- Champions League resumed on Friday night after four-month hiatus
- Pep Guardiola’s side book place at Real Madrid’s expense
- Two errors by Raphael Varane gifted City the win
- Mental Health and Psychosocial considerations during the COVID-19 pandemic
Real Madrid and Juventus knocked out of Champions League.
It was the anticipated evening that football fans looked forward to.
With domestic leagues done, all eyes switched to Europe’s most coveted competition after a four-month hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The prize awaiting, Champions of Europe.
Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City hosted La Liga Champions Real Madrid who has been in scintillating form since the restart.
Notable absentees for the Los Blancos were skipper Sergio Ramos and Gareth Bale who decided not to join the traveling squad as he ‘knew’ he would not be involved.
Lying in wait was a City side bruised and battered after a dismal domestic campaign that saw them relinquish the Premier League title to Liverpool and a semi-final loss to eventual winners Arsenal.
Two sides that had much to prove.
For City, winning the UEFA will help them hide their blushes. A vindication that they deserve to be in Europe following their reprieve from a two-year ban.
For Madrid, it was to remind the world that they are still Kings of Europe and with Zinedine Zidane, Madrid had never lost a tie in the knockout stage of the tournament.
Well, Raphael Varane does not like such records it seems.
Two ghostly errors by the World Cup winner in either half had Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus wheeling away in celebration.
They had done it.
Three wins from the biggest trophy in the club’s history.
Three wins from the prize that vindicates the investment in Pep Guardiola and this side.
