#the first match i watched was the ucl final

[devilishchaos]

Heyy idk if u take requests but can u do where the reader have a girl with ruben and they’re celebrating the ucl win on the pitch etc and the their child starts playing with ronny and they assume that the girl and ronny have a tiny crush on eachother yk cute moments etc🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼

Moments like this | Rúben Dias Imagine

Rating / genre: pure fluff

Pairings: Reader x Rúben Dias

Warnings: use of pet names "babe", "baby"

Word Count: 1 059 words

AN: Hello! idk if I take requests, I received this one and this is my first ever request, I loved it and thank you so much. <3 I unfortunately don't speak portuguese so I used google translate, if you find any mistakes don't hesitate to let me know. On another note - I absolutely love Ronnie and everybody from City! I kind of added a little bit more plot so I hope it is okay and I also made it kinda long, like why am I like this? but hey I loved working on this, so I hope you enjoy it :) x

p.s. while I was working on this Mr. The Sexiest Man Alive posts this picture..like sir, are you trying to unalive me or sth..respectfully tho..Rúben stop playing with me and let me have your kids <3 :p x

This is a work of fiction. The story, names, characters and incidents either are product or the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

“Is your missus here tonight?” John asked his best mate Rúben, from across the room, as all Manchester City players were getting dressed in their kits and were preparing to attend the Uefa Champions League final tonight. Rúben turns away from his locker, trying to brush out a crease that had formed in his shorts. 

“Yes, she flew with the kids. They landed, like two hours ago.” He tells him, going to the mirror to begin fussing with his hair, even though he would just be pushing it back out of his face anyway. “This puts even more pressure. I’m basically obliged to perform well.” 

“She flew alone with two kids for what four hours?” Bernardo joins the conversation, grinning at Rúben. “She is a wonder woman.” 

“She definitely is!” John agrees, walking over to pat Rúben's shoulder comfortingly but he shakes his head, already nervous at the idea of his kids watching him. After the loss in the final 2021 and in the semi’s in 2022, Rúben promised his family to win the next time around. And now it was hitting him hard - he never breaks his promises. The pressure was definitely skyrocketing through the roof. 

*

It all happened very fast. You needed a couple of seconds to process that Rodri in fact had scored a beautiful goal. Which meant that City took the lead 1-0. There were approximately 20 more minutes and if City were able to handle the tension, that meant that the guys would complete a treble. You knew what that meant to them, to Rúben. Everything was at a very high stake. Your stomach was in knots and your leg bobbed up and down with anxiousness as you were looking at the clock, counting down the seconds until the end of the match, until the referee's final whistle. 

After what felt like the longest extra time that you’ve experienced in a match it was finally over, when the end of the match was announced everybody in the VIP sector (the families of the players) stood up and raised their arms in joy, cheering in excitement. 

“George. Azlia. Come on! Let’s go congratulate daddy!” you took them by their hands and somehow managed to get down to the pitch. 

The three of you push your way through the crowd on the soccer field. It was hard for you to see the way in the ocean of bodies. Then John taps lightly on your shoulder and points at a gap you can pass through. That’s when you see him. He has his back turned to you, engaged in conversation with a staff member. He doesn’t see you, but it’s like he feels you coming, and turns around, his gaze landing to you. Without looking back at the man behind him, he excuses himself and starts making his way over to you. 

“Papai!” George screams as he breaks away from your hand and runs to your husband, obviously he can't contain his excitement anymore. Rúben kneels down to be on the same level as him and he runs straight in his arms. You picked up Azlia as she was struggling to keep up with your pace with her little feet, because you wanted to get to Rúben faster. 

As you finally reach him you walk right into his open arms, your hands fisting his jersey. It feels so good to be holding him. 

“You did it! I’m so, so, so proud of you, amor! You did so good! I’m so happy for you! A treble, wow..unbelievable!” you said quite loudly in his ear with a smile that hurt your cheeks. 

You raised your head a little and he bent down a little, so you could share a kiss. As you pulled away, you gave him a kiss to the side of his mouth and ran your fingers through his hair at the nape of his neck. 

“Eu te amo, meu amor.” he said to you, looking directly into your eyes wanting to look into them forever. 

Not breaking eye contact you replied just a heartbeat later “Te amo mais.” 

“Da-da,da-..” Azlia babbled in your arms, reminding you guys of her existence. 

“Eu também te amo, princesa.” Rúben said as he kissed her chubby cheeks. 

*

The awarding took place very quickly. You moved away with the rest of the wives, girlfriend and family members of the players and found yourself jumping from conversation to conversation. Everyone was so excited. Except the kids. They didn’t understand what was happening and just ran away the second the ceremony was done. 

You were frantically looking for Azlia when you felt two big, strong hands on your waist, bringing you into a hug from behind. 

“What are you doing, love?” Rúben asked with amusement. 

“I’m looking for Azlia! I can’t find her! George ran away with Roman and Riaan, and I swear Azlia was standing right beside me and now she is gone.” you said while turning in his arms, to face him. 

“Baby she is a one-and-a-half-year-old, with tiny little legs. How far can she go?” he chuckled, as you continued to search for her with your eyes. 

“Oh, there she is. Taking pictures with the other kids.” you finally spotted her, taking a picture with Kyle, his sons and Ronnie. 

“Baby, chill. These kids are having the time of their lives. They can’t stay in the same position for more than 10 seconds. Look at them running around!” Rúben assured you. That made you smile, but not as much as when you watched Ronnie chasing Azlia around and the two pig tails on top of her hair were bouncing with every step she took.

“Aww, look babe, Ronnie is showing Azi his medal. How cute!” you pointed at them for Rúben to see. 

“He is now putting his medal on her..” Rúben stated quite shook “Yo, Foden, watch your son!” he then shouted in Phil’s direction, who stood all the way to the other side of the pitch. 

“Rúben! Oh my God! Baby..they are kids..” you hit his chest lightly, bursting into a fit of giggles. 

“I have a medal, too..I’m gonna go show it to her.” and with that he left you watching him attempt to come close to Ronnie and Azlia, but when they saw him approaching them - they ran away laughing.

#ruben dias #ruben gato dias #ruben dias fic #ruben dias imagine #ruben dias imagines #ruben dias x reader #ruben dias x you #ruben dias x y/n #ruben dias fluff #football imagine #football imagines

[httpsdana]

Since it's the father's day tommorow(at least for me), can you do something with Julián Álvarez? Having a secret child with him and letting everyone know during the ucl final would be super cute.

I totally didn't have a dream about this and now needed it to be written lol.

Champion~Julian Alvarez

*GIF isn't mine. credits to the owner*

FIRST REQUEST FOR JULIAN OMG. I LOVE THIS BOY SM. anyways I don't think tomorrow is father's day here but we move on I'm writing this. this is rushed I'm sorry but hope you enjoy <33

you can request from my prompt list

this is my master list

players/drivers I write for

y/n and Julian had a child of 6 months now. The couple were young and definitely didn't expect a baby at such a young age, but they never regreted it. Their child only made their bond stronger.

