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THAT’S A BOOTING

While Barcelona’s night at the Metropolitano was pretty well summed up by the accompanying image of poor Fermín López shipping six studs in the mush, Lamine Yamal’s cross in the buildup should be framed and hung in the Louvre. Using a minimum of backlift, the preposterously precocious 18-year-old had arced the ball directly into the path of the midfielder with the outside of his left boot, only for López to be denied by a splendid Juan Musso save that left the already bandaged Barça midfielder drenched in claret. Had López scored, Barcelona would have gone 3-0 up on the night and ahead in the tie, having already restored parity courtesy of goals scored by Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres in a blistering and blood-drenched opening 30 minutes. Moments later, Charlton Athletic academy graduate Ademola Lookman scored the decisive goal that sent Atlético Madrid into Bigger Cup semi-finals, much to the not entirely surprising delight of their head coach Diego Simeone. “Playing in a [Bigger Cup] semi-final, how wonderful,” he honked before an appointment with Arsenal or Sporting. “We’ll go there with all our enthusiasm and faith. We know our strengths and weaknesses. We’re ready.”

While there is no evidence to suggest that match referee Clément Turpin is descended from his 18th century highwayman namesake, D1ck, that didn’t stop at least one Barcelona player of accusing the French referee of floodlit robbery. While he may not have featured in his side’s exit due to hamstring-twang, Raphinha had plenty to say about officialdom’s most high-profile Leandro Trossard lookalike and none of it was complimentary. “We played really well, but this tie was robbed from us,” fumed the Brazilian after the game. “Not just this match but the other one as well. The refereeing was really bad, the decisions [Turpin] makes are unbelievable. I really want to understand why they’re so afraid that Barcelona will come and win.” Raphinha’s comments are expected to earn him an extended spell on the sidelines, more specifically on Uefa’s naughty step. Precedent suggests he can look forward to at least a three-match ban for intemperate language unbecoming of a frustrated and petulant footballer.

While Barcelona had players sent off in both legs of the tie, neither decision seemed particularly egregious. It was Turpin’s apparent determination not to book a single Atlético player that rubbed the Raphinha rhubarb up the wrong way, while his decision not to award Barça what seemed two clear penalties across both legs also fuelled the Brazilian’s sense of grievance. “You can’t say this match was stolen from them; that’s ridiculous,” honked Musso, as he wiped the blood from the sole of his boot. “They acted as if they should have had three penalties and we should have had four sendings-off. We won on the pitch and when you’re the last man back, you get a red card.” And when you’re the first man forward you get a yellow Adidas Copa Pure 2 Elite boot in the face.

LIVE ON BIG WEBSITE

Join Michael Butler from 8pm BST for hot Bigger Cup quarter-final updates from the second leg of Bayern Munich 2-2 Real Madrid (agg: 4-3), while Simon Burnton will be on deck for Arsenal 3-0 Sporting (agg: 4-0).

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Sid Lowe will be on Big Website from 12pm BST on Thursday to tackle all the big questions about European football, Bigger Cup and beyond. Keep an eye on the football front page.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“I think these are key moments. It is easy to minimise them and say ‘she is just a coach like everybody else and that is how we have to treat her as colleagues’. But in the end it is something special. It opens a lot of opportunities to little girls who now play football and think ‘I can coach anywhere, make a real career and be successful’. These stories are really important. I wish her all the best and the only part I wish she is not treated like a man, is being patient with her, because the coaching job lacks patience on the leadership level” – Bayern boss Vincent Kompany, not for the first time, finds the right words to welcome Marie-Louise Eta’s groundbreaking arrival at the helm of Union Berlin.

FOOTBALL DAILY LETTERS

Congratulations to Andoni Iraola for his fine tactics and strategic sense (yesterday’s Cherry Bombshell). Tuesday afternoon, he announces that he’s leaving Bournemouth. Tuesday evening, Liverpool crash out of Bigger Cup. Do you consider this to be a ‘come and get me plea’ or ‘well, you can have me call’ to his potential employers on Merseyside?” – Mike Wilner.

Re: yesterday’s Football Daily. I hope Michael Carrick pulled the hair of his Manchester United players who forgot they were supposed to be playing football against Leeds. The standard was sub-normal to put it politely and, as a Mancunian, I wasted my time and money travelling from Bingley (West Yorkshire) only to return to their territory. Humbug” – Andy Partington.

I’m not convinced that Lisandro Martínez’s dismissal changed anything. Leeds could/should have been at least five goals up when he was red-carded – and Manchester United played far better when he went off. But it speaks volumes for the state of English football (along with VAR, offside, and the handball rule) when a guy can be sent off for touching an opponent’s man-bun, while a forearm jab to the face goes unpunished” – Colin Wood.

I was particularly impressed by your unusual level of accuracy when you commented that Daniel Levy was paid more in 2024-25 than all 64 players and staff of the Tottenham women’s team combined (yesterday’s News, Bits and Bobs, full email edition). Not ‘earned’. Paid. Well said” – Colin Reed.

If you have any, please send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Colin Reed. Terms and conditions for our competitions, when we run them, are here.

RECOMMENDED LISTENING

Join Max Rushden, Barry Glendenning and the Football Weekly pod squad as they look back on Liverpool and Barcelona’s Bigger Cup exits. And here’s Faye Carruthers and the Women’s Football Weeky crew with all the chat on England’s win over Spain and Marie-Louise Eta’s groundbreaking appointment.

