Champions League Final

I just hope PSG win. The Nemesis Team of the EPL. Showed up the EPL during the KO phrase, demonstrating how poor the division was this season. PSG, not just by winning but winning handsomely against the RS, City, Villa and Arsenal.

I have enjoyed watching PSG this season. A brand of football that is dynamic, intricate, skilful, energetic and exciting, Fans love it. I envy it.

Somewhere along the line, the PSG philosophy is what I want for Everton. Young, energetic skilful, fearless, entertaining and local. Well UK local, if not all from Merseyside! I think PSG have fourteen French players in their squad.

The following is a short analysis taken from them BBC Sport app.

‘Luis Enrique seized his chance, convincing club president Nasser al-Khelaifi and football advisor Luis Campos that he could build a younger, better, more cohesive side in the post-Mbappe age.

His appointment in July 2023 was a clear signal that PSG were moving away from the superstar culture, a dramatic change of direction which appealed to a coach bolted on to the team ethic.

"What is most impressive about Luis Enrique's management is the fact that he achieved this in such a short time, and especially with such young players. This shows that his tactical scheme was well understood, that the players believe in him, and that his system is very effective."

Wouldn’t it be great to adopt such a visionary aspiration, and build a team fit for our new stadium, and restore the Everton name again to the highest echelon in English football. I think it’s possible.

Hope to see a great game with a deserved winner.

Heart says PSG, mostly for Luis Enrique. A great coach, cracking player, and the way he dealt with losing his daughter was inspiring.

Would also be a poke in the eye for the whole galactios nonsense, which hamstrung PSG for years.

But if Inter win, I won't be too unhappy. 2 teams who have lit up the competition.

I'm neutral on this one, although I'd probably lean towards PSG, as I think they've been the best team in Europe this season. A joy to watch.

For different reasons, so are Inter.

It will be nice to watch a game of football without worrying about Everton, but I'm already wanting next season's fixture list to come out.

Watch this live by signing up on discovery +. It's free to watch just make an account.

https://www.discoveryplus.com/gb/

Inter for me. A team put together at a fraction of the price of many of its European rivals. For footballs sake.

I've tried to get a discovery account, but it keeps saying 'error'.

Anyone else getting that?

I'm neutral too, and I won't see it live because I'll be singing at a funeral, so watching the replay tonight.

This tournament has delivered some real thrillers. Hope the final does too.

No idea why Linkin Park are ruining the Champions League final. Bizarre.

Well, the game is free over here on regular TV. No dodgy streams but there never is over here because every Premier League game is live.

Rangers is a horrible first job for a first-time manager. The fans there for no reason I can see over the last decade or so have high expectations that boil down to one word: pressure. He would have been better advised to try and get a job in the bottom half of La Liga or say Palace or Leicester.

That muzak was fecking horrible, Liam. Is Mary Hopkin still alive?

Great start

Pure precision that goal

love that finish

They made that look easy, worrying for Inter

Quite extraordinary how composed on the ball these PSG players are

The Inter left back had a mare though 🤣

What on earth is this commentator jabbering on about ?

Inter Milan trying to shepherd the ball out for a corner, only to find the ball in their net ten seconds later to make it 2-0.

2-0. Shithouse defending that turning your back on the shot

Tore apart front to back.

That LB again 🤣

The incredible thing was the space (and therefore time) each of the four PSG players had as they built the move for that first goal.

And now the second, a beneficial deflection.

Doue what a player - Milan need to be careful here or else

The Inter players had been pulled all over the place by the PSG short passing and fluidity of movement for the first 10 mins that their shape was shot for that first goal. The LB was 2/3 yards behind rest of defensive line keeping PSG inside. And the rest were like spinning tops not knowing where to go.

You won't see many more dominant performances than that first half from PSG.

Need an Inter goal to add some jeopardy

4-0 this, no way back for Inter, they look lost and beaten, hope that’s not the case as it’ll be a shite final after what ? 150 games to get here!
Fuckin Eufa, they get what they deserve.

Jeff, if that’s the case, they may as well also give them the UEFA Super Cup at the same time, because PSG will pulverise Spurs in that game.