They went public years ago, before Julian had all the attention on him like now. But they never posted anything about their child, wanting their kid to have a peaceful and normal childhood before being dragged into the life of social media

"if we win tonight, everyone's knowing about our baby boy" were Julian's words before leaving for Istanbul.

y/n wanted Man City to win. She wanted to see her boyfriend winning 4 trophies this season. She didn't mind showing off her kid and she was actually quite excited

y/n watched the match from the locker room. not wanting her child to hear all the noises from the stadium. They weren't as loud in the lockers.

"yes!" y/n screamed when Rodri scored the opening goal, feeling her heart beat against her chest rapidly.

Her child, Diego, looked up at her with wide eyes, before he started giggling. y/n smiled and leaned down to were he was sat in his car seat that they got.

"they're almost there mi amor. they're almost there" she mumbled, soothing his brown hair with her fingers

He was a mini version of Julian, same smile same eyes same hair and same everything. She was glad he for these these features from his father

y/n jumped up as the final whistle was blown. Tears started streaming down her face before she grabbed her child and started kissing his face

"they did it baby. they're champions" she mumbled, showering his fave with kisses

She wiped her tears and waited a bit before she was allowed on the pitch

As soon as she stepped on the field, Julian's eyes were on them. He ran to them, giving them a huge hug.

"you did it baby. you're a champion. for the fourth time" she whispered in his ear, tightening her grip around his neck

He pulled away and kissed her lips passionately. Wiping her tears away and kissing her cheeks. He took Diego from her arms and grabbed her hand, interlocking their fingers

"lets introduce him to the team yeah?" he asked with a smile. y/n nodded and walked with him.

Everyone was surprised to see Julian with a kid, but they all welcomed him with love.

the comments consisted of "he's just like you" or "what a cutie he is" or "congratulations! he's gonna have the best parents"

"oh my god Julian you have baby?!" Ronnie, Phil's child, said in pure shock. y/n giggled at the young boy, scooping him in her arms and lifting him so he was at the same level as Diego

"yes Ronnie. this is Diego" he moved Diego closer to him, in which Ronnie leaned in and touched his hair

He gasped in surprise

"his hair is so soft. not like yours" he said, keeping his fingers in Diego's hair

y/n laughed at his comment, before kissing his cheek and putting him down

"let's take a picture with the trophy" Julian said, walking to were the trophy was

The picture was taken and posted on Instagram hours later, and the love Diego got from Julian's fans was undescribable.

#football #football blurb #football imagine #football one shot #football x reader #footballer imagine #manchester city #man city #champions league #julian alvarez x reader #julian alvarez x y/n #julian alvarez × you #julian alvarez imagine #julian alvarez one shot #julian alvarez blurd #julian alvarez fluff #julian alvarez fanfic #julian alvarez

[miasanmuller]

So @acrazybayernfan came up with this absolutely incredible tag game and I'm 100% here for it so let's go:

What is your top 10 most memorable Bayern’s matches?

In no particular order:

Well needless to say: 8-2. I mean... it's just too iconic to not mention lol.

I also can't not mention Robert Lewandowski loses his motherfucking mind scores 5 times in 9 minutes against Wolfsburg in 2015. I mean, it's historic.

2015 UCL, the second leg against Porto during quarter-finals. That was the time I learned the valuable lesson of never giving up and to keep believing in the team and in this club. That game was insane and we ended up winning 6-1 and securing our place in Semi-finals when we died a horrible horrible death but anyway. I remember watching that game and feeling so much pride and joy of being a Bayern fan, I get emotional just to remember it lol

Now this one is really special to me for an unusual reason, I guess: home game against Bremen during the 2014-15 Bundesliga. We won 6-0, it was the second highest score we got that season I think (if I remember correctly we went on to win against H*mburg 8-0, or was it before? whatever). I remember this game bc Fips scored a brace and it was just LEGENDARY bc you wouldn't expect him to score let alone score twice in a single match. I remember screaming like crazy when he scored the first and then just dying when he did it again lmao it was fun

Another one from the 2014-15 season (this was my first season around so I remember a lot of stuff): away game against Mainz, we won 2-1. I'm not exactly sure if it was Basti's first game since he came back from injury (after the WC) or if it was one of the first games... in any case, he scored an insane goal (which to this day is one of my favorite Bayern goals ever) and I screamed like crazy and I was watching it back in my parent's house and my dad walked in while I was screaming lmao

2015-16 UCL, 2nd leg against Juve in Round of 16. We desperately needed to win and we begun losing and no one really expected us to make it through. I remember this one bc I actually didn't watch it: I don't remember exactly if I couldn't find a stream or what, but the best I could do was read live updates on a website and pray. It was one of the most stressful experiences of my life and I remember abandoning my phone at one point bc I was sure we wouldn't win. And we did. Lmao.

2019-20 Bundesliga. Away game in Frankfurt, the infamous 5-1. This one was during a time where I drifted away from Bayern due to depression and stuff and I didn't feel as connected to the team as I used to and then I remember seeing the scoreline and just... dying inside. Feeling like something was very, very wrong with the world. I can't remember the match exaclty, but I have never let go of it since then and to this day I loathe Frankfurt for this specific match.

This year's Pokal match against Freiburg in April. That was one of the most frustrating experiences of my life as a Bayern fan. It was our second game with Tuchel and I was already feeling that I would want that man's head on a silver plate (and I still do).

Another one (last one) from the 2014-15 season bc this one is really really special: our friendly against MLS All-Stars before the start of the season. Which we lost. It's special bc it was the first Bayern match I actually watched!!! I remember feeling very happy when I found a channel that was showing it and I was very excited even though the WC guys wouldn't play (I think they ended up being subbed in in the 2nd half? I don't remember exactly). Everybody was talking about Lewandowski and I was all ?????!!!! bc I had no concept of anything. It was an awful match but a very fun experience lmao

And last but not least: our UCL win against PSG in 2020. It wasn't the way we all wanted it to be, but since I was just coming back from my "fan retirement" I remember exploding from joy after that game and throwing myself on the floor and rolling around and idk it was priceless. Making P$G fail and Neymar cry has got to be some of the best things we do every now and then lmao thanks for that Bayern

I know a lot of you have already been tagged (I didn't check if any of you already did it lmao) but I'll tag anyway bc I'm just like that. I tag @thomas-mvller @thomats @probayern @miss-i-ship-it @fabioquartararhoe @smolnerdz @smilesleepandspeak and @leongolretzka (but please don't feel pressured to do it ^^)

#this was really challenging bc my memory sucks #and this made me kinda sad bc most of the matches I recall are from like... 7-9 years ago oops #I remember few particular matches from 2020 on and I don't like that #but it is what it is... life was easier and i was less busy between 2014-16 lol #anyway thanks so so much for this lise i had a lot of fun remembering these games (some of them not so much lol)

[bvb-blog]

UCL MATCH DAY 5:

BVB VS AC MILAN

Dortmund qualify for the knock out stage after a sensational night in Milan! 🖤💛🐝

My thoughts:

Wow! What an incredible game! Within the first 10 minutes there was a penalty for each side. Credit to AC Milan who fought valiantly, but let the game get away from them in the second half. With this win we are through to the knock out stage!

