Three minutes, 35 seconds. That was all it took for Manchester City’s fragile hopes of a Bigger Cup comeback at the Bernabéu to be extinguished as Pep Guardiola’s side were exposed to their kryptonite – a very fast forward running on to a long ball. Kylian Mbappé jogged away from Rúben Dias and John Stones, and lifted the ball over Ederson with a single, devastating touch. Stones hobbled off injured moments later, and he may as well have taken the rest of his team with him. Mbappé wasn’t finished; the Real Madrid forward added another two beautifully taken goals in a merciless individual display. He has now scored seven Big Cup goals against City – the same as Lionel Messi – and for three different clubs to boot. In a competition that has, in the last decade, become essentially Real Madrid v Everyone Else (with Madrid leading 5-4 since 2015-16) the other 15 sides still in the perspex bowl for Friday’s last-16 draw must contemplate how to beat the defending champions, who have found a way to get the best out of their new superstar striker.

Aston Villa and Liverpool are also in the hat for the last 16. They met away from the Bigger Cup spotlight on Wednesday night, playing out a Premier League thriller at Villa Park. The visitors led through Mohamed Salah but, perhaps as perturbed as the rest of us by the sight of Marcus Rashford in claret and blue, ended up falling behind to hosts desperate to climb back into European contention. Trent Alexander-Arnold’s deflected equaliser set up a grandstand final 30 minutes, and when Dominik Szoboszlai rolled the ball across an open goal to substitute Darwin Núñez, the narrative appeared to have been written. Instead, the much-maligned striker blazed the ball high into the North Stand. Núñez then failed to convert a one-on-one and Villa missed chances to twist the knife further, but if Liverpool are to topple from their perch this season, this is surely the moment that will cap the highlight reel.

That, of course, is a very big if. Even though Liverpool have drawn half of their eight league games since the turn of the year, they still sit in relative comfort, eight points clear of Arsenal. The Gunners do have the chance to apply some pressure this weekend – if they beat West Ham on Saturday. The gap would be reduced to five before Arne Slot’s side face a tricky trip to face … Pep Guardiola’s flying circus at the Etihad. Getting turned over by Real Madrid and Liverpool inside a week, their former arch-rivals in Bigger Cup and the Premier League respectively, would be a sad indictment of City’s stark regression this season. While Villa and Liverpool went toe-to-toe until the final bell, Guardiola’s latest battle with Real Madrid felt like a rematch too far. City barely laid a glove on their hosts in the Bernabéu cauldron, and now welcome a team 17 points above them in the table. City’s Premier League reign is over, but they at least have another chance to climb off the canvas and deliver a telling blow in the title race. Either that, or hope Núñez leaves his shooting boots at home again.

One for the footy hipsters, join Rob Smyth for piping hot Europa League clockwatch action, with some achingly cool ties including Real Sociedad v Midtjylland, Ajax v Union Saint-Gilloise and, of course, Bodø/Glimt v FC Twente.

“It’s a really interesting question I’ve always wanted to answer. What made me this way? It’s also true when I became a professional. I felt superior. I felt I knew what was going to happen next … in the media we’d probably call it mind games but I wanted everyone I played against to be a little scared of me – or at least to be thinking about me” – Peter Schmeichel sits down for a Big Interview with Donald McRae to talk about his career, Cantona, Keane, his double-agent dad and the hurt of Old Trafford misery.

“Re Wednesday’s Memory Lane (full email edition), and at the risk of going down a rabbit hole from which we’ll never return, there is also a photograph of that photograph being taken. Hopefully there’s also a photograph of the photographer taking the second photo but sadly I haven’t been able to find it. Yet” – Jon Gregory.

“What a pity the picture of Roy Pritchard (Tuesday’s Memory Lane, full email edition) should have been at Wolves, not Newcastle. The Gallowgate End would have written itself as a caption” – Trevor Field.

“I hope this message finds you well. I am reaching out because I would like to find a new home for my late husband’s Yamaha baby grand piano. It holds sentimental value, and I would love to see it go to someone who truly appreciates music. If you, or anyone you know, would be interested in offering it a new home, please don’t hesitate to get in touch” – Beverley James.

Send letters to the.boss@theguardian.com. Today’s prizeless letter o’ the day winner is … Jon Gregory. Terms and conditions for our competitions can be viewed here.

Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish Football Federation, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting Jenni Hermoso by kissing her on the lips against her will after Spain’s women’s team won the 2023 World Cup. A judge at Spain’s national court convicted Rubiales of sexual assault but acquitted him of attempting to coerce Hermoso into playing down the unsolicited and unwanted kiss. Rubiales, who had been facing a possible two-and-a-half year jail sentence, was ordered to pay fines and compensation totalling more than €13,000 (£10,800), forbidden to go within 200 metres of Hermoso for a year, and told to refrain from contacting her for 12 months. Lucy Bronze, meanwhile, has praised the Spanish players who were involved in the trial. “Not only winning the World Cup and handling the media on the outside of it, but they were in the court case and speaking out,” said the England and former Barcelona defender. “It’s incredibly brave of all the individuals and the team collectively.”

A miserable night for Man City at the Bernabéu, where they were splattered by Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid. “Things are not eternal, there are players who have an age,” blamed Pep Guardiola, rather existentially. “With time the team, the club and everyone will accept what it is.”

Poor Darwin Núñez. First he hamfoots yet another points-costing sitter that means Liverpool draw 2-2 at Villa, then his manager rubs it in. “I can accept misses,” sniffed Arne Slot, “but what is harder for me to accept is his behaviour after the chance. It got too much in his head, he was not the usual Darwin who works his @ss off and makes sure he helps the team.”

Over the last two years, Brentford have received £3.23m in public money for research and development, investigating sports science, medicine, training and tactics. Matt Hughes has the exclusive.

In Eindhoven, PSV moved into the last 16 of Bigger Cup, edging Juventus in extra time, while PSG continued their recent improvement with a 7-0 caning of Brest. Read more, here.

After Emma Raducanu was left in tears by a “fixated” supporter, Millie Bright has taken up the cudgels on behalf of female sportsfolk. “If there is a message to be sent, it is that we are human,” she said. “We are somebody’s partner and somebody’s daughter. We are not items. Nobody owns us. We own ourselves and that needs to be reminded and told.”

Manchester City are bad in exactly the same way they were once good. Barney Roney ponders one of the more surprising collapses of recent times.

Mohamed Salah remains the man, writes John Brewin, who has also done this snazzy Bigger Cup review of the playoff round.

On Thursday, Shamrock Rovers will aim to become the first Irish club to reach the last 16 in Europe since 1980. On Sunday, a record crowd of 33,000 went to a League of Ireland game. Last month, the transfer record sale tripled. Here’s Michael Butler’s piece on the rise of Irish football.

The 2025 season of the MLS begins this week. Our writers make their predictions as to how it’ll go. Meanwhile, Alexander Abnos asks: can Messi do it on an inhumanely -17°C night in Kansas City? Find out here.

With over 100 caps, Emily Sonnett is the USA USA USA’s secret veteran in a new generation, writes Megan Swanick.

The subtleties of British humour on display in Cagliari before England take on Ireland in their opening game of the 1990 World Cup.