3 finals, 3 shite games, Betis first half was the only interesting 45 minutes, let’s hope the next 45 provides some entertainment.

I found the first half performance of PSG great to watch.

Would have liked a closer, end to end game, but PSG have played brilliantly

It has to be a tight second half if Inter, to contain PSG, are to get into this game.I don't think that PSG 's defence has been tested yet.One goal either way will change the whole game.

PSG will probably a little deeper play. Will they be able to keep up the intensity in the second half.

Gerrard, FFS do us a favour TNT , Ancelloti junior has just beaten him to the Rangers job, ….allegedly.

Why are the fans singing Bonnie Tyler's 80s banger 'It's a Heartache' over and over?

Jeff (36)

Yes, TNT do us a favour and put the game back on! Or is it just me that has lost the pictures?

Liam # 34, your right of course, PSG head and shoulders above Inter so far, I just hate UEFA, and FIFA, not interested in quality, pure greed and quantity is their only concern, fuck the players, fuck the fans, profit and brown envelopes is all they have ever been interested in, Platini, Infantino, Blatter etc bent wankers the lot of them.

I've still got TNT Dave

Superb third goal for PSG.

Inter couldn't contain the PSG intensity.At this level you would have thought Inter could have stepped up.

PSG playing exactly as Robert Tessel said, but Inter did not get there narrative across at all.

Inter now need a goal desperately.

End of game.Inter one shot on target.

The expectation and sacrifice for those Inter fans must be devastating.

To get there and be annihilated is soul destroying.

Understand completely Jeff.

The pre-match 'entertainment' pissed me off. Why ruin a great atmosphere?

It’s a rout! 4-0.

The KKK lad took that well.

Destroyed by brilliant young players.

Delighted for Luis Enrique, watch his interview about the loss of his daughter, heartbreaking. Strength that few could muster.

He tells his parents to put pictures of Xana all over the house.

I second that Jeff

Getting a bit sloppy now.

How many giveaways is that?

And what a miss!

How did Barcelona lose to these?

5-0… and Inter supposed to be a defensive team!

How many touches has Vitinha had?

Stunning player

Best team in Europe by far.

That Doué is one hell of a player. 19 years old.

Yes Jeff

Mbappe must be sick as a pig.

I knew that Vitinha was that good when he scored against Chorley in the FA Cup in 2021.

Surely we must be in for Doue?

Okay, we may have to send him out on loan for a season. 🤔

Liam, was Vitinha at Wolves 2021?

Any chance we could get two or three players from PSG's B team?

Yes, Jeff, he was on loan there.

Andrew (40), Yes, I got it back thank you, but missed about 15 minutes.

What a performance by the French side! I've never seen a happier, joyous manager than the PSG coach – in fact, I doubt if I've ever seen a squad celebrate a cup final victory like that one tonight.

On the other hand, God help the Italian manager and players – they will be slaughtered by the Italian media tomorrow.

The difference between the way PSG played together and celebrated together with how Mbappe, Bellingham, Vinicius etc whinged and cried when Madrid lost, shows the importance of putting the team first.

This season's Champions League has been brilliant.

Two semi-finals were exceptional and the final was a demolition. Very likeable side.

Sorry, Robert, but no team bankrolled by the fucking Qatar government is likeable.

Also, Luis Enrique hates spit the dog Carragher.

Dave, that Italian media is merciless.

Robert, totally. And the Barcelona team that didn't quite make it are very young. We'll see a lot more of them, I reckon.

It starts in the Academy.

Brilliant to watch, but the thing that stood out for me was the simplicity of it all.

Hard work, was the key. PSG, simply had a desire to keep passing the ball and keep moving into space, and have been coached to play with composure, all over the pitch.

Football is about trust, and you can't play football like PSG played tonight if you haven't got 100% trust in your teammates.

I only got home for the second half but was reading this thread before the game started and took a lot of strength from John's post @2.

I honestly don't think it's impossible, in fact I actually think it's quite doable to coach a team to play like PSG… but maybe I'm just a dreamer.

PSG reminded me of Johann Cruyff's Ajax team of the early '70s…

Total football! It is beautiful to watch.