I am still buzzing with joy after that game. The win, and qualification was great, but it was more than that. The way we played tonight was nothing short of impressive. There was so much fluid movement on the ball, flashes of individual brilliance, and stubborn defending. This is the team I knew we would become throughout the season. Only thing now is keeping it consistent. We have a tough month ahead of us, but with tonights results; I finally feel justified in being hopeful 😅. I have to sing my praises to Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Mats Hummels, and Gregor Kobel. They shined the brightest tonight in a sea of impressive performances.

Bynoe-Gittens was mesmerizing to watch. So confident, and creative on the ball, and winning a penalty that got us the opening gol. He starting to mold himself into a top class player.

Hummels was a nightmare for the opposing attack, and had MANY world class tackles to win us possession.

Last but certainly not least, Kobel saved us from going 0-1 down within 10 minutes, and kept the game in our favor on multiple occasions.

This has been the best performance of our 23/24 campaign. We have a tough month ahead of us, but with this win I am hopeful we can see it through. I hope the boys can keep this form and push forward. LETS GO BVB!🖤💛🐝

#bvb #bvb english #bvb09 #borrusia dortmund #borussia dortmund #blackyellow #bvb-b #futbol #champions league #jamie bynoe gittens #gregor kobel #mats hummels #ac milan #knockout stage #round of 16

[probayern]

tagged by lise @acrazybayernfan who came up with this and also @thommi-tomate and @miasanmuller 🫶🏻🫶🏻🫶🏻

what are your top 10 most memorable Bayern matches?

1. Bayern 6-0 Schalke (2023): i have to include this because i was there and it was very very special, will never forget it <3 thomas opening the scoring and then us winning 6-0 in the middle of one of our worst stretches that i've ever seen... special.

2. 8-2, i mean, come on. that was also RIGHT as i was starting to watch live regularly again after not being able to as much for a few years and it really drew me fully back in

3. 2012 ucl final. absolutely devastating. that was right around when i first got into bayern and i still don't like to think about it

4. not one match, but the 7-0 win over barca in 2013. it was impossible for me to watch bayern live in the ucl at that time (as i was in school) but i love those matches i love rewatching them

5. bayern 4-0 stuttgart (2021) this is a completely random one but i will never ever forget it, phonzy getting the red in like the 10th minute and then us scoring 4 goals. right around when i started posting on bayernblr <3 tail end of the hansi era, which was flawed but still probably my favorite recent era to watch, his football with us was so much fun

6. bayern 5-1 wolfsburg (2015) i mean. 5 goals 9 minutes. incredible incredible scenes. will never get old.

7. villarreal 1-0 bayern (2022) i think there are a lot of matches you can point to in the past few years and be like that's where we went wrong, and the psg match the previous year also probably deserves to be on this list, but this one really, really hurt. i think you all know that i think we've not been all that good since 2021 but this one... we should've won. we should have gone to the semis that year. flaws and all. i think a lot of things could have been different if we had won this match.

8. köln 1-2 bayern (2023) very very recent but. one of the most insane football viewing experiences i've ever had. i will never forget how i felt when jamal scored that goal. my heartrate did something absolutely insane that day

9. 2013 ucl final: served my interests soooo much on so many levels. i dream of the day we get an all german final again. That robben goal (i miss him). the high of getting revenge for the previous year. they just don't give us narratives like that anymore

10. gladbach 0-5 bayern (2021) i mean. this was insanity. this was the first time i was like ohhh there is a mentality hole in this team and that is a Problem. set the scene for a lot of the issues of the nagelsmann era. hopefully we are coming out of that a bit? still. that complete and utter collapse was something

i feel like everyone has been tagged but!! i'll tag @moosiala @goretzkas @antibayern @gxtzeizm @fabioquartararhoe and @musialas

#unlike ander my memory for older matches is worse so a lot of these are recent #it was just rare that i could watch live as a kid... timezones were not my friend #and i feel like i remember better when i can remember exactly how i watched it live #i have a much better memory for international football from that era because it was in the summers and i could watch #and then of course there is a 4 year gap here where i really wasnt watching much bc i was in college #my memory of the pep era is shaky at best #anyway this was fun!! thank u lise #bayern #bella things #tag game

[theuniversitychallengereview]

Admitting I Was Wrong

Modern sports punditry, as with everything else in the modern news cycle, exists in a 24 cycle where there is a constant need for more content. Often, this is fine because there are enough sporting events to talk about (there is almost always a sporting event happening which someone who likes sporting events will be happy to talk about), but sometimes there is a brief lull which still needs to be filled.

So you have pundits and presenters filling dead days with hours of inane chatter, predicting and repredicting the same things over and over again in an industrial-sized chucking-shit-at-the-wall machine.

If you run that machine for long enough eventually some things are going to stick (that's the whole point of the industrial-sized chucking-shit-at-the-wall machine), but at the same time there is an inordinate amount of stuff which doesn't. However, no one seems to care, because the cycle moves on at such a pace that by the time you've noticed one mistake another one comes along to take its place, and by the time you notice that mistake...

Its why Gary Neville can say Liverpool will win the league one week then flip-flop to Man City the next week. Its why politicians seem to be able to get away with similar flip-flopping on almost every major issue (and of course they are allowed to change their mind, but you get what I mean). There is no accountability for anything that anyone says because the content factory comes along to bury it under another mound of tasty soundbites and out of context ten second clips.

But I am here to change this, and change starts at home.

A few weeks ago, I predicted that Open, Trinity, Manchester and Imperial would make the semi-finals. Open were eliminated last week, but my prediction was already in the mud when UCL qualified a week before that. So I am here to acknowledge my fallibility as a pundit and all round University Challenge dogsbody.

I got it wrong, and that's okay. But you needed to know.

Before we start, you can watch the episode at this link (I've actually done this so quickly that I've beaten Cosmic Pumpkin to the punch, but you should be able to find the video on that channel, if not at that exact link), and I'm going to double down on my prediction by saying Manchester will take this.

Here's your first starter for ten.

Christ Church's avocado mascot has given birth to a smaller version of itself (which is what generally happens when something gives birth, I suppose), and one of these (probably the small one) influences the Manchester skipper to buzz in incorrectly on the opening starter, allowing Wotton to win the first points of the match.

There is another early buzz from Senehedheera, but this time he is right (no luck for mini avo this time round). A hat-trick of bonuses tied the game, and Grady gave them the lead with King Kong. A second neg from the Manchester captain, with an amusing guess of boogie-woogie (just because its a fun word, not because it was a stupid guess), gave Christ Church the opportunity to level the game, but they couldn't take it, and Senehedheera moved to 2/4 on the following starter to extend the Northerners lead.

