Whose Got the Blues?

Manchester City who have spent millions on a dream to win the Champions League inexplicably fell at the quarter-final hurdle again today in match that was one for the ages.  A classic that was best watched as one of those forever memorable moments where literally victory came at the jaws and clutches of defeat.

As Pep Guardiola went ecstatic as a last minute fumble from Erikson allowed Sergio Aguero to rifle home what seemed like a game winning fifth goal in injury time, along came VAR and the first major talking point for video review.  Without VAR Spurs were out, done and dusted.  With VAR what seemed like another heart-breaking loss for Spurs turned into an even bigger heart-breaking loss for Manchester City.  City were still 4-3 ahead but that away goal Spurs got in the first leg of this of this two game series was enough to break the overall 4-4 tie.

When all the euphoria of the game goes away, we may forget that it was the much criticized goal-keeper Hugo Lloris who over the two games was the gigantic difference maker.  From the moment he saved a penalty award in the first game and saw VAR rule offside in the dying minutes of today's game, his saves at critical points in the game were the line between failure and success.  Then there is Moussa Sissoko, who after 38 minutes got injured and was replaced by a striker Fernando Llorente.  Sissoko missing form the heart of the defensive midfield allowed City to turn Tottenham into mush, which simply shows how much Spurs have relied on him to keep Spurs strong in the center.

City fans will be sick to their stomach that this is a golden chance to win a Champions League, but they need to take pause and realize that the team awaiting in the semi-finals is no push over.  That team is Ajax Amsterdam.  Ajax who went to Italy and beat Juventus, and then went to Spain and beat Real Madrid are a team filled with youngsters which are the stars of world football.   Matthew De Ligt will be going to Barcelona - which gives Barcelona a great defensive option next year and the hawks are out again to see what bargains Ajax will offer.

Tottenham are a team that has benefited from the Ajax youth system, and all four former Ajax players were playing for Spurs today - Vertoghen, Alderweireld, Erikson and then coming on for his sub appearance - Sanchez.   The game seemed to be secure once Spurs full-back Danny Rose was taken off near the end, but it was Erikson who coffed up the ball to City, which led to frenzied celebrations.  And then VAR played its big part in defining and re-routing Spurs into the semi-finals.

In 1981 Tottenham met Manchester City in the 100th FA Cup Final.  The game finished 1-1 and went to a reply, also played at the old Wembley Stadium.  For City fans on that day, saw their team climb into a 2-1 lead, but Spurs came back finishing with a goal that is still one of the greatest ever scored - which was Ricky Villa score a sensational third to win 3-2.  City fans from that moment took a dislike to Tottenham, because the memory of that defeat seared into their hearts.  This was a City team back then who were not financed by billionaires or a nation state, it was a big deal and from that moment Spurs became enemy number one for City, surpassing even their cross town rivals Manchester United.  For Spurs bigger than winning the 100th FA Cup Final, it was that Ricky Villa goal that was recorded into Tottenham legend :