Tony, a very good point.

Space and keep the ball moving. See it, play it. The first pass is usually the best one.

Football is a simple game.

But to play it that well and that simply is fricking rock hard.

They got rid of the superstars like Mbappe, Neymar and and have actually built a side.

The work rate and work ethnic was superb. When out of possession, they retrieved the ball back in an instant.

As Doue mentioned, Enrique drilled into those players the mental side of the game. A blueprint for any team to achieve the impossible with that mindset.

Made up for Luis Enrique, one of football's good guys.

Kunal @72...

And the work ethic wasn't too bad either.

Seriously, Kunal, seriously? "The impossible"!!!!

With the fecking Qatar government bankrolling the club. The "impossible"?! I'd call it the "very possible".

Qatar money has got them in the final before, remember.

I would say that us winning the Champions League in the next 5 years is "impossible".

Paul #75,

It is not all about money. Everton have already proved that. When you have incompetent management, as Everton did have, a club can go in the opposite direction and nearly go bust.

PSG were always aware of FFP rules and it was regularly mentioned in interviews with PSG executives. They have had managers that, even with money, could get nowhere. They were a disgrace. It has taken them years to produce as now.

It is really about proper management and competitive culture throughout the club… on the football side, from the Academy up. A team that can challenge in all competitions it enters, not just one. This shows strong management in preparation, training, recruitment, player development, squad management, and team management.

You are right: Everton will take longer than 5 years. They first have to show that they can challenge over a whole season and be in more than one competition after January.

Challenging in European competition and not having experience of playing in more than one competition after January is a pipe dream. In fact, with PSR problems, being subject to European FFP rules was something to avoid, as Ancelotti found out.

Everton at last have proper club management. Changing Everton's culture is very much an ongoing process and they are not beyond the latent demands of years of mismanagement. It really would take a stadium increase in capacity to compete at the elite European level.

Good call, Colin @69 and Liam @71.

They may play in the affectionately nicknamed "farmers league", where they are guaranteed success, but to see football played that way is a joy to watch. And it wasn't just last night, they've been like that throughout the competition.

They've done it different this time and built a team.

Paul @75, yes, they've had backing. But so do most teams. The Royals from Abu Dhabi at Manchester City. The Oligarch at Chelsea. Newcastle backed by a state-owned Saudi Public Investment Fund. The influx of US based owners, which hopefully will bring us success.

And let's not forget our 1960s tag, the Mersey Millionaires, backed by Sir John Moores and his Littlewood's Empire.

Anyway, I enjoyed that ruthless display of pure football last night.

Now I'm twiddling my thumbs, waiting for the fixture list to come out, the 3rd test event to be announced, and looking at flights to Chicago for the West Ham match.

Point taken, Jerome, but it is about the Qatar money – and my point is as much about the disgusting regime in Qatar – because that money means that PSG had a huge advantage in every single thing you mention in your third paragraph.

Inter's team today cost around €500M less than the team that PSG put out - €309M vs €790M. That's corrupt human rights Hamas supporting money, Jerome, that provided all the necessary parts that made up a compelling performance.

Actually, I believe that Qatar's government owns 88% of PSG; their brother investors are a couple of corporate Yanks.

Powerful legitimising argument, Danny, I think not.

Good grief, all is sound with PSG because Manchester City and Newcastle are also backed by corrupt, human rights violating Gulf money.

Who is Chelsea's current 'oligarch'?
-

I don't like it any more than you, Paul.

Having been to Qatar several times in a different life, it is fast becoming the next Dubai, but is an autocratic state with an awful human rights record and despite the outward facing appearance, people suffer abuse and poverty.

How they got awarded the 2022 World Cup remains a strange decision, as well as reinforcing the corruption of FIFA. Like awarding it to Russia in 2018 despite their invasion of Ukraine in 2014.

You know who I'm talking about. Abramovic bankrolled Chelsea to buy them success. They may not have an oligarch now, US owners, but Roman built the platform.

Money talks.

You know who I'm talking about.

I did!

Good post.

Colin spot on.

