All the air came out and it had to be kicked into touch. Dispensed with like a piece of rubbish.
Which felt fitting in a lot of ways, given how the oldest cup competition in the world has been treated this week.
The FA Cup – and all those who love it so much – have been left more than deflated after the news that from now on replays will be scrapped.
Another sad reminder of the parlous state our national sport finds itself in, as greed laughs in the face of good again.
All of the above meant that if one game needed to remind us of how wonderful the contest still is, it was this one. A clash between the current holders and eight-time winners.
A team looking to win a Double on the back of landing a Treble last season, against one costing £1 billion to assemble.
Some of the great players of their generation in front of 80,000 lucky enough to secure Wembley tickets.
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