16 February 13, 2022The Sunday Times 2GS
Football
Stuttgart, and taken him from an
advisory role in Russia, a pay day for
someone at the end of their career, to
manage arguably the biggest club in
the world. Which genius made that
decision?
He’s interim manager for six
months, then gets a pension for two
more years as a consultant. They are
looking worse now than they did
under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who at
least had a history with the club. I
don’t know Rangnick, so it would be
wrong of me to comment on him,
other than what I see from the way
his team play and their results, but on
that evidence they have not moved
forward since sacking Solskjaer.
I said when Juventus signed
Cristiano Ronaldo to make the
difference in the Champions League
that it wouldn’t work out that wayBayern should have a relatively
straightforward win against Red Bull
Salzburg. There could be an
inferiority complex with an Austrian
team playing them, particularly if
Bayern score early. If they turn up
thinking it’s a formality, Bayern could
come unstuck, but they could have a
bad night in the first game and still
go through.UNITED ARE IN A
TERRIBLE MESS
Manchester United face Atletico
Madrid, but they are a car crash of a
club at the moment. They have not
made any progress this season. They
have brought a manager in with a
modest CV in terms of winning
trophies, a German Cup with Schalke
04 and an Intertoto Cup with VfBMESSI v
MADRID
For a statistical breakdown of
the Argentine star’s record
against his opponents on
Tuesday night, turn to
SPORT, PAGE 23
GUARDIOLA AND MESSI TRY
TO TURN BACK THE CLOCK
It’s more than a decade since Pep
Guardiola won the Champions
League and seven years since Lionel
Messi’s last triumph with Barcelona.
Both are still striving to win it again,
but at different clubs in Manchester
City — my favourites because they
have the strongest squad I’ve seen in
English football — and Paris Saint-
Germain, whom I expect to
overcome Real Madrid in the tie of
the round.
Would it surprise you if it’s the
Messi from five years ago that we see
against Real, given the competition
and the opposition and knowing the
world is watching? I’m convinced he
still has it in him. It’s not been a great
six months at PSG for him, but you
don’t go from where he was to being
just good. The greatness will come
out again and don’t be surprised if it’s
in these two games. If he alone has a
good day, never mind Kylian Mbappé
or Neymar, they could beat anyone.
As well as their superstars, PSG
have players who were ordinary in
the Premier League such as Idrissa
Gueye and Ander Herrera. I’m not
surprised Sergio Ramos has not made
an impression there because when
he played against Chelsea at
Stamford Bridge a couple of years ago
in the Champions League semi-final
he looked like he was towing a
caravan. Someone at PSG made a bad
decision in signing Ramos and letting
Thiago Silva go to Chelsea.
How many times are PSG fully
extended in their own league? That
can be a problem, but it can also be
an advantage given that you can rest
your players in the domesticprogramme before the Champions
League nights.
When City make substitutions, it’s
like for like, apart from two or three
positions, which are Ederson, the
goalkeeper, Kevin De Bruyne and
maybe Bernardo Silva. Lady luck
plays a part in any cup and
Guardiola’s side haven’t had that in
this competition, but they have the
quality to win it and the manager will
want to because, having managed
strong contenders in Bayern Munich
and City, it must be a big
disappointment to him that he hasn’t
done so since leaving Barcelona.FOUR FROM FIVE
Besides City and PSG, I would expect
Chelsea, Liverpool and Bayern to
challenge for the semi-final spots,
provided they are all in the quarter-
final draw when it’s made on March
18 and avoid each other, although at
least one tie will feature two of these
teams if that’s the case.
I don’t see a dark horse winning it,
if there are any left at this stage of
the tournament.
I find myself asking if the other big
leagues are weak at the moment or
the Premier League is in a
particularly strong period. It was an
all-Premier League final last year and
could be again because we have
three super teams in City, Liverpool
and Chelsea.
I see Liverpool doing well against
Inter Milan. They have the tools to go
away from home, defend well and
their forwards will always create
something. I don’t see Chelsea
retaining the trophy, which history
tells us is difficult to do, but I expect
them to get through against Lille,
even if they are not at their best.Graeme Souness
European glory has eluded Pep
and Messi for too long — return
of Champions League puts
pressure on both to deliver
Tuesday
Paris SG v Real Madrid
Sporting Lisbon v Manchester City
Wednesday
Inter Milan v Liverpool
RB Salzburg v Bayern Munich
February 22
Chelsea v Lille
Villarreal v Juventus
February 23
Atletico Madrid v Manchester Utd
Benfica v Ajax6 All matches kick off at 8pm and
are live on BT Sport.
6 Second legs are March 8/9 and
15/16CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
ROUND OF 16
Barcelona 3-1 Manchester United
2011
20 years and he is old school. Moyes
believes in that quaint notion of
following the processes of the law,
of adhering to standard
employment practice, of seeking
action that is proportionate.
His stance is that Zouma is being
investigated by the relevant body —
in this case the RSPCA (the police
do not feel it a matter for them) and
that West Ham should do two
things: help the RSPCA, which they
have already done, and apply
punishment and the rehabilitation
principle to their employee.
Moyes’ question was salient
because it is difficult to know the
precedent being followed if,
beyond being fined a maximum
two weeks’ pay and agreeing to
whatever re-education is deemed
necessary, Zouma were barred
from playing. In a sport whereplayers found guilty of racism, and
rape, and assault on human beings
have continued to be picked by
clubs, what moral scale is being
applied to treat Zouma differently?
Moyes is entitled, at the very
least, to ask that question. And
important to him is his
responsibility, as a manager, to look
after the young men who work with
him. While disgusted by Zouma’s
behaviour, he wants to know what
was at the root of it – any
underlying issues – and how Zouma
can change for the better.
“The boy is so remorseful,” he
said of the 27-year-old Frenchman.
“He’s really disappointed with his
actions. So we have a duty of care —
even the mental health side of
things, we’re trying to make sure
we give him every opportunity, that
we give him support as well.Moyes is
right to
pick
Zouma
David Moyes turned the question
back on a journalist. “Tell me,” he
asked, “how many games do you
think Kurt should be banned for?”
The reporter could not
answer and instead clambered
back to the high ground of
saying how disappointed
people are. The exchange
highlighted the difference
between those who moralise
about situations and those
whose responsibility it is
to manage them.
So how many games
should he be banned
for? Two? Four? Six? Six
whole months of
matches – the solution
proposed on Loose
Women? It is easy toMoyes believes that
Zouma deserves a
second chance
|Jonathan Northcroft
cancel Kurt Zouma, but is it the
right thing?
Since a sickening and frankly
unfathomable video emerged of the
West Ham United defender striking
and kicking his cat, there has been a
scramble to shout the loudest that
he should be stopped from playing
football.
“West Ham have fined him the
maximum wages. We all accept the
actions are terrible and diabolical,”
Moyes had said before asking his
question. He had also explained
why he will ignore the clamour and
continue picking his player. “It is
completely out of character from
Kurt. We are going to get him some
help. He’s incredibly remorseful. In
life you need a bit of forgiveness
and he’s hoping he’s forgiven for a
bad action.”
I have known Moyes for almost