Fitting result and perhaps the start of a new era in European football and perhaps there will be coaching reviews across Europe as well. Honest endeavour, committment, spirit and natural talent and great leadership.

I think Inter were done before the kick-off, they'd dipped in the last few weeks and Inzaghi will be under huge pressure now.

But in their own right, Inter have done brilliantly in the last 4 years without actually winning the Champions League; they were Series A winners last season and pipped this season by Napoli for the Series A title.

But there's hope, genuine hope for the game. Great to see no VAR calls last night.

Paul #78,

Everton too had access the money from a lot more dubious sources. In the Middle East, the dynamics have for centuries been different. For a place that has upheld religion, and probably originated most of them, it has been one of the most bloodied sagas in human history and seems destined to continue… some may say, with a British contribution. The perpetrators on all sides seem to have an annihilation default. Better to keep that out of football and put the focus on making them sort it out amongst themselves.

My daughter taught in Qatar and the need for revenge when wronged was something she regularly had to address in the classroom and when talking to children's parents. By the way, the children of the Qatar rich have the same problems as children in your average European or American classroom. On reaching 18, every Qatar national has £1 million or equivalent invested by the Qatar Government in their name.

I raise a glass to that, Paul @82.

Well said.

Jerome, good post, I hope that your daughter is no longer there after trying her best. I bet support from the school was not guaranteed.

No doubt if we had Doue aged 19 on our books, he would have been put out on loan with some lower league team with us stating that he isn't ready yet.

If you are old enough you are good enough.

In my opinion, with a few exceptions, young players are the key to success.
Forget buying washed-up players at crazy prices and look for young talent instead.

Alternatively if you are good enough you are old enough!

I'm not a morning person.

Paul #85,

The school was supportive with pastoral care and excellent supportive back-up. Foreign workers, even highly paid ones, found laws strictly enforced against them, more so than Qataries. Foreign workers were provided with sumptuous places of worship, no matter what their religion, and those that attended were devout, as my wife noted.

Comparing with Dubai professionals are better paid and accommodation is 5-star in comparison to Qatar. Living together without a marriage license could result in jail or deportation. My daughter had a luxury apartment. Her flatmate paid her share of the rent, but lived with her boyfriend. It was essential she had separate paid accomodation.

My daughter is now in Australia, but her Qatar experience shaped and stuck to her in a lot of ways. Actually, it provided a great fit for Australians.

Liam @71, exactly mate. I tell anyone who is trying to better themselves that “if it was easy, then everyone would be fucking doing it!” And that's how I was thinking when I watched PSG totally open up Inter Milan with a five-pass move that involved a bit of fetching, carrying, and a player who instigated everything by continuing his run every time.

Clough never used to coach, Danny, nobody coached you at Forest. The plan was simple, get it and play it until it comes out your fucking ears, although there was a structure in the play that sometimes bypassed the midfield, because it was all about getting it into the centre-forward and down the sides.

It's all about movement; when you have got continuous movement, then it becomes a lot easier to just keep the ball moving. I've been helping to coach the kids, and the biggest thing that has caught my eye lately is that the kids are always naturally trying to force the game.

When I get my footballing head on, I imagine that rule number one for both Enrique and Guardiola, when coaching their teams, would be that keeping it simple and continuous movement is the key to everything.

Paul F, I admire your stance, maté, but my own view is there is not a single pound, dollar or cent that isn't polluted in some way in this horrible money forsaken world.

I'm just watching the highlights before Laura Kuensberg comes on the BBC. Still great to watch.

Heads will roll at Inter. Runners up in Serie A to Napoli, runners up in the Champions League. Not a bad return, but that club has standards.

A cheeky bid for Dumfries to sort our right-back position out? Don't worry, it's meant tongue-in-cheek. I know the responses!!

I said it last night but that Doue is an absolute pleasure to watch. It's not just the goals. His running off the ball makes it easy for his team mates to pick a pass and makes it nigh on impossible for defenders to counter.

Tony, there you have it. the real joy of the game, players who love the game with a thrill and abandonment, with a trust in a teammate who will be there to back them up. A game with no need for set plays, strategies, formation changes, clipboards or tactics. Move the ball, run into space, cover your mate, play to win.
Enjoy the game.
I love it when it all comes together.
Just find 11 good players who love the game, care about each other and want to win.

