New Sheriff in town sends big message by gunning down Real Madrid
Champions League debutants Sheriff Tiraspol said they had not been overawed on their first trip to the mighty Real Madrid - and proved it by winning 2-1 late on in one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history yesterday morning (Singapore time).
With all the talk of a European Super League for the elite, the Moldovan minnows gave a timely reminder of the appeal of open competition.
"We came here to win," said Sheriff captain Frank Castaneda. "We didn't just come here to sit around. We know how good our players are and, luckily for us, Madrid weren't able to take their chances - and we took ours."
Sheriff had reached the Champions League group stage for the first time this season after winning four qualifying rounds.
The estimated value of their entire squad is 12 million euros (S$19m), about the same as the annual salary of Real defender David Alaba. As expected, Real dominated but Sheriff scored two excellent goals and had a third disallowed for offside, and now have six points out of six.
They took the lead against the run of play with a 25th-minute header from Jasurbek Yakhshiboev. Karim Benzema equalised for the 13-time European champions with a second-half penalty before Sebastien Thill scored an 89th-minute winner, unleashing a lethal shot into the top corner on the half volley.
"It's the best and most important goal of my career, that's for sure," said the Luxembourg international, who was playing on loan last season at Russian club FC Tambov, which was dissolved in May and had to declare itself bankrupt.
Real president Florentino Perez has said he struggles to get interested in Champions League group games and he might have wished he had missed this one.
Perez is one of the staunchest advocates of the aborted European Super League. But on the same day Uefa agreed to drop sanctions against the 12 clubs involved in the project, Sheriff reminded everyone that it's not just about the big boys.
For Real, the path to the last 16 is still open, which points to the real weakness of the current Champions League - the format, not the teams involved.
The biggest clubs rarely fail to reach the last 16 and a few shock results can easily be absorbed.
Not surprisingly, Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said they are more sad than worried as they had "played with intensity and commitment" but lost out on the "finest details".
Sheriff coach Yuriy Vernydub was just pleased to have proven many people wrong, including former Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt, who had questioned Sheriff's pedigree before the match.
"It was a great player, Dirk Kuyt, who said there is no place in the Champions League for Sheriff. So I'm very happy to destroy his perfect world," said Vernydub. - REUTERS
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