It’s a midweek full of returns thorughout Europe. Germany is back in the World Cup as defending champion, as is England, albeit with a less-than-inspiring showing. Gerard Pique is back with the national team, though a lot of compatriots would like him far away, and ol’ Jupp Heynckes is ready for a fourth comeback tour with Bayern in this edition of 90 Minutes’ Top Five Midweek.
1. Out with the old, and in with the older
It didn’t take Bayern too long to go back to the well for a fourth time.
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After much hype surrounding the names of Thomas Tuchel, Julian Nagelsmann, and even Luis Enrique as possible successors to Carlo Ancelotti, it turns out 72-year-old Jupp Heynckes is the ideal candidate to put out the fire burning in Munich. Heynckes returns to the Bavarian club for a fourth spell, after winning the Treble in his last go-round before the arrival of Pep Guardiola in 2013. The intentions of Rummenigge and Hoeness are very clear: just get through this season with stability regained, and start a new era in 2018.
Don’t forget about Nagelsmann, though. Heynckes is only a temporary solution to get through the season. Hoffenheim better get ready for the calls from Munich come June.
2. Kane of their existence
England did what it had to do: beat Slovenia at Wembley and punch its ticket to Russia 2018 a matchday early.
The result checks the box. The way the result came to be, however, leaves English fans with more questions that certainties towards 2018. It took some Joe Hart heroics and a late-game appearance by red-hot Harry Kane (make it 14 goals in the last nine games) to mask an otherwise uninspiring performance. The Wembley crowd was so apathetic it turned to paper airplanes for entertainment as its team suffered a massive writer’s block offensively.
As has been the case with England in the last decade plus, the talent is there, but Gareth Southgate has an uphill battle to create a conteder before next summer.
3. The kings are back to defend the crown
No,I’m not talking about a member of the British royal family plastered in the Wembley background probably snoozing.
The reigning world champions, Germany, traveled to Northern Ireland and won to secure its own place in next year’s World Cup. As opposed to their English equivalent, Joachim Low’s squad steamrolled the locals from the get-go, opening the count in just 71 seconds with Sebastian Rudy, and extending the lead to 2-0 by the 21st minute. Late in the game, Joshua Kimmich -who continues to impress more and more-sealed it before Josh Magennis’s goal in the 93rd to send the Mannschaft to Russia for a second consecutive World Cup title.
4. Rude-y awakening
And speaking of Sebastian Rudy’s goal, please enjoy this rocket shot out the cannon known as Rudy’s right leg that blasted through the watching Northern Ireland defenders and into the upper, left-hand corner of Michael McGovern’s goal as the Top Five’s Goal of Midweek:
5. No escape for Pique
The effect of Sunday’s political instability stemming from the Catalonia debate continues to find its way into the different entities of Spanish soccer.
As was to be foreseen, the national team would not be foreign to questions and criticism the moment Gerard Pique showed up in training camp. Pique, who already had many detractors who religiously whistle at him during Spain matches, added fuel to the fire with his involvement in the Catalonia controversy and his subsequent comments to a press corps ready to jump at the first hint of pro-independence expression. Pique is not the only facing the heat, however. Naturally, manager Julen Lopetegui has had to weave and dodge the controversy like Floyd Mayweather, and even the ever-serene Andres Iniesta called for a national dialogue to apease the fire.
Spain face Albania with a chance to also qualify for the World Cup. But the wound of a country divided are very much open, even within the quintissential symbol of national pride.
