Football singularity-Chapter 691 Champions League Night
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[24/01/2021 | CBS Sports Studio, London | 19:00 GMT]
The CBS Sports Champions League studio gleamed under professional lighting, cameras positioned at precise angles to capture the panel of pundits seated around the curved desk. Behind them, massive screens displayed the evening's fixtures, the Champions League logo rotating slowly in high definition.
Kate Abdo sat centre-stage, immaculate in a navy blazer, her posture perfect as she prepared for the broadcast to go live. To her left sat Thierry Henry, arms folded, wearing a dark suit, exuding charisma in his relaxed elegance. Jamie Carragher occupied the seat to the Frenchman's left, already flipping through notes, doing last-minute homework.
And beside him, Micah Richards beamed with his trademark enthusiasm, adjusting his microphone. The floor director counted down with his fingers. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
"Good evening and welcome to CBS Sports' coverage of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16," Kate began, her voice warm and professional. "We have a fascinating night of football ahead, with four teams battling for a place in the quarterfinals. I'm Kate Abdo, joined tonight by three men who know all about this competition—Champions League winner Thierry Henry, Champions League winner Jamie Carragher, and the man who has watched more Champions League finals from his sofa than anyone else, Micah Richards."
The studio erupted in laughter. Richards threw his head back, his booming laugh echoing across the set. "Oh, come on, Kate! First minute? You couldn't even let me settle in?"
"Would you prefer I wait until the second minute?" Kate replied with a perfectly straight face.
"I'd prefer you didn't mention it at all," Richards shot back, still grinning. "But I know that's not happening."
Carragher leaned forward, unable to resist. "To be fair, Micah, you did have a great view of Istanbul 2005. Right there in front of your telly with a cuppa."
"And Munich 2012," Henry added, his French accent carrying just enough mischief. "I'm sure you enjoyed that one very much."
Richards shook his head, laughing. "You know what? I've made peace with it. I had a good career. Not a great career, but a good one. Unlike some people—" he gestured at his co-panellists "—I didn't win everything. But I'm here now, getting paid to talk about football, and that's not bad."
"Character development," Kate said approvingly. "I like it. Right, let's talk about tonight's matches. We have two fascinating fixtures—Lazio versus Bayern Munich, and the match we'll be focusing on primarily tonight: Bayer Leverkusen versus Manchester City, taking place at Budapest's Puskás Aréna due to COVID travel restrictions."
The screen behind them transitioned to display both teams' crests, statistics scrolling beneath. Kate turned slightly, addressing the camera directly. "Leverkusen, the Bundesliga leaders, topped what many called the 'Group of Death'—finishing ahead of Real Madrid and Inter Milan. Manchester City, meanwhile, finished second in their group behind Porto, which raised some eyebrows given the money invested in Pep Guardiola's squad."
"It did raise eyebrows," Carragher agreed, glancing at his notes. "But knockout football is different. City is one of the favourites to win this entire competition. They have the squad depth, the tactical flexibility, and Guardiola's experience. Leverkusen are a good side—brilliant, even—but this is a massive step up from the Bundesliga."
"I disagree slightly," Henry interjected, his tone measured. "Yes, City are the favourites, but Leverkusen have earned respect. They didn't just top their group—they beat Real Madrid at the Bernabéu, held their own against elite opposition. And they have players who can hurt anyone. Rakim Rex, Florian Wirtz—these are not just talented youngsters. They are match-winners."
"Rakim Rex," Kate said, emphasising the name as graphics appeared on screen—his season statistics displayed in clean white text. "Twenty-five goals, eleven assists in all competitions this season at seventeen years old. Thierry, you played with and against some of the best young talents in history. Where does Rex rank?"
Henry leaned back, considering the question seriously. "Top tier. Absolutely top tier. What impresses me most is not just the goals but the consistency. Seventeen years old, playing at this level every week, and he never looks out of place. His movement, his finishing, his composure—these are qualities you cannot teach. You either have them, or you don't. He has them."
"Micah, you've faced young talents coming through at City during your time there," Kate continued. "What do you make of this Leverkusen side?"
