Like modules at the Leveson inquiry, gut-wrenchingly exciting weekends of sport are coming along thick and fast now. But forget last weekend’s theatrics if you can, take a deep breath and get set for what truly will be one of the best days of sport in the year.
Just before we do though, a brief homage to one of the great men of British football. Anybody who watched the City skipper Vincent Kompany make his short graceful speech dedicating the victory to the supporters could see that here was a man who stands out in the world of football like the Archbishop of Canterbury in Las Vegas. The Belgian defender is the most talented centre back in Britain, can speak and read in three languages, is studying at Manchester Business School, and is a tireless campaigner for children’s charities in his father’s native Congo. The Premier League could not have gone to a side led by a more admirable man. John Terry he ain’t.
Talking of whom, the much-loved Chelsea skipper won’t be playing in one of Saturday’s highlights, the Champions League final where the righteous of Bayern Munich take on the pantomime villains of Chelsea. Terry was sent off for kneeing Barcelona’s Sanchez in the back during the semi-final, which he initially said was a terrible accident caused by the Chilean accelerating backwards towards him. Later he admitted that’s not what it looked like on TV. Thankfully, though, Frank Lampard has successfully appealed for Terry to be allowed to hold the trophy should Chelsea win. I’m sure everyone in England is now sleeping a little easier.
Anyone with a pulse should be praying for Bayern to win. They are a model club, brilliantly run for their fans with a generous seat pricing policy.
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