Another from Senehedheera wins Manchester a bonus set on surnames of philosophers which can be found within other words. Agonisingly, they come up with Coelacanth and guess Kant, but the answer is Lacanth. Then on the next one the answer is Kant but they miss it. Mercifully they get the third, with John Locke.

Some more brilliance from Wotton gets Chirst Church going again, and Dean takes the next question too to bring them within 5 points. They would have tied it, but went Ella Fitzgerald rather than Billie Holiday on a question about Strange Fruit.

No matter, the chief avocado wrangler is back, and he gives them the lead after both sides drop the music starter. They don't get any of the music bonuses though, and Grady quickly snatches the lead back with gravitational waves.

I'm losing track of how many starters Wotton has got so shall we just say its five? Actually, its six now (Brandenburg and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, or Mecklenburg Pomdragon, as I frantically typed after hearing him say it once). He can't be stopped.

Lowe takes the second picture starter to put an end to his captain's dominance, not that his skipper will mind - their lead was up to 35 points.

To demonstrate just how fickle we pundits are, I had forgotten that at the start of this very post I predicted a strong Manchester win, but they'll need to pull their finger out if they harbour hopes of the semis. Kullmann and De Los Reyes White duly oblige, with back to back starters which give Manchester the lead.

Their little run has rattled Christ Church, and Dean apologises to her teammates after a premature buzz. A neg from Senehedheera follows hot on its tails, but no one picks it up, allowing him to take the replacement question with Lucien Freud.

Aggression on the buzzer continues with a neg from Wotton, but again no one from Manchester can capitalise and he makes up for it immediately, closing Christ Church to within 5 points.

There's only one question left. Whoever gets it wins.

Buzz, Manchester Grady!

Simone de Beauvoir.

If he's wrong we'll go to deadlock.

He's not wrong.

Manchester 145 - 130 Christ Church

As close a game as you can get, coming down to the last few words of the last starter. Christ Church's Dean says that she was buzzing at the same time as Grady, but he pipped her to the post. Fine margins.

And I guess I can claim some serious credit now, because I knew Manchester were going to win this, didn't I? My faith in them never wavered once, did it?

What a game, though. Well done to both teams, especially Wotton who very nearly dragged his team into the semis. I'll see you next time for the last quarter final (which I predict will be won by Trinity), but for now its goodnight.

#university challenge #bbc2

[leonsliga]

I can't support RM after THAT ucl match against us in 2017. 😞 How do you do it?

(Not blaming you, just curious)

I totally get that! And it’s a very good question! I sometimes wonder myself if I’m honest 😵😂 I think what it comes down to is that I found Real Madrid first. If it had been the other way around and I started following with Bayern first, I’m not sure if I’d feel the same way.

I think I felt a different type of love for Bayern compared to Real Madrid. With Real Madrid, it was instant passion. With the help of some of my mutuals and a trip to Madrid, I fell head-over-heels, whether I wanted to or not. There’s something about their relentlessness in pursuing their goals that really struck me; they will truly fight to the bone until that final whistle blows, and I think that’s a quality that both clubs share (albeit, RMA adds a bit more shithousery spice to it).

With Bayern, it was a slow burn. Initially, and maybe this will come as a shock, but I didn’t want to like Bayern. At least in La Liga, when I first started following it, there was an illusion of competition, even if it was mostly Barça and RMA vying for the title (with Atleti occasionally nipping at their heels). With Bayern, they’d all but dominated the Bundesliga for years, and sure, BVB was always somewhere in the mix, but Bayern just always had that edge. So I came into the Bundesliga as a neutral. I didn’t want to like Bayern because they were so dominant. Ironic, considering I’m also a Madridista, I know, but I never claimed to be logical 😂

From the outside looking in, they seemed so easy to hate. But that was before I really knew Bayern, or the Bundesliga as a whole. My opinions began to change when I read up on the things that made the league so special, like the 50+1 rule and about the way fans are so integral to German clubs. Bayern is no exception, with their annual fan club and board meetings and their players’ visits to fan clubs.

Honestly, the closer I looked at the club, the more I noticed facets of my other two football loves, RMA and Manchester United (at their best, anyway). I saw the same scrappiness, the same hardwired will to win, that Real Madrid and Man United were also built on. I started to understand that above all, Bayern’s dominance comes from a core philosophy, a shared mia san mia, that forges a bond between player and club stronger than any wad of cash can. Our club is a family—dysfunctional and dramatic at times—but always a labor of love, for the players as well as the fans. There’s a real fire there, a passion that unites us all, but more than that, there’s our creed: mia san mia—we are who we are, and we will never be ashamed of that.

And the more I learned, the deeper I fell. I reminded myself the caliber of players—the living legends—that have infused themselves into Bayern’s DNA: Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben, Frank Ribéry—players I’d watched from afar but greatly enjoyed and admired. But even more than that, I loved that the club wasn’t just a handful of incredibly talented individuals. They were a team—a well-oiled machine. And then there was Bayernblr, this wonderful community of football-loving freaks I’m proud to be a part of. Idk, I found a home here, and I wouldn’t change it. My love for Bayern may have been a slow burn, but I think I can honestly say that it now burns the brightest :)

As for how I manage to support both, I truly don’t know. I think it helps that there’s a lot of overlap in their core philosophies. What I will say is it definitely gives me a unique perspective on matchups between Real Madrid and Bayern; no matter the result, I won’t be completely disappointed. Although truth be told, if I were to answer honestly, I think I’d prefer a Bayern victory ❤️🤍

#anon 💖 #god that was a long answer #anon I’m so sorry #I just kinda rambled 😅 #hopefully it all still makes some semblance of sense though! #feel free to ask me any follow-up questions and I’ll do my best to answer :) #fc bayern #my asks #football asks

[pessiofficial]

barcelona vs osasuna (9/3/23) match analysis

well. i don't know where to start with this match. there were a lot of horrible things about it but there were also some things that were amazing about it, so i'll just go in relative order of horrible-ness

let's start with sergi roberto. i want to thank him for all he's done for barcelona but he needs to be shipped to shanghai sharks pronto, and he can take alonso with him. he should never start a game for barca again, and he should never have been the first choice for captain ahead of ter stegen.

that being said, defensively we were alright today. balde and kounde proved that they're some of the best in the business at the moment, and christensen was really solid as well. great performance from them. however we were caught standing when osasuna scored their goal, so we need to work on that.

lewandowski. i grew up watching him, idolizing him, but when i say it's time to go i mean it's time to go. he's had a rapid decline since the world cup and it's really no one's fault. he's just getting old, perfectly normal. i'd like to see him maybe make a move to some other smaller league or retire at the end of the season. even the pen isn't enough to make up for that appalling performance from him. we should've been up from the first few minutes.

just in general, capitalizing on chances. gundo also missed a pretty clear shot and we really need someone clinical up there to convert.