I think money can make a difference in helping to form a great team but not always—— I’d guarantee that Man Unt have spent well more than PSG these last few years but are miles away from achieving what the French club have built in the last eighteen months mostly through the teamwork of the manager and his players.

Not comparing Everton and Kendall and Harvey’s team, although they were very good, with PSG but that team was built on teamwork and cost relatively very little.

It can be done as Liam and Tony have said with hard work, very hard work being the key.

Enrique uses the same positional play system as Barcelona / Guardiola which can appear very ad hoc / improvised but relies on adherence to very strict tactics and positioning of players relative to the player with the ball. Players can interchange, absolutely - which is why Hakimi was often in the centre forward position. But the other players adjust their own position to accommodate this. What looks like abandonment is completely rehearsed - and is only achievable through incredible work rate, exceptional technical skills and footballing intelligence.

Tony 89 - having coached grassroots football for years, until recently, I couldn't agree more about kids wanting to force the game. I think some of it is to do with the way they consume football in the modern world.

I remember talking to our CF about his propensity to take 15 touches and try to run past everyone. 'Do you ever wonder why in top level football most of the time they take 2 touches?' 'Not really, I only watch highlights of goals'

As for PSG last night, it was a case of supreme technical ability, allied to constant movement, combined with complete trust. To be that comfortable on the ball you have to have the knowledge that a teamate will be available to pass it to. To press like they did, you have to believe everyone is going to do the same.

To use a chess analogy, players have to think 5/6 movements ahead. But in chess, there's only one player per side. In football, there's 11 individuals. To get them to gel to a perfect whole, as PSG did last night, is remarkable.

It was a performance of coaching and playing magnificence, which made a very good Inter side look shell-shocked.

There have been only a few times that club football played has taken my breath away.

The Everton 5 Manchester United 0,
Barcelona in their Messi pomp,
And last night.

Great comments from all. Christine, Dave and Tony.

You don't need to over-coach or over analyse football. Especially the young ones. You can teach them but don't over-complicate and confuse them. The game is mostly simple.

That has become a modern phenomena, fuelled by the media and the internet and pundit analysis with endless replays. I may be getting older, but I just enjoy watching good football. And Everton obviously, no matter what they have put me and my dear family through as a result of my "disease". I prefer to call it my birth right.

When you are on the pitch, instinct takes over. You see and anticipate what is in front of, or behind you and play what you see.

As most of us repeatedly say, it takes incredible hard work and aggression, not just ability. You earn the right to play football, it's not a given.

And work as a team. You don't all have to be world beaters, just convinced that when you walk on that pitch belief that you're going to win and have trust in those around you. I'll fight for you, you fight for me.

Paris did that last night. Inter were beaten before they started. One of their goals came from a counter when the defender refused to let it go out for a corner, which he could easily have done and let it run out of play. About 30 seconds later, they score.

One word. Mentality. Go out thinking you can win and you stand more chance than if you go out fearing defeat.

Paul #75. Lets take out the ownership and money for a minute, PSG have bought superstars in the past and have failed to win the Champions league and have therefore had to re-align there model to achieve success through an alternative route. The most expensive signing in that lineup was Kvaretskhelia for EUR 70 million from Napoli.

Enrique has created unity, a bond, togetherness within the squad but most importantly it's those hidden skills which you can never put a price on, the mental drilling into these players minds, what gets said to them to feel they will not be beaten.

As Jerome mentioned it's also a cultural change and that also is a mindset change but that's driven from an organisation top down. You only have to look at those across the park. The mental side of the game is instilled into there players, they go out on to that pitch week in week out playing with a mindset that they will go out to win.

As for the ownership it wasn't that long ago we were owned by a Russian who has close links to Putin. No one is questioning where the funding came from to build Bramley Moore. Is it dirty money? should the stadium be knocked back down due to the source of those funds possibly being unethical?

I'd take th Qataris as our owners if it meant winning the FA cup, I'd take the Man City owners as well if it meant we dominated football for the last 15 years. It's a better Everton

Kunal, it was not 'miraculous' mate ... in any shape or form ......