Richards shifted in his seat, his expression more serious now. "They're dangerous, Kate. People look at the Bundesliga and think, 'Oh, it's not the Premier League, it's not La Liga.' But Leverkusen would compete in any league. Their pressing is aggressive, their transitions are rapid, and Rex—look, the kid's special. He's not just scoring tap-ins. He's creating goals out of nothing, beating defenders one-on-one, on two, on three, heck, I bet he wouldn't hesitate to dribble at five players at once if his field vision wasn't so exceptional. City's defence will have its hands full."
"Jamie, you're nodding," Kate observed. "Do you agree?"
Carragher looked up from his notes. "Absolutely. City's biggest weakness this season has been dealing with pace on the counter. When teams sit deep and then release runners in behind, City struggles. Leverkusen have the personnel to exploit that—Rex on the left, Diaby on the right, Wirtz threading passes through the middle. If City are sloppy in possession, they'll get punished."
"But can Leverkusen handle City's possession game?" Kate challenged. "Guardiola's sides typically dominate the ball—sixty-five, seventy per cent possession. Can Leverkusen stay disciplined for ninety minutes?"
"That's the question," Henry said. "City will probe and probe, looking for gaps. One moment of lost concentration, and they score. Leverkusen must stay compact, stay organised, and not chase the game. If they do that, they have a chance."
Kate turned back to the camera. "Let's go to Budapest now and speak with our reporter on the ground, Carla Jacobs. Carla, can you hear us?"
The screen split, showing Carla Jacobs standing pitch-side at the Puskás Aréna. At twenty-six, she'd already built a solid reputation as a sharp, insightful reporter, having covered Scottish football for the BBC before moving to CBS. She was a slim woman with dyed blonde hair that accentuated her delicate features, wearing a dark coat against the Budapest cold, a microphone in hand, the empty stadium looming behind her.
"I can, Kate," Carla replied, her voice clear despite the distance. "Good evening from Budapest, where we're about thirty minutes from kickoff. The atmosphere here is surreal—this magnificent stadium, but with no fans due to COVID restrictions. It's a sight players have gotten used to, so we can expect an exciting match."
"Carla, you've covered Rakim Rex before, haven't you?" Kate asked. "Back in his Celtic days?"
Carla smiled. "I did, yes. I was with BBC Scotland in his debut season at Celtic in 2018. Even then, at fifteen, it was obvious he was different, driving at players a decade older without a sign of fear and producing incredible results."
"Have you spoken to him since he moved to Leverkusen?" Carragher asked.
"Briefly, a few times," Carla replied. "He's a remarkable character to say the least, an incredible amount of self-belief in his ability. He once said to me that he would bet on himself to score three goals if his team were losing 3-1 in the dying minutes."
"Hahah, that for sure sounds like him," Henry commented, leaning forward with interest. "What's the mood in the Leverkusen camp?"
"Confident and optimistic is the theme all around," Carla said. "I spoke with their coach, Peter Bosz, earlier today, and he was very clear—they respect Manchester City, but they don't fear them. They believe if they execute their game plan, they can get a result."
"And Manchester City?" Kate prompted.
"Guardiola was his usual self in the pre-match press conference—praising the opposition, keeping his cards close to his vest," Carla said with a slight smile. "But you could tell he's taking this seriously. He knows Leverkusen are on an incredible run, and when you have momentum as they do, David can beat Goliath."
"Carla, thank you," Kate said. "We'll check back with you throughout the match. Gentlemen, final predictions before we hand over to commentary?"
"Two-one City," Carragher said immediately. "I think they'll have too much quality over ninety minutes."
"One-all draw," Henry countered. "Leverkusen will frustrate them, get a goal on the counter, and hold on."
"I'm going bold," Richards announced. "Two-zero Leverkusen. Rex scores, they nick a second, and City spend the second leg chasing."
Kate raised an eyebrow. "Bold indeed, Micah, to bet against your old team. We'll revisit those predictions at halftime. For now, let's send you to our commentary team in Budapest. Enjoy the match." The studio feed cut, transitioning to the stadium cameras as both teams completed their final warm-ups.
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To Be Continued...