RECOMMENDED SUBSCRIBING

Care about sport? Care about the environment? Great, because Big Website has a boxfresh newsletter that takes a fortnightly look at the best stories on how sport is changing around the climate crisis, and what can be done to navigate a way forward. The first edition of The Hotspot is live for your perusal. And you can subscribe here. But do still subscribe to your faithful Football Daily, mind.

NEWS, BITS AND BOBS

Arne Slot says he is “surprised” the Hillsborough law is still to be introduced as the disaster that killed 97 fans reaches its 37th anniversary. “This is not an opinion based on my association with Liverpool FC,” said Liverpool’s manager. “It is the view of someone who believes bereaved families should not have to fight and campaign for the truth about how their loved ones lost their lives, it should be provided as a matter of course.”

Slot has also lamented Liver­pool’s wastefulness in front of goal after they were knocked out of Bigger Cup by PSG. “Unfortunately it was another example of us not being able to score from one of the many chances we had,” he sighed.

Real Madrid defensive great José Santamaría, who won four European Cups with the club before becoming manager of Spain, has died aged 96. “Santamaría will always be remembered as one of the great symbols of our club,” said president Florentino Pérez. “He was part of a team [including Di Stéfano, Puskás, Gento, and Kopa] that will remain in the memory of all Madridistas and fans worldwide.”

Bournemouth are in advanced talks with Marco Rose, formerly of Mönchengladbach and RB Salzburg, to replace Andoni Iraola as head coach.

Javier Mascherano has stepped down as Inter Miami’s manager due to personal reasons, just months after leading them to their first MLS title.

Look out Sporting … Mikel Arteta is getting his Pitbull on. “Fire. I’m on fire. I’m on fire,” yelped the Arsenal boss as he rallied his players for the second leg of their Bigger Cup tie.

Sarina Wiegman reckons England tactics of winding up Spain helped them in their 1-0 World Cup qualifying win at Wembley. “This [game] demanded something different from us,” she soothed. “We tried to annoy them a little bit and let them make mistakes.”

Southampton’s playoff charge could be ending … because an automatic promotion place from the Championship is almost in reach. A 3-0 cruise past Blackburn means Saints are up to fourth, three points behind second-placed Ipswich (still owners of a game in hand), who slumped 2-0 around the M27 at Portsmouth. That result leaves Leicester in an even deeper hole, although …

… West Brom, currently one place clear of the drop, could be given a points deduction that relegates them after the season has finished as the club contest charges of breaching the EFL’s profit and sustainability rules.

League One-bound Sheffield Wednesday’s prospective new owners are in talks with the EFL over a partial lifting of the club’s transfer ban before starting next season on -15 points.

Despite being 22nd of 24 in League One, Rotherham are the first team to be relegated to League Two after a 3-0 beating by Wigan. Lee Clark’s side will play in the fourth tier for the first time since 2012-13. “Another awful day at the office,” he sniffed. “It must be very tough being a Rotherham United fan at this moment in time. I’m really sad for the good people at the football club, so a big, big job ahead.”

A return trip from New York City to the Geopolitics World Cup final stadium (eight miles each way) could cost $100 during the tournament instead of the usual $12.90. Other transit authorities in the USA USA USA are also expected to raise prices for the GWC. Kerching!

And while there are calls for Maghreb Fez’s Driss El Jabli to receive the Puskás award for what some media outlets are calling a “sensational” rabona goal in a Moroccan league match. Rein it in. It’s a clear deflection and not even the best goal this week. Search it up – we’re not linking to it.

WILL JONJO’S FALCONS TAKE FLIGHT?

Jonjo Shelvey has retired from playing aged 34. What? You thought he’d hung his boots up already? How dare you. Yes, since September, the former Newcastle midfielder has been earning a crust in the United Arab Emirates’ third tier with the Arabian Falcons. And overnight he took the managerial reins at the club, succeeding, erm, former AFC Hornchurch midfielder Harry Agombar. “My ambition is to climb to the very top of management and this is the perfect project to prove myself and what I’m capable of,” he trilled. Shelvey has made it clear he plans to stay away from the UK for as long as possible, telling the BBC last year: “I don’t want my children growing up in England any more. We’re very lucky we lived in a nice part but where I’m from, originally, you can’t have nice things in my opinion.” Despite Dubai being targeted by missile attacks in February and March, Shelvey has committed to staying, and does have a few familiar faces with him at the mid-table Falcons. One of the co-owners is former Crystal Palace forward Jason Puncheon, while he will also be coaching Ravel Morrison … only a year younger than Shelvey himself.

MEMORY LANE

To Eindhoven in March 2014 and a photo shoot for Memphis Depay, which very much became a photo shoot for Memphis Depay’s dog, Simba. During the 2014 World Cup, PSV’s Dutch international revealed he missed his chow chow, who was “just as loyal, sweet and pigheaded as his boss”.

STILL WANT MORE?

Here’s Ed Aarons on how Arsenal plan to turn the thermostat up to the max at the Emirates on Wednesday night.

Ruthless PSG proved that not even Anfield has an infinite capacity for miracles, writes Jonathan Wilson.

Sophie Downey reckons Sarina Wiegman’s streetwise England used the tried and tested defensive playbook to find more success against Spain.

Who are the greatest players never to make an appearance in England? The Knowledge knows.

And an emphasis on youth development means MLS will have fewer USMNT players at the GWC than ever before, writes Leander Schaerlaeckens.

JFT97