After the Champions League group-stage draw concluded, Richard hurried back to the Fairmont Monte Carlo Hotel with O'Neill in tow. There was no time to waste — now the focus shifted to the UEFA Cup.
This year's UEFA Super Cup hadn't drawn much attention. Being an all-English affair — Manchester City and Chelsea — let's say it was less a glamorous continental clash and more a grudge match between two top English clubs. Fans outside England, or those indifferent to the Premier League, barely cared.
Only the Fleet Street journalists seemed interested, eager to hear O'Neill and Gianluca Vialli's thoughts on their respective opponents for this match. The purpose was simple: to fan the flames, making the rivalry between the two clubs even more intense.
