Things From The Champions League: The Easy Way Out

The Winter Olympics may have hidden it, but the Champions League knockout rounds returned under the cover. And sadly, soccer embarrassed itself again.

It is pointless to discuss the first legs of the Champions League knockout rounds without starting with the horrid events in Lisbon after Vinicius Jr. scored against Benfica to give Real Madrid what turned out to be a 1-0 aggregate lead. You've probably seen it by now, but for those who haven't, a quick refresher. Vinicius, as is his wont, scored an absolute banger of a goal early in the second half:

Would that were the end of it.

After the goal, and during his celebrations, Vinicius was showered with racist abuse from the stands, shouted at by opponents, and then somehow yellow-carded by the ref for it all. Keep that in mind as we go on. After returning to the halfway line for the restart, Benfica winger Gianlucca Prestianni covered his mouth with his jersey, began saying things that quickly drew Kylian Mbappe's ire, and caused Vinicius to immediately run over to the referee to tell him what Prestianni had said. The ref gave the "X" signal, which indicates that racist abuse might have occurred and he can stop the match. It starts a whole process, which you can read about here.

Every time this happens to Vinicius, and pretty much anyone else it occurs to far too often, everyone around him fails him and then blames Vinicius for their failures. What is most disheartening about these instances is the unending string of people who can do better and just refuse to. They're falling dominoes. It would only really take one to stand up to stop the falling chain, and no one does.

It's not hard to choose to do, though admittedly it's probably hard in practice, and yet everyone wants to take the easier way. When the investigation concludes, I'm sure it will state that the fact that Prestianni covered his mouth means the evidence was concealed, whereas covering his mouth should be the indictment. It shouldn't be reasonable doubt. This isn't a court of law. If he had to cover his mouth, what is it he could have said that would have been above board? It should be the hammer on him, not his out. It's just easier to make it his out.

Prestianni's actions are his own, and he shouldn't also get an out of blaming someone else. The referee's actions need to be scrutinized, though. Why was Vinicius cautioned? He didn't remove his shirt. His celebration wasn't anything abnormal. He was only responding to the confrontation's Benfica's players were engaging toward him. Which they only felt compelled to do because of the way Vinicius has been singled out by those in the wrong before. Mbappe scores and does the exact same thing, no one notices. But everyone makes Vinicius a lightning rod, because everyone before them has made him one to deflect their responsibility. Yellow-carding Vinicius only turns up the temperature, and makes victim-blaming all the more accessible for anyone seeking an easy off-ramp on the way to taking ownership for their bigotry and boorishness.

Jose Mourinho could have stood up. Benfica the club could have stood up. UEFA could have stood up. No one did, all wrapping themselves in the first cocoon of safety that they could find, wrapping themselves in club colors or shirking because that's what is immediately around them. No one's reaching higher or farther.

I can only guess this keeps happening to Vinicius because it keeps happening to Vinicius, and no one sees any consequences. It just feeds on itself because no one is doing what is necessary to break the cycle. Sure, some fans have been banned from grounds. Some have gotten suspended prison sentences. Clubs have been fined. It all feels around the margins. Clubs throw their hands in the air and say there's nothing they can do to control every single one of a crowd of 40,000 or 50,000. Which gives them cover to not even try.

These instances should be an opportunity to do everything to make sure there's never another opportunity. Ignore that opportunity, and it just widens the road for more. Here's a chance to throw the book at Prestianni, Mourinho, Benfica, and at least show it can be done. Maybe UEFA and other governing bodies are afraid of the immediate anger and litigation that would follow. They're afraid of losing that fight. But not every fight that's worth it are ones that you're assured to win. Ban him for 10 games, throw Benfica out before the 2nd leg, and then just see what happens.

It would be a beachhead. At this point, we need even that lowly goal.

-Sidebar: CBS's coverage of it postgame was excellent, which kind of frustrates me more about all the grab-ass and crank-yanking they do normally. They don't have to be sober and serious at all times, far from it. Just occasionally would be nice, even when just talking about actual games and tactics. They're really good at it.

-Ok, on to smaller matters. Ignoring Juventus's capitulation in the second half against Galatasaray which saw them lose 5-2 after leading 2-1 at half, there was a neat wrinkle to their lineup. It was Weston McKennie as a false 9. Manager Luciano Spalletti had teased this a few weeks ago, saying that he thought McKennie could be the perfect striker. He can do anything around the box. We know he has a nose for finding space and finishing. This role featured off...vision?

Let's be clear, McKennie isn't going to replace Balogun from the #9 role come the World Cup. It might cement him in one of the dual #10 roles that Pochettino uses, whether it's with a back four or back three. But it is for sure is a highlighting of just how far McKennie's game has come. He's generally been cursed, at club-level, by being able to do a job in several spots. But it has blossomed his game to the point that he can be the attacking crux instead of just a contributor. Poch also unmoored his spot in the starting lineup for the USMNT, which had led to complacency for McKennie. That's certainly fueling this, too. Color me very excited to see Pulisic and McKennie dovetailing underneath Balogun come June.

-When trying to figure out who could keep a complete Premier League blockade of the competition from happening in the spring. the defending champs are usually top of the list of candidates. However, PSG have been off of it. While they're still piling up chances and been a little let down by some wonky finishing at times, they're not going very far against serious teams with garbage like this:

That's two guys unmarked in the six-yard box for a cross. That seems like too many.

They were able to haul themselves out of trouble and get a 3-2 win in the first leg, and Monaco never win in Paris. So they're probably safe for this round. But they barely squeaked by Newcastle, let Sporting put up two goals on them in their last work in the Champions League. That's not going to fly against the likes of Bayern or Arsenal or City.