=\"http:\/\/www.telegraph.co.uk\/football\/2017\/03\/08\/madridification-barcelona-barca-went-mes-que-un-club-just-another\/\">But Jonathan Liew\u2019s take on how the Blaugrana went from being \u2018M\u00e9s que un club\u2019 to just another money-chasing superbrand<\/a> is definitely worth your time.<\/p>\n<h2>COMING UP<\/h2>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Remember bouncy balls? Those little rubber fiends that intermittently (when it wasn\u2019t marble or Pog season) took over the school playground? Well good, because that\u2019s what <strong>FC Rostov vs Manchester United<\/strong> (6pm) is going to be like.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">The Russian side\u2019s pitch, you see, is harder than\u2026 well, whatever the hardest rock is. Granite, let\u2019s say. The United players didn\u2019t look especially impressed with it on Wednesday afternoon, so it will be interesting to see what they make of it when they actually have to play football.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">There are also seven other Europa League games, the best of which is <strong>Lyon vs Roma<\/strong>. Fans of confused commentators will probably want to keep an eye on <strong>Gent vs Genk<\/strong>, too.<\/p>\n<p class=\"storyfull__paragraph\">Y<strong><em>es, Tom Adams has PTSD after Arsenal\u2019s defeat on Tuesday. No, it\u2019s not going to stop him whipping up a great Warm-Up on Friday morning.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/i.eurosport.com\/2017\/03\/09\/2039396-42783415-640-360.jpg\">Jack Lang tries to get his head around the most astonishing night at the Nou Camp. It&#8217;s Thursday&#8217;s Warm-Up.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5817,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[71,59,70],"class_list":["post-335384","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-media","tag-eurosport","tag-media","tag-sport"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335384","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5817"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=335384"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/335384\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=335384"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=335384"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/people.utm.my\/asmawisham\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=335384"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}