Manchester City won 2-0. There was even the little lesson of Mateo Kovacic scoring the clinching goal after beating the two £200m-plus midfielders signed to replace him, with Enzo Fernandez not exactly showing the kind of resolve that would be expected of a captain.
His temporary elevation to that status will bring questions after a summer where he was forced to apologise to teammates after being caught on video chanting racist and homophobic slurs against members of the French team amid Argentina’s Copa America celebrations.
It was almost fitting that the game had two off-field stories before it – or the season – had even started. That came with the Chelsea lineup, which should be less surprising given that the sheer number of players is going to create issues every week.
More notable than anyone left was who had the captain’s armband. If that seems like quite a statement, it preceded an actual statement from Raheem Sterling after he was left out of the squad altogether. That all comes amid a recruitment policy that continues to cause surprise in the game.
Another reminder was when Conor Gallagher’s name was chanted shortly after Haaland scored, the English midfielder having essentially been forced to join Atletico Madrid.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 19, 2024-Ausgabe von The Independent.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent ? Anmelden
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der August 19, 2024-Ausgabe von The Independent.
Starten Sie Ihre 7-tägige kostenlose Testversion von Magzter GOLD, um auf Tausende kuratierte Premium-Storys sowie über 8.000 Zeitschriften und Zeitungen zuzugreifen.
Bereits Abonnent? Anmelden
'Anything can happen in cycling, especially with me'
Lawrence Ostlere traces Geraint Thomas's journey from domestique to Tour de France champion, and how he became the loveable face of Britain's doping-tainted boom
Champions Trophy marred by absurd venue situation
Pakistan and the UAE are co-hosts but where will the final be held? That depends on India,
'I need to communicate. If it's awkwardly - so what?"
An unfailingly optimistic Edwyn Collins tells Craig McLean about his new album, the aphasia a double stroke has caused, and his connection with a certain Orange Juice fan in No 10
'The thing is, you don't have to lie well about cancer for people to believe you'
Why would anyone pretend to have cancer, as in the plot of Netflix's hit show 'Apple Cider Vinegar'? Zoë Beaty speaks to Bill Petrich, who has spent years tracking down the fakers
Argentine president faces charges over crypto 'fraud'
Argentina's president Javier Milei is facing fraud charges following a promotional social media post about a cryptocurrency that swiftly plummeted in value.
I'm so glad I had Bridget as my Noughties role model
As the latest Bridget Jones movie breaks romcom records, Helen Coffey celebrates the continuing success of a female lead who knows how to cut loose and laugh at herself
Trump asks Romania to lift restrictions on Andrew Tate
Donald Trump's administration has applied pressure on Romanian authorities to remove travel restrictions on Andrew Tate and his brother.
Can Britain really afford to increase defence spending?
Keir Starmer has declared that Europe is \"facing a once-in-a generation moment for the collective security of our continent\".
Path to peace in Ukraine starts with Putin’s finances
Tightening economic pressure on Vladimir Putin is key to bringing the three-year war to an end,
Pragmatism of Slot a potent weapon in Reds' title charge
The business end of a season isn't always the point to parade your principles. Arne Slot has attacking ideals, but a fondness for winning can override idealism.
