We're all loving the return of the UCL but in terms of football folklore, a fixture going down in Chile tonight may just be the most important match of the week.

It's a relegation playoff between CD Universidad & Colo Colo it has all of Chile holding it's breath. (THREAD)

It's all because the away side is Colo Colo, the country's biggest, most successful club, with 32 titles & the only Chilean Copa Libertadores trophy.

They have never even come close to relegation & the sheer thought of going down is causing all kinds of scenes across the country
From the ritualistic Grandma's doing their bit to convince the football sprits to keep them in the top tier.

https://t.co/k84a2lgLhN
To the 5,000 fans outside who awaited the team bus outside the training ground for one last motivational encouragement

https://t.co/yiCFCmUrse
And of course the club's Barra Bravas with their own take on motivation

https://t.co/PMvXV4e9le
But the incredible support for this club wasn't just on show outside the training ground.

The team bus's entire 3 hour, 250 kilometre journey to the match has seen fans from all over the country gathering on the highway to try to motivate the players.

https://t.co/tGZEL6h9AN
But sympathy amongst other Chilean fans is in short supply as Colo Colo are a club that have never really been the most humble of winners.

https://t.co/Zd7g114V7K
And there's one fanbase hoping to see Colo Colo go down more than any other.

Supporters of Club Universidad de Chile, Colo Colo's arch rivals, who spent one year in the the 2nd (B) tier back in 1989 & have been tormented by Colo Colo supporters with ghost of the 'B' for decades
Whatever happens tonight, one side of Chilean football is going to be celebrating wildly and one side is going to be absolutely devastated. We're not making predictions but in a country where club football means so much, we can't wait to see how it all unfolds.

More from Sport

Watching this play sent me down a memory hole that gave me goosebumps as well as a pang of guilt. Let me explain. A THREAD!


In 2011, I was hosting the ESPYs. Marshawn’s run was nominated for Best Play, an award that was voted on by fans online. It was considered a front runner if not a lock.

Two days before the show, we're all watching the US/Brazil game in the Women’s World Cup. In the 122 minute Abby Wambach scored a header from a brilliant cross via Megan Rapinoe. I asked ESPN’s estimable producer, the late, great Maura Mandt if we could add it to the nominees.

The best thing about the ESPYs is, unlike other award shows that take themselves too seriously, there is a “fuck it, why not” attitude so Maura just made it happen. Maura was great at making things happen. Want another example?

One of the highlights of the ESPYs is the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. When my son Ashe was born Maura gifted him this fake ESPY for BEST CHILD NAMED ASHE. I am confident this is the only ESPY anyone related to me will ever win.

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Tip from the Monkey
Pangolins, September 2019 and PLA are the key to this mystery
Stay Tuned!


1. Yang


2. A jacobin capuchin dangling a flagellin pangolin on a javelin while playing a mandolin and strangling a mannequin on a paladin's palanquin, said Saladin
More to come tomorrow!


3. Yigang Tong
https://t.co/CYtqYorhzH
Archived: https://t.co/ncz5ruwE2W


4. YT Interview
Some bats & pangolins carry viruses related with SARS-CoV-2, found in SE Asia and in Yunnan, & the pangolins carrying SARS-CoV-2 related viruses were smuggled from SE Asia, so there is a possibility that SARS-CoV-2 were coming from