Day one of lockdown in the United Kingdom and nobody knows what day it is unless you’re a bit weird. But what we do know is it’s day 25 of the third month in the worst year EVER.
25 ?March isn’t necessarily a special day in the footballing calendar. Pretty irrelevant, in fact.
But in unprecedented times like these, it’s about time we took a trip down memory lane to see what exactly went down on this day.
So, here we go, people – it’s time for you to take a break from kicking bog roll around your gaff or chipping golf balls into a water-filled cup.
1965 – Copa Libertadores Classic
We’ve had to delve deep for this Copa Libertadores classic between Uruguayan outfit Penarol and Pele’s Santos.
March 25 played host to the semi-final first leg between the two sides in Brazil, with a Pele brace guiding Santos to a remarkable 5-4 victory.
It would be Penarol who would have the last laugh, however, as they qualified for the final with a 2-1 victory in the playoff in Buenos Aires. Pele, of course, was on the scoresheet once more.
1990 – Inter 7-2 Atalanta
We arrive at San Siro 25 years after the South American classic, with reigning Serie A champions Inter beating Atalanta 7-2.
The Nerazzurri side, which boasted the likes of Lothar Matthaus, Jurgen Klinsmann, Andreas Brehme and Giuseppe Bergomi, were in full cry that day as they found themselves 4-0 up after 27 minutes, with Klinsmann eventually hitting their seventh with just under 20 minutes left.
And while that Atalanta side isn’t comparable to the dynamic Gian Piero Gasperini side of the current day, they were no slouches either as they’d go on to finish seventh in the 1989/90 season. Inter, meanwhile, finished third.
2000 – Jadon Sancho Is Born
Three years ago and this event would’ve felt totally irrelevant in the scope of modern football history. Jadon Sancho was a mere teenager, wasting away in the Citizens’ youth squads.
But now, as we celebrate Sancho’s 20th birthday, the Dortmund man has swiftly established himself as one of the world’s leading talents, ready to define the post-coronavirus era.
The electric winger has 73 goal contributions in 90 games for BVB and is set to depart Signal Iduna Park for a nine-figure fee whenever the next transfer window arises.
2006 – Chelsea 2-0 Manchester City
It’s fair to say Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea were a bit good during the ‘Special One’s’ first two years in SW5 as the Blues won back-to-back titles.
And this routine 2-0 victory over a then irrelevant Manchester City came at a rather pivotal time. They’d just lost 1-0 in the west London ‘derby’ and could ill-afford to slip up once more with Manchester United hot on their heels.
A quick-fire Didier Drogba brace sent them on their way that day, while they’d go on to wrap their second consecutive Premier League crown six weeks later with an unforgettable 3-0 win over the Red Devils at Stamford Bridge.
2006 – Liverpool 3-1 Everton
Also on 25 March, 2006, we saw Liverpool topple Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield.
The Reds overcame an early Steven Gerrard sending off to beat their closest rivals 3-1, as a Harry Kewell scorcher put the result beyond doubt in the closing stages after Tim Cahill had pulled a goal back for the Toffees just after the hour mark.
That victory was the third in a mightily impressive nine-game win streak to round off the 2005/06 Premier League campaign, as Rafa Benitez’s side finished third.
2014 – Manchester United 0-3 Manchester City
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for City on this day, as eight years after their defeat at Stamford Bridge, they’d go on to thump their bitter rivals in the Manchester derby.
Manuel Pellegrini’s men were in fine fettle when they arrived at Old Trafford that day, and when Edin Dzeko put the visitors 1-0 up with barely 60 seconds on the clock, the Red Devil faithful – who had seen their side lose 3-0 at home to Liverpool nine days prior – knew they’d be in for a long night.
And that they were as a totally superior City side outclassed David Moyes’ men on their way to a 3-0 triumph – with Dzeko and Yaya Toure netting in the second period.
2014 – Bayern’s Way Too Easy Title Victory
Since the demise of Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund, Bayern have gone on to attain total domination of the Bundesliga – winning each of the last seven Meisterschales.
Amid regular strolls to the German crown, their success in the 2013/14 season came at a frightening canter.
By the time they’d won the title at Hertha Berlin in Bundesliga-record time, Pep Guardiola’s side were unbeaten – dropping just six points all season. Defeat away at Augsburg at the start of April, however, ended their invincible dream.
Let’