our wingers were kind of mid today. i just didn't see them being super explosive, and balde was doing a lot of the work up in the final third as far as i saw. raphinha didn't do much when he came in, and i didn't see too much from ferran or joao felix either. gavi was a "winger" but he was amazing today in the midfield.

lamine was pretty good, but not as good as he was against villareal. i think he's too young and doesn't have enough physicality to be playing against grown men yet. he's got the skills but he's just too young. xavi needs to bench him for a little, maybe bring him on for a few minutes every game so he doesn't burn out. but xavi said he was going to do this so hopefully it happens.

the lack of araujo and pedri is glaringly obvious in this team. the defense is struggling at times without araujo back there, and there isn't as much creativity in the midfield without pedri. we need them for the ucl, or i don't even have us securing every game in the group stage.

as for players who played really well: most of the team, to be honest, especially kounde, balde, gavi, frenkie, gundo, romeu, and cancelo. they all had a huge impact on the game and should definitely be in the starting lineup going forward. players who need to be taken out are lewy, lamine, roberto.

i also want to give kudos to cancelo, who was explosive when he did come on and a huge change of pace from roberto. i think we can expect this going forward, and he'll definitely be a starter. i watched him at bayern and he'll be a huge step up from roberto, even if he does have some attitude issues (i'm sure xavi will set him straight)

i'd probably give man of the match to gavi. he gave it his all and was decisive tonight, playing winger, midfield, defense, whatever.

tactically we can expect the game to look more like it did when cancelo came on. he'll definitely be a starter and just didn't come on because he just landed yesterday, but i'm excited to see what he and felix can do.

#footy analysis #barca #fc barcelona #gavi #joao cancelo #fcb #football

[rainingmbappe]

you know that iconic sergio aguero goal that made the commentator SCREAM? everytime i say your name, my brain automatically extends it and goes saRAAAAAAAAAAH.

sorry. anyways. hi this is sky sports tv. 🎤 how confident are you in the race for the prem league trophy? are you doubtful. do you feel doubt. how do u feel about the upcoming fixtures.

First off, sorry I'm late. Secondly, this is the greatest compliment anyone could ever give me (fun fact : that was the first time I ever watched a premiere league match. My dad had it on cause it was the finals and I was watching with him cause why not?? And I still remember that goal and how utterly shocked my dad was. My city heart stems from that memory single handedly. Iconic)

Why, hello Gen. I have to say, after the 4-1 win against Arsenal, I have never felt better. I am quite sure of winning the league this year. IF, and emphasis on the if, arsenal decided to pick up their pace in the last few fixtures, it will be a tad bit worrisome. But city is officially at the top of the league and even if arsenal decide to emerge again, I think my boys are completely equipped to handle that. The only thing that makes we fret is the ucl. The FA cup is an EASY win ( 🤭🥱 ). So overall, this year's Manchester City's year.

#i had to shade utd #i just had to 🤷🏽‍♀️ #man city #manchester city #manchester united #asks and replies #txt #txt post #cryingforcrocodiles

[football-emperora]

Best football trios we'd miss

The definition of "trio" is "the group of three people or things". Today, the word trio only resonates in our heads when these three stick together. While these players have phenomenal individual stats, they have blended really well to create good teammates that can wreck havoc on the opponent on the pitch. In this post we'd be talking about the greatest football trio in recent times, how they got separated, and their current status. Here's a list of football trios (in recent times) that will greatly be missed. If you didn't get to witness them, I advise you to watch their highlights on YouTube!

Messi - Neymar - Suarez The Trinity was brought together by Luis Enrique (ex-Barcelona coach). During their time, Messi was the best number 10, Suarez was the best number 9, and Neymar was the best number 11. You can imagine the kind of chaos FC Barcelona cooked for the world with that combo. This football trio scored more goals than the entire Madrid squad in 2015 with 122 goals! They went on to break their own record the next year with 131 goals. They are arguably the best goal scoring trio in football They have one Champions League, two La Liga titles, and one Club World Cup, including a treble. All these in four seasons. The fun fact about this trio? They are good friends off the pitch. It ended when Neymar left for PSG for a record-breaking fee of 222 million as the most expensive signing at the time. Currently, Neymar and Messi play for PSG, while Suarez is yet to find a new club after leaving Atletico Madrid.

Mo Salah - Roberto Firmino - Sadio Mane Jurgen Klopp brought Liverpool back to it's glory days with these three. This football trio were so fast, they could tear defense apart in minutes. Roberto Firmino helped with his intelligence while Salah and Mane with their dribbling skills and speed. They complemented each other so well that the broke plenty of goal records under Klopp. They helped Liverpool win their first league title in about 30 years, entered the champions league finals three times in four years, winning one of them, and a club world cup. The trio scored a total of 250 goals together. In 2022 they got broken apart by Mane who forced a move to Bayern Munich. Salah and Firmino still remain at Liverpool.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gareth Bale At the time of MSN, Real Madrid needed something similar to match up their arch rivals FC Barcelona. The BBC trio proved to be competent enough to do so. The football trio scored 97 goals in their first year together. They spear-headed the record breaking Champions League three-peat, all having note worthy UCL final goals. And four Champions League trophies in total. In addition to the two La Liga titles won. They redefined the counter-attacking style of football in their time. They broke apart after five years when Cristiano moved to Juventus. Currently, Benzema is still playing for Madrid, Bale plays for an American team, MLS, while Cristiano Ronaldo has returned to his childhood team, Manchester United.

Xavi, Iniesta and Busquest We still don't know how Pep Guardiola cooked this but they'd go down as the most perfect Midfield trio in recent years. The fun part? They are all Spanish players, meaning they played together for club and country and the three were starters! They were know for their great passing abilities and vision. They were the heart of the team at the time. Xavi and Iniesta remain the only two midfielders to appear in the Ballon d'or top 3 more than once! From 2008-2015, they won't 3X UCL, 5X La Liga, and 2X CWC, excluding some other minor cups not mentioned. They broke up when Xavi left in 2015. Currently, Xavi coaches FC Barcelona, Iniesta plays for a Chinese club and Busquest still a Barcelona player. In conclusion, it is a dream of every football club to have their players team up together, to create magic that beautifies the moment. The easiest way this can be achieved is when players have a good relationship on and off the pitch. Also, getting more playing time together. Other trios not mentioned above include:

Neymar - Mbappe - Cavani: They got broken up when Cavani left for Manchester united. Currently, Neymar and Mbappe still play for PSG while Cavani is yet to find a new club as he has run out of contract with Manchester united. Ribery - Robern - Robert Lewandoski: They got broken up in 2019, when Ajren Robben and Franck Ribery left the club at the same time. Currently, Lewandoski plays for FC Barcelona, Ajren Robben came back from retirement to play for his boyhood club Groningen while Franck Ribery plays for Serie A club Salernitana. Don't forget Modric, Kroos and Casimero. I didn't add them because they are yet to be separated. Which of these trio do you consider the greatest? drop your thoughts in the comment box below. Read the full article

[thefootballobserver]

April 17-19 European Roundup: Match Reviews

Comebacks and penalty shootouts galore.

