Julius

Guys...IT’S HAPPENING, IT LOOKS LIKE IT’S FINALLY HAPPENING! I doubt that Oha Suta will be the first to reveal the game if this is it. Off the top of my head, I can’t remember the last time a Japanese show got to be the first to exclusively reveal a game, though I remember plenty of times that they’ve revealed new Pokémon or shown off new footage. So a reveal by Thursday seems probable?

I think that’s supposed to be Air Buster..?

So, this week is, supposedly, the week! I’m always extremely nervous but excited in the lead-up to Pokémon reveals. If we do see it this week, do we think it will just be logos that we see, or a CG trailer? Or will we get a good first look at gameplay?

Winnie the Pooh was almost as integral to my early childhood as Toy Story was. Plus, it’s got Obi-Wan Kenobi. You can bet I’ll be there opening night

Some more coming in... Florentino Perez on Ronaldo’s comments tonight: And Ronaldo, in the mixed zone, trying to clear things up. But not actually really clearing things up... And finally, jokingly...

Last summer seemed very different given the tax charges situation, and now Perez seems to be throwing him some shade. It would seem that something’s amiss behind closed doors, especially given just how vocal Bale was about wanting to leave earlier tonight. He says that we’ll learn in the next few days. As far as I’m aware, he’s never had such a finality to his words when all he’s looking for is a raise, and he’s even referring to his time at Real in the past tense this time around. Then again, Madrid were supposedly wanting to renew his contract prior to the World Cup, but maybe couldn’t match Ronaldo's demands (if I recall correctly, both Neymar and Messi earn more than him), perhaps leading to Perez looking at alternatives, which is where my ideas below come in to play. Something else worth mentioning is that, during the group stages, Ronaldo was coy on extending his contract, and as far as I can tell, it hasn’t been renewed in a while. Neymar’s been linked to Madrid ever since a few months into his stint at PSG, when it was becoming apparent that he’s fairly unhappy. Neymar moved from Barça because he didn’t want to be playing second fiddle to Messi anymore, and given Ronaldo’s age - and just how tactical Florentino Perez has been when it comes to stuff like this before - maybe Florentino is trying to force him (and Bale?) out of the club to make room - and money - for Neymar to come in, who’s much younger than both of them. That being said, it was reported only a few days ago that Neymar had promising talks with Tuchel regarding his tactical plans for PSG next year; the gist of which was that everyone else would defend more and Neymar would be allowed to stay up top so that he could score more and not have to drop deep to collect the ball as he had last season. This is what I’m thinking too. He’s broken a lot of records at Madrid, having been at the club for nearly a decade, and other than winning the Champions League again with them, is there really much left for him to do there? He might just be getting to the age where he’s looking for one final project, be it a return to United, a move to the US or China, or even to reinvigorate Italian football, or perhaps even French football, maybe in a swap deal for Neymar to move to Paris? It’s a really odd one, and I think it’s anybody’s guess as to where he’s going if he really is planning to move on. He didn’t have the best relationship with Mourinho, so would he really be willing to return under him at United? Could Salah having broken his joint record for most goals scored in a 38-game Premier League season drive him to return? As for price, I’m not sure about the remaining length of his contract, so it’s very hard to say. However, even if there was only one year left on his contract, given the marketability and success of Ronaldo both on and off the pitch, I’d be surprised if he went for anything less than £100 million.

This doesn’t sound like your typical fishing for a raise/looking for a stronger foothold in the dressing room manoeuvre, Ronaldo. Just what are you doing? There was a lot of talk last summer that he wanted to move following his tax charges, with them supposedly having upset him greatly. Could a move back to United - and a move to work again under Mourinho - be on the cards? Do I even dare suggest that a move to a club like PSG, an Italian club, or even a move to the US or China is waiting in the wings? Odd timing by both him and Bale to hint so heavily that their futures lie elsewhere after winning the Champions League tonight. Very odd indeed. EDIT - Real Madrid President Florentino Perez isn’t exactly helping things... ...this isn’t going to be pretty, is it?

Having watched Ronaldo’s and Zidane’s...I think Bale’s goal is undeniably better. The ball was spinning, coming in fast, and the technique wasn’t as cookie cutter as Zidane’s or Ronaldo’s; he really had to adjust to volley the ball there, and that’s not the type of goal you’ll find yourself practicing on the training pitch.

Honestly, as much as I’d welcome his return to the Prem, I’d like to see him go elsewhere. I don’t think Mourinho would get the most out of him, and I don’t think he could just slot in alongside Kane. Bayern’s wingers have been waiting to be replaced for a long, long time, and they’ve done a great job of lengthening careers over in Germany as of late. Him going to Munich to take over from Robben would seem an interesting move. The same goes for the medical staff of many Italian clubs, as has been the case for a long time, and with Serie A on the up and up, and with Juve clearly having lost their firm iron grip on the league over there this season, I think a move to Juve, Napoli (to reunite with Ancelotti), or one of the Milanese clubs, would be another interesting alternative for him. I could definitely see PSG wanting to make a move for him too.

Florentino Perez whispering into Zidane’s ear that he can stay next season

Bale screaming for someone to make a transfer offer. He’s very clearly not happy at Real; I’ve never seen or hear him so bluntly hint at wanting out. If he does leave, that’s got to step up Real’s chase for Neymar, surely?

Well deserved victory for Real. Well deserved history-making for Real. Zidane doesn’t care about the Champions League, and he knows that Florentino Perez doesn’t either. That’s why he can get away with doing “okay” domestically, and that’s why he can save players for this competition. The likes of Barcelona, Bayern, et al, and their managers, can’t afford that, whereas Real and Zidane can. The only other team I can see getting close in the coming years would be PSG, simply because of how much of a walkover Ligue 1 is in relation to the rest of the big five, and the sheer quality of their attack (as we saw in the group stages this season).

Calling it now: Ronaldo’s going to start shooting whenever he gets the ball - wherever he is on the pitch - on the off chance that Karius will mess it up. Sorry, did I say off chance? I meant in the likelihood of.

Karius has cost Liverpool this game. It’s over. Might as well start packing your bags now.

The ugly side of Ramos. Quality defender, but he wasn’t even touched below the waist by Mané there.

That was a gem of a ball from Bale. Outside of the foot too.

Honestly, I think if you get a new ‘keeper and add some more depth, you’ve got a serious chance at challenging for the title next season.

Ramos has been seriously solid tonight. In fact, surprisingly so; that’s some excellent defending.

It was only a few weeks ago that Bale was supposedly being shipped around ahead of this summer’s transfer window. Equalised in El Clasico, a strong and consistent scoring streak since then, and now this. Strangely, I don’t see him leaving this summer anymore

WHAT A FINISH FROM BALE! Instant Champions League classic. It was only like his fourth touch of the game!

Poor showing from Isco, who’s normally so calm and clinical. I really do think that Liverpool are going to have problems slowing Bale down.

Of course Karius’ howler comes after I praise him for the finest save I’ve ever seen him make towards the end of the first half. If Klopp really wants a German GK that badly, why not go after the likes of Timo Horn or Bernd Leno?

Karius rolled the ball about a yard into Benzema’s path, who only had to redirect the ball - such was the force of Karius’ roll - into the back of the net. And then you equalised through Mané.

Think I might be a few minutes ahead, guys... That’s the greatest blunder I think I’ve ever seen in football, period. How did he not see Benzema out of the corner of his eye? On the other hand, great response...

What. The. Heck.