Manchester United fans are hailing Casemiro as a “born leader” and the potential next club captain after a number of clips showing his inspiring behaviour during the penalty shootout in the FA Cup semi-final on Sundayappeared online.
United booked their return trip to Wembley on 3 June and secured a Manchester Derby in the FA Cup final for the first time in the competition’s history with a game-winning seventh spot kick from Victor Lindelöf after Brighton’s Solly March skied his shot over the bar.
There were some seriously impressive pens from the likes of Marcus Rashford and Jadon Sancho too (no doubt a big relief after the disappointment of Euro 2020) but the moment many supporters have fallen in love with is the footage of Casemiro showing his true leadership during the shootout.
As the cameras panned over the United huddle after it remained goalless following extra time, you can see the Brazilian immediately volunteering to take the first penalty and stepping up like the role model he has clearly become in the dressing room.
He didn’t have his best game today but the impact he's had is huge and undeniable pic.twitter.com/NvuhMkA9s4
As you can see, United fans were made up to see him not only slot home the first penalty — which is always so crucial in a shootout — but setting the tone and an example for his teammates to be just as confident with their spot kicks.
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Reacting to the video online, many fans have said it’s not only proof that the 31-year-old is a “born leader” but that it should definitely put him in contention to take the armband, especially with Harry Maguire‘s performances and captaincy looking so flimsy.
That wasn’t the only clip that Reds have been raving about either, as footage of Casemiro telling keeper David de Gea to distract the Brighton players whilst they took their penalties has also been circulating on social media.
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The top-level sh*thousery and mind games never stop, especially not in knockout football.
CASEMIRO AS GOALKEEPING COACH 🕺🏼🧤🔴 Amazing fan video of United midfielder urging David De Gea to wave arms & create disturbance—be like Emi, basically—before Brighton penalty during shootout. Utd eventually won on penalties & face City in FA Cup Final.https://t.co/zMvFIelIQ5
lt seems like a distant, confabulated memory to think that the former Real Madrid man and five-time Champions League winner was ever considered to be ‘over the hill’ or a desperate signing for United.
He is now widely considered one of the best signings they have made in some time, with the club’s finally acquiring the kind of midfielder destroyers they’ve been crying out for and finally starting to find the right balance in the centre of the pitch — you only have to luck at their win percentage when Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes and Christian Eriksen all start together.
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The serial winner and football veteran seems to be making a habit of bringing a smile to fans’ faces whether he’s on the pitch or not, as it was only a couple of months ago in the EFL Cup final that displayed similar leadership qualities and laser focus even after the full-time whistle.
One thing is for sure, the CDM and his winning mentality will play a big role in the FA Cup final, regardless of whether the result is red or blue.
Casemiro himself might not have been able to watch when it came to the decisive penalty, but he clearly helped his teammates put their best foot forward.
As for you lot, you can watch the full thing HERE.
Featured Image — @mxnuted.aep (via TikTok)/Manchester United (via Twitter)
Sport
Tickets go live as opening date is announced for Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience
Emily Sergeant
Tickets to visit Manchester City’s new ‘immersive’ museum experience have officially gone live ahead of the grand opening.
Set to open in the heart of the £300m Medlock Square entertainment district at Manchester’s Etihad Campus next month, the Manchester City Museum Experience will be spread across 10 distinctive spaces – with visitors invited to take a trip down memory lane with nostalgic environments from throughout the club’s history.
Fans will also be able to take part in interactive media experiences, like posing with all 48 major trophies won by the club’s first teams or trying their hand at football punditry.
The experience will combine the latest immersive technology with physical memorabilia drawn from across the club’s history to do this.
Hidden details and surprising ‘did you know’ facts are set to be embedded across the experience, so that even the most devoted Man City fans will have the chance to discover something new about the club they love.
By combining interactive environments, technology, and authentic artefacts, the experience is aiming to appeal to a wide audience – from lifelong Manchester City supporters, to families and those with a broader interest in football, culture, and the city of Manchester.
“The Museum Experience has been designed as a destination that goes beyond just the pitch,” commented Jeremy Maxton, who is the Director of Visitor Attractions at Manchester City Football Club.
Manchester City releases CGIs and important details of its new ‘immersive’ museum / Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
“Whether you’re a lifelong supporter, visiting Manchester for a weekend, or simply looking for a unique day out, we’ve created an experience that offers something for everyone.
“From the recreated environments and original memorabilia to the interactive elements, there are different ways into the Club’s history throughout the Museum.
“We’ve also built in space for new stories to be added over time, so the experience can continue to evolve. It’s been a huge project to bring together and we’re looking forward to people seeing it for themselves later this year.”
The Manchester City Museum Experience officially opens on 14 December, and you can now book tickets to visit from that date here.
Featured Image – Credit: Manchester City / Ralph Appelbaum Associates (RAA)
Sport
Details released of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners while Mayor
Emily Sergeant
Details of Andy Burnham’s meetings with Manchester City owners during his tenure as Mayor of Greater Manchester have been released.
In case you need bringing up to speed on the situation a little first, Manchester City was found guilty back in September all of its charges related to the Premier League’s financial rules over a nine-season period, and on top of that, was also found guilty of the majority of charges in relation to its failure to co-operate with the League’s investigation.
According to the Premier League, the independent Commission found that Manchester City had arranged so-called ‘sham’ commercial deals with a number of its sponsors.
These were part of a disguised funding scheme – with those sponsors only required to pay a portion of the relevant sponsorship fees.
The remainder was then funded by Abu Dhabi United Group Investment & Development Ltd (ADUG), which owned the club.
The Commission also concluded, as quoted by the Premier League, that the club had ‘made concerted efforts to stop and frustrate the Premier League investigation’.
Within the past week or so, it has since come to light that now-Prime Minister Andy Burnham had dealings with Manchester City during his tenure as Greater Manchester Mayor, and Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has now issued a public statement, giving details on the matter and what these ‘dealings’ entailed.
A spokesperson for GMCA confirmed that Burnham had a ‘formal meeting’ with Man City Chairman, Khaldoon Al Mubarak, back in October 2021.
The statement reads in full: “In October 2021, Andy Burnham, in his role as Mayor of Greater Manchester, had a formal meeting with Khaldoon Al Mubarak at the UK Government’s Global Investment Summit arranged by the Department for International Trade.
“In his capacity as Mayor, he was a guest of Manchester City FC at home matches on a small number of occasions, including attending Vincent Kompany’s testimonial match in September 2019, where he met the Chairman informally in the stands. These have been declared in the usual way.
“Also during his time as Mayor, representatives of Greater Manchester sporting clubs would routinely join business delegations as part of Mayoral international visits.
“This included representatives from Manchester United travelling to Austin and Dublin, Lancashire Cricket Club joining a delegation to India, and Manchester City FC staff supporting visits to China and Japan.”
Featured Image – Lauren Hurley / Number 10 Downing Street (Press Image via Flickr)
Danny Jones -
24th April 2023 
