The Set Pieces

For a long time the story of Don Patricio – as he was known in Catalonia – went untold, but he is now recognised as one of the most important figures in Barcelona’s history. He was more impressive on Humberside, playing 58 times for the club in the Second Division in a two-year stay, during which time he also earned international recognition. O’Connell spent seven years at the club, guiding Racing to five regional titles and into La Liga as one the division’s founding members in 1928. Only four players returned to Barcelona with O’Connell – many stayed in Mexico to seek asylum from the war – but he had played a central role in securing the future of the club.

The Liverpool goalkeeper made two high-profile blunders in last season’s Champions League final against Real Madrid, as Jurgen Klopp’s side came up short in a 3-1 defeat in Kyiv. When you think about repeating a mistake because you don’t want to do it again, all your brain is saying is ‘don’t do it, don’t do it, don’t do it,’” Johnson says. So, Karius might have been thinking, ‘I was in a high-pressure game three years ago and gave a penalty away and we lost’. For me, the John Terry penalty miss for Chelsea [in the 2008 Champions League final against Manchester United] is interesting because he didn’t take another penalty for 18 months after that,” Johnson says.

He was a national hero, the most popular player in the country, and led France into the first ever World Cup in Uruguay in 1930. He captained France at the inaugural World Cup in Uruguay in 1930, helping his country to victory in the tournament’s first ever game, but it was increasingly clear that his heart was not really in the endeavour. The sinister smile was only wiped from Villaplane’s face when he was shot, on Boxing Day 1944, at Fort de Montrouge on the outskirts of Paris. France’s former captain was left lifeless, riddled with bullets, the 1930 World Cup a distant memory.

On the face of it, there are very few things that Atletico Madrid have in common with the tenth division of England’s non-league pyramid. If you look beyond the world-class players, 68,000-capacity stadium and string of major trophies, though, some links begin to appear