And so it has come to pass. After a 30-year wait which, at times, looked like would never end, Liverpool have won the English top flight title and will lift the Premier League trophy for the first ever time. It's a league title in the strangest of circumstances – sealed by a Chelsea win over Manchester City at an empty Stamford Bridge – but that won't matter to Liverpool fans who have waited so long for this day. Reacting to the news last night, manager Jürgen Klopp said "it's the best thing I can imagine and more than I could have ever dreamed of." And while it may not feel like a normal title win with a full stadium and open-top bus parade, there can be no mistake made about it that Liverpool were the best team in the Premier League by a long, long way this season. As Barney Ronay writes: "Liverpool didn't just outrun the rest of the field. From late summer into spring they seemed to be operating to a different set of physical laws." Photos from overnight show thousands of Liverpool fans celebrating outside Anfield and, while it may be hard to blame them, police have condemned the flouting of social distancing guidelines and asked fans to celebrate responsibly.
It was the year 1990 when Liverpool last became champions of England and just a few short months later Italia 90 would take centre stage and one of Ireland's greatest ever summers was in full swing. In our series this morning Keith Duggan writes that, in the current strange circumstances, we could all do with a dose of that Italia 90 feeling. "Nessun Dorma and all that. And it felt like a dream. Ireland had the tingles: the country couldn't quite get over itself. This summer also feels like a dream – albeit one you might have if you accidently swallowed a few horse tranquilisers," he writes. The photos from the time will be looked back on for decades to come and and this morning Inpho photographer Billy Stickland has picked out his seven favourites from the tournament, telling Malachy Clerkin just why they are so special to him. In other, somewhat different, domestic soccer news, the FAI announced last night that a report into its finances has been referred to the Garda and ODCE. Among the transactions looked into were a number of payments to Delaney's former partner, Susan Keegan, who now lives in Spain where she runs a gym. Keegan is believed to have been listed in the FAI's accounts as having received around €95,000 in various sums from the association.
On to rugby and the Champions Cup knockout dates were arranged yesterday but just where and how the matches will take place is still to be confirmed. Ulster are due to travel to Toulouse for their quarter-final but that will depend on what travel restrictions may be in place at the time while Leinster could potentially allow fans into the Aviva Stadium for their meeting with Saracens if social distancing guidelines are relaxed. In his diary this morning Andrew Porter reflects on a first week back at Leinster training and getting to grip with all of the protocls in place. "It's incredible to see the shape some of the lads are in. The lockdown appears to have led to some fine-tuning by everyone. The amount of running and sessions they had us doing during the lockdown must have paid off," he writes.
In GAA, it will be confirmed this morning just what sort of shape the 2020 championship season will take with the live draws for the Munster and Leinster sections taking place on RTÉ Six One News later today. The dates have been widely speculated on as running from October 17th to December 20th and it is expected that the first two weekends of intercounty activity will see the Allianz Football League completed.
Rory McIlroy opens up with blistering 63 at Travelers Championship
Keith Duggan: How we could all do with a dose of that Italia 90 feeling just now
Liverpool’s 30-year wait ends: Jürgen Klopp has ‘no words, it’s unbelievable’
Where and how Champions Cup knockout phases will be played still up in the air
Finally to golf and Rory McIlroy sits in second place after the first round of the Travelers Championship thanks to a 63, seven under par, which leaves him three shots behind the scintillating 60 of Mackenzie Hughes. Shane Lowry carded a round of 66 to sit at four under.