What. A. Week. This week had a bit of everything as the semifinal ties were decided. Red cards, surprise comebacks, penalty shootouts - there really isn’t anything to complain about, especially for the neutral. Here’s a brief review of some of the biggest games. Note that I only got to watch the highlights of most of these games, so these are very brief summaries.

Barcelona 1-4 PSG (agg. 4-6): Rash Araujo Boost PSG’s Treble Hopes

Araujo’s red card resulted in a Barcelona collapse at home.

What would otherwise be a fun tie turned ugly thanks to an Araujo red card in the 29th minute thanks to a rash trip on Barcola right on the edge of the box, denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Barcelona appeared to have firm control over the tie after Raphinha scored again after scoring a brace in the first tie, resulting in them going up on aggregate 4-2.

However, Barcelona imploded on itself after the sending-off, never recovering their early match form, with everyone in Blaugrana struggling to contain PSG from taking shots. Yamal had to come off for Martínez to come on, resulting in Barcelona losing much of their attacking threat. It only took the Parisians six minutes after the red card to score, with some lax defending from Cancelo resulting in former Barcelona player Dembélé scoring against them again.

This wouldn’t be the last red card, as Xavi got sent off for allegedly swearing at the referee for his decisions. This was sandwiched between a Vitinha and Mbappé penalty - Cancelo the man of focus again for a rash tackle in the box - to firmly turn the tie in PSG’s favour 4-5 on aggregate. Any lingering questions ended with a fourth for PSG that night. Mbappé scored after Barcelona failed to clear the ball after some brilliant saves from Ter Stegen to deny Mbappé and Asensio right before.

PSG’s treble hopes remain alive as they aim to win Ligue 1, the Coupe de France, and the Champions League. They’ll play three matches in Ligue 1 before playing Dortmund away for the UCL. For Barcelona, their once chance of winning a trophy has gone as they looked destined for a trophyless season, as Real Madrid remains firm favourites to win La Liga. They’ll face them for the El Clásico on the weekend.

This game hurts as a Barcelona fan, and if not for the card, Barcelona had a real chance of going into the semi-final. It's not a game any Barca fan will want to talk about. Also, the referee loved cards; two red cards and nine yellow cards in 100 minutes are not real.

My MOTMs: Raphinha (FCB); Mbappé (PSG)

Dortmund 4-2 Atletico Madrid (agg. 5-4): The Triple Comeback

Sabitzer was the hero for Dortmund, sending them into the semi-finals for the first time in 11 years.

Who knew this tie would be the best of the four quarter-final games? The game started quickly, with Sabitzer and Morata missing golden chances in the third and fifth minutes. Atletico came into the game with a one-goal advantage, but that quickly turned on its head in the 34th and 39th minute, as Brandt and Chelsea loanee Maatsen scored incredible goals to turn the tie 3-2 on aggregate.

An atrocious first half for Atletico resulted in Simeone doing a triple change during halftime. It paid off as poor Hummels turned the ball into his own net, and substitute Correa scored to once again turn the tie in Atletico’s favour - of course, not before missing a 1v1 identical to Morata’s, invoking a hilarious reaction from Simeone.

The poor man can only take one missed 1v1 per game.

The game was far from over, though, as Dortmund once again scored in quick succession in the 71st and 74th minute thanks to goals from Füllkrug (a beautiful, beautiful header) and Sabitzer again to end the tie 4-2 in Dortmund’s favour to book a spot in the semi-final for the first time in over a decade. Regardless of who went through in the League Underperformers™ tie, I don’t think it would have surprised anyone. But Atletico, this season, clearly has lost their defensive touch, which is usually so recognisable in a Diego Simeone team.

Dortmund have two challenging league games, facing League champions Leverkusen at home and Leipzig away before facing PSG at home for the Champions League. Atletico will have to work on securing UCL football next season with an extra slot out of the cards for La Liga and Atheltic Club breathing down their back. They’ll face them at home between games against Deportivo Alaves and Mallorca, both away.

My MOTMs: Sabitzer (BVB); Correa (ATM)

Bayern Munich 1-0 Arsenal (agg. 3-2): Bavarians End Arsenal’s 8-Year Awaited UCL Journey

Kimmich’s header was enough to seal the tie in the Germans’ favour.

Arsenal waited eight years to return to the Champions League and bow down to Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals. In all honesty…wasn’t that great of a match. Both sides looked like they could but never would score. Of course, until Kimmich pealed away from Martinelli to send a header past Raya.

It was a pretty unmemorable match, but Arsenal definitely should have killed it off in the first leg at home as Bayern walked away from the tie with a deserved win (xG 1.33 versus 0.39 says it all). It's too bad that Harry Kane didn’t get another, but that Eric Dier performance was enough for my Spurs heart to be happy about, besides Arsenal going home.

Bayern Munich only have the UCL to fight for, with Leverkusen winning the league last weekend. They’ll play Union Berlin away and Frankfurt at home before facing Real Madrid at home for the semi-final. On the other hand, Arsenal still have the Premier League title to fight for in a three-team race, as they face Wolves and Spurs away and play another London derby against Chelsea at home in between the two games.

My MOTMs: Kimmich (FCB); … (ARS) (literally no one deserves it from Arsenal)

Man City 1-1 Real Madrid (agg. 4-4) (pens 3-4): City Loses Their Treble as Real Madrid Goes for Their Own

Manchester City couldn’t get past Real Madrid’s low block…or Lunin, Madrid’s hero of the night.

What a horrible week to be a Barcelona and Premier League fan. Anyway, Real Madrid scored 12 minutes through Rodrygo, thanks to Walker's poor position in his first game back from injury. After that, it was all City, and they missed several decent chances to go level in the tie, with Real Madrid defending diligently. The game was borderline unwatchable for me (thanks, Walker) and very one-sided, although it was evident that that was what Real Madrid wanted. Alas, Man City did find the breakthrough, and it was star man Kevin de Bruyne to bring the game 4-4 on aggregate.

Of course, it went into penalties. Lunin would save Silva (never let the man take a penalty again) and Kovacic’s (apparently Rüdiger told Lunin which directly he’d shoot) to make Ederson’s save of Modric’s shot (a bit tame from the veteran) useless and send Real Madrid to the semi-final at the expense of the current holders.

Real Madrid will aim to add the La Liga and UCL trophies to their current Supercopa one to win the treble. As stated above, Real Madrid will play the El Clásico at home this week - should they win, La Liga will be virtually secured unless they collapse right after. Then they’ll play Real Sociedad away before returning to the UCL to play Bayern at the Allianz Arena. Manchester City may not have back-to-back trebles, but they can still go for the double and a fourth consecutive league title. They play Chelsea at Wembley for the FA Cup semi-final this weekend, then Brighton and Nottingham Forest away in the league.

If nothing else from this match, I’ll keep that Ederson penalty in my mind for a while. @ Pep, how about trying him as a striker ahead of Haaland and Álvarez for a change?

