For TNT Sport, the story of the Real Madrid vs Bayern Munich match was about Jude Bellingham vs Harry Kane. Photo: AP/Christian Bruna
A history lesson for TNT Sports ahead of the second leg of the Champions League semi-final. Twenty-three years ago, Arsenal signed Japanese national team player Junichi Inamoto on loan from Gamba Osaka. As it turned out, his contribution did not make a significant contribution to Arsenal's cause. In a two-win season he made just four appearances, none in the Premier League. But that didn't stop several dozen Japanese reporters following his every move, flocking to the Emirates to scrutinize him as he sat on the bench urgently questioning coach Arsene Wenger about his chances of performing. The requests were so regular and persistent that Wenger began to tease his inquisitors.
“I think you'll ask me if Inamoto will play in the next game,” he said at the end of one game. his weekly press conferences. At the same time, a dozen pairs of fingers hovered over the keyboards in excitement. “I have an answer for you: maybe.”
If you deviate from the main topic of conversation too often, people tend to stop taking you seriously. And if you want to get an idea of what it was like to be back in Tokyo, read the Arsenal game reports in those days when all the attention was focused solely on one player, completely peripheral to the story going on around him, but still belonging to the same nationality. As for readership, all you had to do was tune in to TNT's coverage of the first Champions League semi-final last Tuesday. It was the most significant match of the European season, which had so far been reduced to scope and significance by the English of the two participants. As reporter Laura Woods put it: «It's Bayern Munich and Harry Kane versus Real Madrid and Jude Bellingham.»
Indeed, Kane and Bellingham played a much more important role in their teams' progress than Inamoto ever did at Arsenal. But even so, the relentless focus on the home duo has stymied the investigation into the many other intriguing aspects of this meeting: the showdown between two wily old coaches, whether previous achievement was an incentive or a hindrance for both clubs, or, if you wanted a story about an individual, what about the former Bayern favorite Toni Kroos, who returned home wearing the opponent's colours? But no, it was Jude vs Harry. And nothing else seemed to matter. TNT would be wise to keep this in mind when they show the return match this Wednesday.
Toni Kroos (right) plays against his former club became another important storyline. Photo: Getty Images/Alexander Hassenstein
But then it was not difficult to sympathize with the editorial position of TNT. The company paid millions for the rights to the Champions League, hoping the latter stages would keep English clubs interested. This match could be Arsenal vs Manchester City, with all the attendant implications for ratings and advertising revenue. To make the story compelling, the focus has been on the involvement of the two who will spearhead Gareth Southgate's attack at the Euros (with a rare nod to the third Englishman playing, Eric Dier). Indeed, the conversation between the two studio experts — Glenn Hoddle and Michael Owen, who, in truth, were not the kind of couple who would wake the neighbors — could well have been an inadvertent repetition of a conversation in the TNT boardroom.
“It’s a bit of a shame there aren’t any English teams there,” said Hoddle.
“But the two star players in both teams are English,” Owen replied, hastening to assure that the evening would not lack interest for home audience.
To reinforce the message conveyed by the boys. In the studio, on the sideline, there was another pair of Englishmen who, like Bellingham and Kane, competed in the previous Champions League match between Bayern and Madrid. It was Owen Hargreaves and Steve McManaman, who told each other how important this meeting was.
“It's huge,” McManaman said.
“It doesn't get any bigger,” agreed Hargreaves.
And so the greatness continued.
«A big psychological advantage,» McManaman said from the commentator's position as Madrid took the lead, to the disappointment of the broadcaster, with a goal that beat the English side, with Vinicius Junior latching on to Kroos' sublime pass.
McManaman reckoned that with Madrid leading at half-time, Bayern were in for a big half. Indeed, it was so. First they equalized the score, and then what TNT was waiting for happened: a Bayern penalty. Kane took it upon himself and Bellingham brought some skill to the game (see video below). It was inevitably a “big moment.” A completely English moment. Well, except for the Ukrainian goalkeeper of Madrid.
Nothing could distract Harry Kane from scoring 😤 pic.twitter.com/mR05vjxCPH
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) April 30, 2024
After that As Kane scored, match commentator Darren Fletcher suggested: «There are 17 important minutes left.» And then Madrid equalized. “They find a way, they always find a way,” McManaman said after his old team returned to action. “We should register this,” he added, pleased with his dexterity of speech. I'm not sure you can trademark the cliche, Steve. But it was a good idea.
And with it came a glimpse of a possible future. In 20 years' time, when Bayern and Madrid meet again in the Champions League semi-finals, TNT could hire Kane and Bellingham as their pundits to tell us all what it's like to be an Englishman in a foreign land. That would really be important.
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