Patriotic football allegiances

In the week I had a long lunch with an old friend of mine – an Arsenal fanatic.

He told me once that he was the only English supporter of Benfica in the 1968 European Cup Final against Manchester United.

He now said he was firmly behind Inter Milan and this time I believe he did not walk alone.

One of the reasons why Manchester United carried the nation’s support in 1968 was the ownership of the club under Louis Edwards was English and the side British.

In contrast there is little British about Manchester City, a side put together by a Catalonian with Abu Dhabi wealth at his disposal.  Guardiola, as my friend pointed out – unlike Mourinho and Ferguson – did not serve any apprenticeship in a smaller club.

He has only managed the super rich big boys – Barcelona, Bayern Munich where he never got beyond the semis of the Champions League – and Manchester City.

I suspect many bored by the Mancunian rivalry between the two clubs would have joined my friend and myself in hoping for an Inter win.

In poor coverage on BT Sport and Radio Five – they both conspicuously failed to read the public mood as there was unconditional reverence and flag waving for Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City – no one  commented upon the financial advantage Pep holds over other Premiership mangers.

Yet for all of that it certainly was not plain sailing for City last night.

The only starting English midfielder if one excludes Stones  – Jack Grealish – flattered to deceive and, when another Phil Foden came on, once again – as with England – he looked lacking at the highest level.

Still, the flag-waving continued though Inter tactically frustrated City.  There was also a large measure of luck that denied Inter an equaliser hitting the bar and later the knees of Ederson.