John # 95,

Also I compare it with the 4-0 AC Milan v Barcelona final, I think 1994. From the start, AC Milan played at a different level.

I thought they would dominate for years to come. They didn't.

Some really good posts on this thread and when I was reading Christine’s post, a post that made me wish I was thirty years younger getting ready to play a game of football in the fine rain, the only thing I disagreed with was corrected by Robert T.

That third goal was a complete set -play, imo), although the improvisation definitely leaned towards Christine’s view, of just letting good players play?

The best two words came from Paul B, for me though when he wrote Honest Endevour, which is exactly what football should always be about

Danny # 96, Joao Neves, Vitinha, Nuno Mendes, Hakimi, Dembele and Doue in particular would have all been coached very intensively in passing drills, positional play, pressing and tactics since a young age. All have come through celebrated academies at Real, Rennes, Benfica, Porto and Sporting. Ruiz, Pacho and Marquinhos too possibly at Betis and in South America. I've said this before but I think many other nations would say there's no such thing as over-coaching - the problem is poor coaching.

Kvaratskhelia is the anomaly, having developed in Georgia and Russia - he clearly has exceptional ability, footballing brain and workrate. Once very much an off the cuff player, he seems to have sacrificed his dribbling to play a much more effective team orientated game with PSG. Watching a player like that track back to outpace and outmuscle Dumfries was quite extraordinary last night.

It's going to take the likes of Robert and Sam to either bail me out or correct me.

It seems that PSG changed their model of buying X-Factor footballers and built a team of talented and hard working individuals.

On a more sombre note, in a month when we recognised two of the greatest football tragedies in our memory, along with the sad events in our city last week, 2 supporters died in France last night and over 500 were arrested during the celebrations.

Fair enough Robert. As a former player and latterly a coach at youth level, you can improve players and develop them. But don't over-complicate it. And to do that, you need to install all the ingredients into them. Ability alone doesn't cut it. Passion, desire, commitment, teamwork. The list could be endless.

One thing I used to tell the kids, was to not look for the player. If you hit his feet, he will be closed down quickly. Hit the space. I wouldn't blame a player for making that pass, I would question the player who didn't anticipate and get on the end of it.

Look up Brazilian Squares, a session I used most weeks. It teaches pressing to win the ball back, passing in tight spaces to retain possession, and is a proper lick out fitness wise.

Danny, I expect your coaching was spot on for the standard of player you were dealing with. But these top class academy kids are many, many levels above all of that. They can handle more sophisticated coaching.

Top level football is not a simple game at all. It is an exercise in opening up passing lanes against extremely well drilled defensive units. It is like a game of chess.

The top class academy kids are being coached accordingly. This is how Chelsea and Man City are producing such a consistent conveyor belt of international quality players.

That PSG were able to make it look so easy against one of Europe's best organised defensive units shows just how well-drilled they are.

In South America, they are beginning to move away from the PSG / Barcelona style because they see it as so well drilled it strips away the spontaneity they love about the game.

The Fifa Club World Cup starts very soon in the USA, with Chelsea and Man City as the two clubs from the UK. I know it doesn't affect us or our players but, as well as this tournament, there are also internationals scheduled while this competition is on. So does this mean that England won't be able to select any Man City or Chelsea players for the England internationals happening at the same time?

With all these competitions being arranged, then you wonder when these players are to get a rest? The close season now is shorter and shorter each year with Euro Nations League and World Cup qualifiers, and now this new formatted Club World Cup.

"One thing I used to tell the kids, was to not look for the player. If you hit his feet, he will be closed down quickly. Hit the space. I wouldn't blame a player for making that pass, I would question the player who didn't anticipate and get on the end of it."

Reminds me of something I read about a cheeky young player at Blackpool and the older pro who always wanted the ball to feet.

LCAB told Sir Stanley that he should learn to run to the ball as that's how the modern game is played.

As always, it's all opinions Robert. It doesn't matter what the standard is, the principles are very similar in my opinion. As someone who had my dream not come true following my trials at Bellefied, it's a very fine line between those who succeed and those who end up playing and managing at lower levels. It doesn't make it anymore enjoyable.