My MOTMs: de Bruyne (MCI); Lunin (RMA)

Marseille 1-0 Benefica (agg. 2-2) (pens 4-2): Normal Time Hero Trubin Can’t Save Benfica on Pens

Trubin had to make many, many saves in normal time just to keep Benfica in the tie.

I don’t follow most of the teams in Europa and Conference, so I’ll primarily be skimming through the following matches.

This game was virtually all Marseille - with Benfica goalkeeper Trubin having to make some wonderful saves to protect their advantage - until the 70th minute or so when Benfica finally did something of note to trouble the Marseille goal. Unfortunately, this didn’t translate into any momentum as Moumbagna headed a cross from Aubameyang that went under Trubin’s legs and into the goal to level the tie at 2-2 on aggregate.

Extra time wasn’t enough to decide the tie, and it went into penalties. Somehow, Di María missed his shot as it bounced off the post (perhaps he’s not as immune to the French air as his Argentine counterpart Otamendi) and Antonio Silva’s shot was also saved, making Marseille goalkeeper Pau Lopez the hero as Henrique scored the final penalty to send the French side into the semi-final of the Europa League, where they’ll face Atalanta.

Atalanta 0-1 Liverpool (agg. 3-1): Nuñez-ed Liverpool Limp Out of Europe

It seems like Nuñez-ism has indoctrinated everyone.

To absolutely no one’s surprise, Liverpool hasn’t recovered from the Manchester United draw two weeks ago, the 0-3 first-tie loss, the Crystal Palace game last weekend (where they lost 0-1 at home) and Salah’s early penalty (from a Ruggeri handball) wasn’t enough to send them into the semi-final as they limped out 3-1 on aggregate.

Honestly, I have nothing to say about his game (really, Liverpool?), but it’s now very much possible that Klopp leaves Anfield with just a League Cup this season, given Liverpool’s tough form. Honestly, he deserves more, but everyone appears to be possessed by the soul of Nuñez and is unable to score. No comment, honestly.

Credit to Atalanta, though.

Roma 2-1 AC Milan (agg. 3-1): De Rossi, What Are You Cooking?

Again, De Rossi has cooked for Roma. Mourinho who?

AC Roma fully dominated Milan - even after Celik was sent off for a tackle, which, if you ask me, really didn’t have any venom. Every goal got a gasp out of my mouth. I’ll be rooting for Roma in the Europa with Liverpool out if nothing else.

West Ham 1-1 Leverkusen (agg. 1-3): Leverkusen Keep Their Unbeaten Streak Alive

Sighs, can Leverkusen lose already?

Can you tell I hate success? Okay, I don’t hate success; I hate it when it’s too much though. I can handle a treble, but an unbeaten streak and a treble? Call me jealous because I just looked at my forwards and sighed. Yes, Leverkusen kept their unbeaten streak alive through another late goal.

Honestly, it looked like a fine game. Both were evenly tied, and a draw was fair for this game. Of course, Leverkusen deserved to pass through this tie for their home performance and is a strong favourite to win the Europa and the treble.

Lille 2-1 Aston Villa (agg. 3-3) (pens 3-4): Martínez Sh*thousery as He Breaks French Hearts Again

You have got to love Martínez…unless you’re French.

Emi Martínez played the hero for Aston Villa as they went into penalties against Lille, and the Argentine pulled off some wonderful saves and some dance moves to secure the Villans’ spot in the Conference semi-finals.

It just had to be him in a green kit in front of the Lille fans.

#european football #champions league #europa league #europa conference league #match reviews #manchester city #real madrid #fc barcelona #liverpool fc

[businessconsiderations]

You saw me standing alone

I was disappointed when Man City went out of the UCL quarter finals on penalties against Real Madrid. But then I remembered--with the exception of last year--we always go out of the UCL in disappointing fashion.

Watching this team, this Pep Guardiola team, you have to come to terms with sometimes having 67% possession, 33 shots (9 on target) to their 8 (3 on target), 88 touches in their box to their 12 in ours, 18 corners to their 1, xG of 2.73 to their 1.40, but still only scoring one goal.

It's watching a team that's nearly impossible to stop over 38 matches, but realizing anything can happen in a knockout competition. (Like beating Chelsea in the FA cup semis while losing xG 0.86 to 1.29.)

But the upside is we can now have a party to watch the final at our house. That's the first weekend after my 99 days without alcohol challenge, and I've been daydreaming about having people over, grilling out, having a few beers by the pool. Even better if there's a game to watch. I gotta get that outdoor TV working.

I don't like hosting people for a watch party when it's my team playing, unless of course we are all fans of the same team. But that's the thing about following a team out of market. You miss the community feeling of everyone watching the game together. I spent 15 adults years as a Steeler fan in Cincinnati, that was annoying for watching big games with a community feeling.

I recently became a Man City club member plus my a member of my local supporters club, the Orlando Cityzens. They watch their games down at a pub on I-Drive, it's sort of inconvenient to get to, but maybe I gotta give that a chance, get some of that community feeling. I think one of my kids has a soccer tournament on the final day of the Premier League, but maybe we'll try it another day.

#text man the city #community feeling #soccer

[percervall]

Top 5 Liverpool kits? 😊

The order for these will be a bit random

2013-2014 home kit - this is the first (and only) liverpool shirt I bought while living in England. We were so close to winning the league that season. I remember one of my housemates being a manunited fan and going to watch the match with him only for us to lose 🙃

2022 - 2023 third kit - I don't know, I quite liked the deep green and they all looked good in it 🤷🏼‍♀️ especially when battering Rangers 7-1 away

2023-2024 third kit - Lavenderpool! 🥰 I got the matching zip up hoodie from when this launched and it's so pretty, and my besties and I got matching ones!

2008-2009 home kit - I am pretty sure this is the season I fell in love with Liverpool. Either way, it was during the Carlsberg years so gotta represent

2004-2005 home kit - You can't make a top 5 liverpool kits and not include the one we wore during that UCL final. Istanbul, you will always be famous

thanks anon! 🥰

#ask #anonymous #top 5 ask

[mariachastain]

My origin story

Hello. A little bit about me as I start on this journey. I love soccer. I tell people that soccer is my religion. If you can't tell by the use of my word "soccer" over "football," I am American, and I fell in love with the game late. The first game I ever watched was the 1999 USWNT final vs. China. I don't know why I was home that day, as I was never home in high school. I don't know what prompted me to turn on the 13 inch television in my room and settle on that game, but I did. I watched the whole damn game. The overtime. Every penalty. The only name I had ever heard of at that time was Mia Hamm. But Brandi Chastain was the one who made the lasting impression. When she ripped her shirt off...that moment was etched in my little feminist brain FOREVER. Then, I went to live in El Salvador for a few years where I had to pledge my allegiance to either Real Madrid or Barcelona. Years later, I would finally make that decision and opt for Atlético Madrid thanks to my love for Fernando Torres. Now, I am addicted. If it's Saturday or Sunday morning, I am watching a Premier League game. If it's Tuesday or Wednesday afternoon, I have the TV turned to a UCL match. I even watch an occasional Europa League game on a Thursday afternoon, much to the behest of my other soccer friends. But I live for the World Cup and I can't wait for it come to the United States in 2026. And, I always root for a good underdog (I'm talking to you Morocco and you Leicester City). And, if you're a Manc, you're a wank (both City and United), and North London will always be Lily White and never red. But deep down, I love Chelsea, ever since their miraculous Champions League run in 2012.

