Liverpool 2 Atletico Madrid 0
and was this the return of the ghost of Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda?
and was this the return of the ghost of Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda?
Whilst watching tonight’s European Cup tie between the Mighty Reds of Liverpool and the off coloured and pale blue of Atletico Madrid, a number of things struck me and, in no particular order, I’ll list these footballing insights for your reading pleasure. (3) Liverpool won with a far from full strength team. I watched Oxlade-Chamberlain’s Dad play for Portsmouth and his son is a fantastic player but always, always on the cusp and not really in a first team XI. Nor is the self proclaimed “Greek Scouser” Kostas Tsimikas and nor can I lay claim to have watched his Dad play. (2) It was as comprehensive a 2–0 victory as you can wish to see if you’re on the winning side of the coin. (D) In a three minute spell at the beginning of the second half, Jota (disallowed), Jota again and Salah all should’ve scored but regardless, 2–0 flattered Atletico Madrid. (1) In fact, Madrid “declared” with 35 minutes to go when they replaced Joao Felix and the returning Luis Suarez (who’s bittersweet return came with a bittersweet disallowed goal) and Diego Simeone took a pragmatic 1980’s Italian era “acceptable defeat” policy. (S) I’ve long banged the drum of Liverpool playing “PlayStation Football” and here tonight even their disallowed goal was an elegant PS5 dream move. Even disallowed goals are footballing art! (4) After watching 10 straight weeks of baseball, how in the name of all that is holy am I going to readjust to UK time, whatever that may be? (Y) 12 points out of 12. Qualified with 2 games to spare. Scintillating football. +8 Goal Difference. Quality stuff. (9) Roberto Firmino’s injury worries me. Straight off. Huge hug from Klopp. Is Phil Boersma training the Reds again? (L) Smart passing triangles. Chasing and harassing the opposition to concede and retreat. Alexander-Arnold’s assists. Joel Matip’s Alan Hansen style strolls into midfield. Controlled, fast paced, possession football. (G) Henderson wasn’t his usual self tonight but Fabinho was. Hendo is the heartbeat of the team and even at below par he steered the side to an easy win. (7) Sadio Mane could start a fight in an empty house couldn’t he?! Not Dennis Wise style, obviously, but he likes a niggle does Sadio! Tonight he got clattered repeatedly, got booked and was involved in the sending off. Which beggars the question:
(P) Did the referee go mad? You know, like Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda did 20 years ago?
On 22nd February 2001, AS Roma came to Anfield 2–0 down from the first Leg of the 4th Round of the UEFA Cup. Seven days earlier in Rome, I was one of the lucky 6,000 Reds to be stationed at the away end of the Stadio Olympico and watched first with disbelieving eyes as the Roma fans fought amongst themselves at Half Time as they couldn’t get to us (One Roman warrior in a “Kenny” from South Park hooded jacket was reminiscent of Mike Tyson in his pomp) and, after half time, my disbelieving eyes saw Michael Owen score two predatory goals for the Mighty Reds dressed for the occasion on this gladiatorial Roman night in alternative Yellow. Houllier had shocked everyone and played Owen and Fowler and in an otherwise fairly drab game Liverpool gladly took the two away goals and the clean sheet and whistled a happy tune back to Anfield.
I celebrated my Birthday in Italian airspace and with the widest of smiles.
Then, on 22nd February 2001, the Spanish referee Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda took centre stage! In a tight game of missed chances for the Reds and the beautifully all white AS Roma, first Aranda gave a soft penalty on Emile Heskey but Owen’s equally soft penalty was easily saved. With 20 minutes to go, Gianna Guigou scored a majestic curling shot at the Kop End to make it 2–1 on aggregate and within minutes Marcus Babbel handled in the penalty area and Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda pointed directly, without equivocation and with a straight armed definitive point directly to the penalty spot. AS Roma, minutes from going out are now on the verge of possibly squaring the tie 2–2 and all results and ways of getting such a result, are now firmly on the table.
Then the referee pointed for a corner!!!!!
Mayhem ensued as poor old Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda was swamped in white shirts demanding their penalty. It was a penalty! No need for the Referee to troop off to the side of the pitch and watch it on a damn television screen. Or perhaps in retrospect there is. Or was? Who cares. Aranda was besieged by Roman gladiators in white and he simply waved his yellow card around like he was directing traffic! 3/4 were definitely booked in seconds and you could probably make a case for it being 5, but no matter, as with 5 minutes to go he sent off Damiano Tomassi for good measure and the Reds squeaked through to a date with Porto in the Quarter Finals.
I know tonight’s Dutch referee Danny Makkelie isn’t the Spaniard Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda, but for a few minutes in tonight’s match, when he was brandishing yellow cards for fun and especially his strop when he yelled for the Brazilian Felipe to come to him and be given his yellow card to then produce a Red card instead with the waft of a dismissive arm and a firm shake of the head to any enquiries as to the veracity of his decision, maybe, just maybe, he was possessed by the ghost of 20 years ago and the ghost of yellow card waving Jose Maria Garcia-Aranda.
It was a “European Night at Anfield” after all.
Anything is possible.
