Nem só de erudição vive a glória nacional

O futebol pode produzir grandes momentos literários, como se mostra na passagem da crónica de Rob Hughes, no IHT de 27 corrente, descrevendo o golo do Chelsea contra o Liverpool (taça dos Campeões) e que transcrevo para vosso gozo:

"But what a goal it was in London this week. Ricardo Carvalho, the defender who came from Portugal with Mourinho, began it. Carvalho can look vulnerable under pressure, but in the 28^th minute  he began a counterattack in a style reminiscent that of Franz Beckenbauer.

You need to go back 30 years to remember Kaiser Franz at his imperial best. The manner with which Carvalho glided away from his own penalty box, the ball under his command, opponents too startled to intercept him, was pure Beckenbauer. The vision to look up, survey the options opening up before him was genuine class. Only when the moment was right, only when Drogba began to move menacingly toward Liverpool  goal area, did Carvalho release the ball right into Drogba's stride.

All night long, all season long, Drogba has exhibited the physical strength to muscle defenders out of his way. In this instance, Daniel Agger was no match, in body or mind.

Drogba brushed him away, turned and rolled the ball across the face of the goal, inviting Joe Cole to hit it. Cole had anticipated the moment, his marker Alvaro Arbeola was too slow, too lacking in awareness, and Cole outpaced to score with ease. For the grace of Carvalho, the power of Drogba, the sharpeness of Cole, it was a classic piece of counterattacking soccer. "

Atenção contudo. O mesmo cronista, noutra passagem, diz que: "Anyone watching the face of Mourinho after the game, the eyes smouldering, the mouth talking gibberish, would fear for his sanity in the pressure cooker that is Chelsea Football Club".

Luís Soares de Oliveira