1. The conviction should be applauded even if the defending wasn't always great
Poor defending has to be a contributing factor any time nine goals are scored in a game. In the case of Wednesday's thriller between Bayern Munich and PSG, there was also a willingness to accept some defensive vulnerability in order to press and attack. The result was a breathtaking display by brilliant players who had space to operate. Both teams made a choice to play that way. They did not change their approach because it was a semifinal in the competition that will ultimately define both of their seasons.
Not having an away goals tiebreaker definitely helped as well. PSG didn't even necessarily do anything reckless after going up 5-2. The best group of attackers in the world just did what they do, and all of a sudden, it was 5-4. Everyone wants to criticize Arsenal for being too cautious, but the conversation after this game was whether bad defending took away from an all-time classic. The defending was not the story, so let's appreciate the game for what it was and applaud both teams for refusing to compromise their principles.
2. Consistency is good; clarity is better
Both Champions League semifinals featured an incident in which the ball hit a player in the box and deflected onto their arm. Both were called penalties. Regardless of one's personal feelings about whether they should be penalties or the fact that there is almost no chance they would be given in the Premier League, the referees and everyone else involved deserve credit for being consistent. The other controversial call is harder to understand or explain.
It certainly looks like Dávid Hancko caught the foot of Eberechi Eze. The most baffling part, though, is that the initial decision was penalty. There are a lot of people wondering where the clear and obvious error was, and not all of them reside in North London. The best way to utilize VAR is to create uniform definitions for things like handball and “clear and obvious.” Whether something meets the criteria or not will always be subjective. Right now, there is too much subjectivity in the definitions themselves.
3. Bukayo Saka is more important than he gets credit for
Bukayo Saka has played in 29 Premier League games this season. Arsenal have won 20 of them and drawn another seven. In fact, the Gunners have more defeats in the six games he’s missed (3) than the ones he's appeared in (2). With Saka on the field, they have not dropped a point since Feb. 18. His absence is part of the story of their recent slump. Every team must deal with injuries, but Saka might be his team's single most important player.
Much has been made of Arsenal's attacking depth. The idea heading into this season was that they now had enough pieces to withstand losing Saka or Martin Ødegaard. That has proven to be true to a certain extent. However, Saka’s brilliant first half Saturday was a reminder that Arsenal do not have another player like him. His one-on-one ability and creativity unlocks their attack. Everyone is better when he's on the field, and he might have come back just in time.
4. Manchester United have a really difficult decision ahead of them
Sunday's victory over Liverpool ensures Manchester United will be playing in the Champions League for the first time since 2023-24. They have also surpassed the 60-point mark for just the second time in five seconds. Michael Carrick entered a chaotic mess and turned the season into an undisputable success. Benjamin Šeško is even scoring goals with regularity now. Carrick did everything he was asked to and then some.
He has done so well that it feels unfair not to give him a chance on a permanent basis. Naturally, the situation is being compared to what happened with Erik ten Hag. There is a big difference though. Ten Hag kept his job because of one game. At no point was United consistently good in the Premier League like they have been under Carrick. Ten Hag’s overall body of work wasn't impressive enough. Carrick’s has been. Does that mean he's the best man for the job with all the potential options out there? That's a decision INEOS has to make, and there's no easy answer.
5. The Whitecaps and their fans don't need any of this
The Vancouver Whitecaps are in the midst of the best stretch in franchise history. They might be the best team in Major League Soccer. Their global star, Thomas Müller, joined the club in part because of the city it calls home. It appeals to him in a way it wouldn't appeal to anyone else with his pedigree. While there is always uncertainty that comes with a team being put up for sale and the stadium situation is a major issue, there is no reason why relocation even needs to be on the table.
MLS and Vancouver's ownership group could make it abundantly clear that staying in the city is a requirement for a new owner rather than a preference. Instead, they are using the threat of relocation as leverage because it is in their best interest to do so. The people who suffer as a result are those in the Whitecaps organization and their supporters. They should be enjoying the greatness of their team, not worrying about whether they will have one. Hopefully this story has an ending similar to the one in Columbus.