Ronaldo’s Madrid crew the Real deal
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: Two-time defending champs bring winning pedigree into Saturday final vs. Liverpool
The biggest prize in Europe will be decided Saturday in Kyiv as Liverpool takes on Real Madrid in the Champions League final.
Real is gunning to become the first club to win the trophy three years in a row. Liverpool is in better form and is better rested, but Real has a winning mentality, more depth, fewer injuries and greater flexibility in tactics. Both these teams love to attack, so it should be a great contest.
Real’s key player is of course Cristiano Ronaldo, who saves his best for these big games. But don’t count out Gareth Bale. A few weeks ago, the Welsh winger seemed to be finished at Real, but he has played his way back onto the team and is a good bet to start.
Liverpool has Mohamed Salah, but also important is defender Virgil Van Dijk. He came into the team just a few months ago and has fit in superbly, becoming a tower of strength on an otherwise shaky back line.
There is good news for Whitecaps fans going to Saturday afternoon’s match at B.C. Place Stadium as we’ll be showing the Champions League final on the big screen at Terry Fox Plaza before Vancouver plays New England. If it goes to extra time, we’ll show it inside the stadium, too.
Man with the plan
The match with the biggest payoff in sport is Saturday as Aston Villa faces Fulham at Wembley Stadium in the promotion playoff final. More than $260 million in Premiership riches are on the line.
Fulham is the better team and plays the better football, but Aston Villa has manager Steve Bruce, who is an expert at getting teams promoted. He has gone through these playoffs many times and has assembled a squad of experienced players that he knows can follow a game plan and get the job done under pressure.
Standing in Bruce’s way is a Fulham side that features a fast and capable attack. Eighteen-year-old quicksilver winger Ryan Sessegnon is the player everyone talks about.
With a quick mind and great understanding of the game, Sessegnon has a talent for moving into space and reacting before anyone else.
Fulham has other threats, most notably big striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who has really stepped up his game. The 23-year-old will likely be marked by Villa star defender John Terry in what could be a decisive matchup.
Case closed
British tabloid The Daily Mir- ror has finally solved the mystery of who stole the World Cup trophy in England shortly before the 1966 World Cup.
Supposedly a now-deceased gangster named Sidney Cugullere took it aided by his brother Reg. The story is confirmed by three sources, including Reg’s son.
Apparently Cugullere did it mostly for kicks and was surprised how easy it was. He posed as a garbage remover and used bolt cutters to quickly remove the trophy from its display case at Westminster Central Hall.
After an attempt to collect ransom was foiled by police, the two brothers ditched the trophy, fearing it was too hot. It was later found in a bush by a dog named Pickles, who went on to become a minor celebrity. Perhaps this is a good omen for England’s team in Russia.
Alternative cup
While the World Cup gets the headlines, an alternative competition kicks off May 31 in London.
The 2018 ConIFA World Football Cup features 16 teams representing countries, regions and minority groups who do not feel represented within FIFA. Teams include Tibet, Northern Cyprus, Western Armenia and the tiny island nation of Tuvalu.
The defending ConIFA champion is Abkhazia, a region on the Black Sea that claims independence from Georgia. The tournament host is Barawa, a British community of displaced Somalians. There is also a team from Cascadia, representing B.C., Oregon and Washington, although I can’t say I recognize most of its players.
Quality of play is mixed with European professionals rubbing shoulders with rank amateurs. There are many obstacles facing teams and players, including conflicts with clubs, national associations and sponsors.
Cost is also a factor. Two teams have withdrawn from the tournament because of money and had to be replaced. For all these reasons, ConIFA is missing some notable teams, such as Catalonia or any of the Caribbean islands not in FIFA like Guadeloupe. Still, it’s an interesting idea.