Yes, I only made it to semi-professional standard as a player and a coach, but that isn't to be sniffed at.

I played with players who had been on the books of Wigan, Norwich and Newcastle. One, a young left back, was at Everton for 2 years from the age of 16 before being released at 18.

Another had a professional career before joining the Army. It may not sound glamorous, but Newport County, Lincoln City and Bristol Rovers were on his CV.

Probably the best one I played with made his debut at Old Trafford for Southampton. His first tackle was against Roy Keane. He could spray a pass 30 yards without thinking about it. Unfortunately he fell off the rails and ended up in the Army, where we played together. I think he made about 20 appearances for Southampton.

Obviously each coach has their own techniques and views on how the game should be played. I have mine. And I've always been pragmatic with the players at your disposal, including Everton.

I agree with you that football has evolved. But fundamentally, it hasn't changed too much on the pitch.

Eric, that's a great anecdote.

Thanks for bringing that to my attention, Brian @104.

Looks like there's four games each day, every day in the group stages, from Sunday 15 June, for almost two weeks. Seems that DAZN are making all the games available in the UK for anyone wanting to watch but the groups look like mostly mismatched Fifa nonsense.

It might attract some interest in the knockout stages that take place in late June, with the final on 13 July. I will put up a thread for those who may wish to comment. I've not used DAZN... which I assume is online only and will want money?

One thing PSG have in abundance is pace, Inter could not handle the electric pace (and skill) of the PSG players. I hope our days of signing players without pace are over, it hamstrings you in the modern game.

Worthy winners, some of the football (or most of it) was sublime.

I keep referring back to the third PSG goal, and thought that only one pass was really played into space.

Brian #104, I heard on, I think, Talksport on Friday that Infantino has mandated that the club World Cup takes precedence over internationals this summer so the clubs will have priority call on the players.
As you say means there is no real break this summer for some

Danny, certainly not sniffing at the level you attained - greater than my own achievements! I'm just saying there are many levels above the standard you played and coached at.

As we can see from the output (and from watching u18 games between the two sides), there's obviously a big difference between the coaching at Everton and Man City – both Premier League sides from the same broad geographical region. The difference then between academy coaching at La Masia or City and coaching at a very high standard of semi pro / amateur level will be greater still.

It's probably the standard of the players and the coaching, Robert?

You can't get players to play the way PSG did last night just with coaching. They've got to be at the very best level also?

Just read above and you've said similar, so this post is probably superfluous!

You are fine, Robert, and your views very well respected by me and others.

There have been some great academies over the years. La Masia obviously, But Ajax equally.

And, I have to say it, but my German club Schalke often go undercooked. Maybe not so much now, but over the years, they have produced so many players of top quality, that have won World Cups.

I'd be interested in your research, and maybe they didn't play together all at the same time, but you could be a team of world beaters that have come through their ranks. Most of them home grown from the city and surrounding area.

I've visited and watched the youth teams at both Ajax and Schalke train in the shadow of their stadiums. I once played on the training pitches outside Hadjuk Split's stadium.

Fantastic to watch and see the different techniques. It's a shame we can't do that with the new stadium, but it would be great if we could make Finch Farm more accessible to our supporters.

But even more importantly, turn it into something that develops the next generation of Everton players.

Brilliant late goals for Oldham! So pleased for Joe Royle and the town.

If ever a town needed any kind of boost, it's Oldham (or Rochdale). Both areas full of either Man Utd or Liverpool (never been to a game) fans.

It was a cracking game, Joe.

Arguably more exciting than the Champions League Final last night.

Absolutely, not many sideways or backwards passes in either game, Liam.

Did anyone see the Champions League Final PSG vs Inter Milan? Did anyone learn anything from the game?

As far as I could make out, there was a side of youngsters and the other made up of struggling over-the-hill players. Surely there is a lesson there somewhere!!

Mitrovic being mooted today (new name everyday of course!).

I am a big fan of his ever since the day he single handedly dismantled us at Goodison under Silva. Proper no 9 and if we can get close to £30M definitely one to consider.