#ucl #premier league #fernando torres #uswnt #atletico madrid #chelsea fc

[chelleisamazing]

matchday, game, and comments - for the ask game, if you're doing it! thanks! ♡

Hello, thanks for asking! 💕

Matchday : On average how many games do you watch per week ?

Since I mainly just watch Bayern and Arsenal, I would say 3-- there is usually always another odd match out of my faves which I could be interested in.

Game : Is there a “casual” game (not a final, not a derby…) that you remember dearly and why ?

First match that came to my mind was the 2019/2020 Group stage ucl match between Bayern and T*ttenham which ended in a 7-2 for Bayern-- I was so hyped! And I LOVED the fact that Serge, an ex-gunner, scored 4 goals against them!

Comments: Who is your favorite commentator ? Who is your favorite pundit ?

Favorite commentator is Mariano Closs in spanish (idk why I just find him really fun to listen to) and even though I don't watch my matches in english, I love Peter Drury's commentary for obvious reasons-- his words can be so poetic!

Favorite pundit... idk? Can I choose Thierry Henry just because he is who he is? Or Wrighty? I'm gonna choose them.

#asks #thanks again ♡

[theuniversitychallengereview]

Like Riding A Horse Into Battle

This is the story of how I became a knight (for approximately fifteen seconds).

My journey back from a lovely weekend in Oxford visiting a friend (saw some geese, drank some beer, watched a National League football match) necessitated two changes and went via London (via Didcot Parkway) because Sunday train timetables don't make any sense.

I got into Paddington and cycled through to Euston with the commentary of the Man Utd - Liverpool FA Cup match in my ears. So far so smooth.

Not for long. Chockablock at the Euston concourse. A crowd to fill twenty trains packed underneath the schedule screens, staring at page after page of delayeds. Signal failures between two places you've never heard of meaning every single route in and out of the station was in disarray.

Denied entry to the first train which left, I joined another thronging queue. We could see our train on the platform but no one was allowed through for about half an hour.

Twenty minutes into this interminable limbo, an Avanti staffer told us we could also queue in the adjacent concourse (both of which had access to the platform in question, but one of which had been empty). Ever the instruction follower, I moved over into the new zone, but when they opened the gates they only opened the ones for the old zone, prompting guttural groans from a number of men who felt that they (specifically) had been duped into joining the new queue for malicious reasons.

We did get through, eventually. But only after those from the original zone had been allowed to stampede like suitcase-laden wildebeest for about thirty seconds were we permitted to join the charge ourselves.

Spotting my bike, a staffer-cum-commanding officer yelled at me and said I was needed at the front. Or rather, he said I needed to be quick if I wanted to get to the furthest carriage before the train filled up and my bike wouldn't get on. But what I heard was that I was needed at the front.

Swinging a leg, I mounted my steed and did as my General had asked of me, absolutely nailing it past everyone else on the platform like I was riding a horse into battle.

Time stopped and I was King of Euston.

Pulverising these poor pedestrians with the prodigious power of my pedals.

They, lumbering, sluggish, lugging their cumbersome luggage. I, flowing, free, zipping transcendentally past them. So many people in such slow motion.

Time restarted, I dismounted.

A normal human being once more. But a normal human being with early access to the unreserved seats. The battle was over.

Sign up for The University Challenge Review

A few weeks ago I wrote about the fact I will never get the chance to be an elite athlete. This might be as close as I will ever get.

But on to eight people who have already experienced this, competing as they have done at the sharp end of student quizzing all series.

This is the last of the ten quarter-final matches, and sees Trinity take on Birkbeck.

Each have won and lost one of their previous matches at this stage, and its too close to call. If you want to watch the episode before reading the rest of the post you can do so here.

The winner will join UCL, Imperial and Manchester in the last four. If Birkbeck win there will be three London Unis in the semis for what would surely be the first time ever. Let's see if they can do it; here's your first starter for ten.

Jaksina attempts a bit of humour in his intro, saying 'I should be doing a masters in genetics, but instead I'm here', and while I'm not going to slate him too much, I think he should probably stick to the genetics once the tournament is over.

They manage none of the bonuses, and Bannerjee gets Trinity off the mark with Hero on the next starter. Caldera and Mesa gave them two of the three bonuses on geographical terms in Spanish, before Bannerjee gave them the lead with Einstein.

It's McMillan vs Bannerjee on the buzzer so far, and the Birkbeck man picks up his third of the evening with the picture starter, an extract from Sir Gawain and The Green Knight (who had a horse, which was also green, but not a bike). Demonstrating solid knowledge of medieval poetry, they take a hat-trick on the bonuses. The Chronos Quartet gave McMillan a fourth starter, and Strasbourg a fifth (with a neg from Bannerjee in between continuing their control of proceedings).

This must have given Henderson a taste for glory, because she was back at it with a rapid buzz of John Donne on the very next starter, breaking the duopoly. Another hat-trick on the bonuses tied the game.

Chadha continued the bright new post-McJee age with nucleation to grab the lead back for Birkbeck, but it didn't last long, with a superb Jaksina answer of Paraguay equalising for Trinity, and a Henderson bassoon nodding them ahead. The Cambridge side have really hit their stride now, and take a third consecutive 3/3 on the bonuses to take their biggest lead of the game.

Having hibernated for a few minutes, McMillan returns with Edith Cavell on the picture starter. Mixing up Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo leaves them 15 points adrift, but Kang takes charge with beryllium to put Trinity back in control.

He then pulls a magnificent educated guess of Cairo Station from the clue 'Egyptian transport terminus' on their first bonus. This kind of answer is absolute quizzing gold, based on nothing but word association, and Trinity are delighted by it.

An early buzz of Vienna by McMillan is wrong, and when Kang picks it up with Prague you sense that this is the end of the road for Birkbeck. It was the correct tactic to buzz in early, but these things don't always go your way, and his rueful shake of the head tells us he knows it's over too.

Rajan slates Kang for missing a bonus on a South Korean city, but it doesn't matter. Their place in the semis is already assured. Birkbeck 100 - 165 Trinity

A tight match up until the final few minutes, in which Trinity pulled away. A valiant performance from Birkbeck, especially McMillan, but they weren't quite good enough on the day.

The semi-final lineup is now complete, with my predictions coming 75% true.

Trinity

Manchester

UCL

Imperial

The first matchup is Imperial/Trinity followed by UCL/Manchester. I can't wait, see you there.

#university challenge #bbc2 #cambridge