Football Poets

A busy night in Europe.

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 It was busy night at the
European conference table
As opposed to the
UEFA conference League
A distinction to be made
Between the two
Since the Champions League
Returned with a flourish
And typical swagger
We knew it would
Because it always does
At this early stage of
The season
Those regulars and
Household legends
Who always seem to turn
Up for the big occasion
Wearing their smartest garb
An air of aristocracy
That never seems to fade
Familiarity never breeds contempt
Those refined feet and cerebral minds
Liverpool, traditional sitting tenants
At all European celebrations
Serial European Cup victors and
Champions League winners
Graceful, gracious and never less
Than charming hosts
Last night sweeping aside
Italian sophisticates
AC Milan, once feared, revered
Deeply admired
The greatest of them all
All over Europe and the world
But Arne Slot’s latest
Footballing royals
Were wandering through
The state rooms
Glittering portraits
On the wall
Liverpool, discount
Them at your peril
Then there was Celtic
The first British ambassadors
To represent the UK delegation
When Chalmers, Gemmill and Murdoch
In 1967, the Lisbon Lions
Roaring on that
Memorable night
Were wee bairns
Full of thrusting youth
Patriotic as haggis and kilts
At hearty Hogmanays
When Scottish eyes were smiling
Last night the green and white hoops
Were at it again
Blasting Slovan Bratislava
To smithereens and total submission
Meanwhile Aston Villa
Now there’s a surprise
But not quite since
Realistically Villa have history
On their side
European Champions in 1982
When the hitherto all conquering
Bayern Munich
Were beaten by the ever alert
Peter Withe hirsute,
Booted and suited
Last night the boys
From Villa Park
Dumped Young Boys
Yes, those juvenile upstarts
From the Swiss alps
Most unceremoniously
On their backside
Italy and Russia
Make their presence felt
Bologna grind out
Bore in stale goal-less
Draw, no score there
Shakhtar, new kids on the block
In recent years
Sadly Russian voices
May have to be silenced
Since dictators have now
Made unforgivable noises
War and football
Orwell knew what he was
Talking about
This is not the right time
For Russian football
To be held to account
For the sins of Putin’s
Bloodthirsty bullyboys
Finally French flair setters
PSG, narrowly edge past
Girona, Italy once again
On the tastiest menus
Appetites never sated
In European club football
We can never get enough
Of its crafts and powerful
Shafts of radiant sunlight
The giants and contenders
To the throne
Welcome back

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