Sports Burst – Real Madrid On Top Of The World
Madrid’s mastery, Pogbae pair-off and Marquez mind games.
By Tim Stannard
1) Real Madrid’s Schadenfraude after wondrous Champions League week
Thursday doesn’t so much see Real Madrid basking in the relief and glory of a job well done in the Champions League on Wednesday night, but going full commando under a Times Square sun.
‘The Response of a Champion’ was the gleaming header of the front cover of sports daily ‘Marca’. Despite an early spook with a goal from Napoli’s Lorenzo Insigne, Madrid were very much in Kroos control in the Santiago Bernabeu with a 3-1 victory that neatly went against the grain of Barcelona’s debacle the night before.
Barcelona are still working their way through the stages of grief on Thursday after the 4-0 fumbling against PSG. The general vibe from the Catalan capital is that Luis Enrique will be out the door in the summer when his contract runs out both for his rather aggressive behavior to the press and the usual stories of locker room unrest. Tune into the XTRA from 7PM ET / 4PM PT for the latest news from both camps in the Spanish soap opera that never ends.
2) Arsene Wenger cannon fodder for Gunners
It takes an awful lot to get usually mild-mannered Arsenal fans up in arms. Being on the brink of a seventh straight Champions League last-16 knock-out along with another humiliation against Bayern Munich appears to have done the trick with complaints aplenty over yet another physical and mental surrender in a big game from the Gunners.
The latest rumblings from the English press though, do not make happy reading from those wanting to wave goodbye to Wenger. A new unsigned deal is on the table for the French manager and there are no indications that it will be taken away despite another season of absolute mediocrity. Instead, it may be left up to Arsene Wenger to leave the Emirates via his own wind. Again, something that never looks likely for a figure who has never really grabbed the notion that he lost the plot some time ago.
3) Battle of the Pogbae in the Europa League
Europe’s second-tier competition has now reached the stages when it is a little more palatable.
The contest is now down from an initial 3,043 in the group stages to just 32 teams. And they all face off in the round of 32 on Thursday with the pick of the bunch being Villarreal against Roma and the battle of the Pogba brothers as Manchester United host Saint-Etienne to put Paul and Florentin in a competitive game together for the first time.
“It’s not going to be easy for her,” admitted Florentin on the evening in Manchester awaiting his mother. And it may not be easy for Saint-Etienne either with Manchester United definitely finding their grove under Jose Mourinho.
There is a bumper day of Europa League action on beIN SPORTS CANADA starting at 11PM ET / 8AM PT with Krasnodar v Fenerbahce followed by Gent taking on Tottenham. Villarreal against Roma is the cream on the crop.
4) Kerber out of Qatar as lucky fan dreams of Genie
Rain, rain went away in Doha (for a bit anyway) for the Qatar Total Open which properly got underway close to when it was supposed to end. Thursday’s play got off to a bit of a shock with a short and sharp appearance from world number two Angelique Kerber who was defeated 6-4, 6-0, 6-4 by Daria Kasatkina. Another seed fell when Agnieska Radwanska fell to Carolina Wozniaki. There was good news for the USA with Lauren Davis passing through the second round with the defeat of Elena Vesnina. Coverage continues live on beIN SPORTS right here, right now.
Meanwhile, Genie Bouchard has been busy standing by a bet made on Twitter with a Patriots fan that she would go on a date with him, should the Brady’s bunch come back during the Super Bowl clash. And so it came to pass.
5) No mind games from Marquez in Moto GP
Vroom Vroom!
That’s the sound of motorbikes that are warming up for another season on beIN SPORTS. The Superbikes get underway next week in Australia but the Moto GP riders are already there testing for the new season. And there may be mind-games ahoy already with the reigning champion saying that he was not entirely happy with his bike, despite strong testing times.
"I don't play games. If I was ready, I wouldn't do 107 laps. My hands are sore!” moaned the Spaniard.
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The life philosophy of Sports Burst is that if you are not upsetting someone, then you are not trying hard enough. SB is a daily trawl and troll through the morning's sports news to bring you fact-nuggets to make you both smile and swear. Hopefully at the same time.