When the final whistle blew after 90 minutes at Levi’s Stadium on Sunday afternoon, Manchester United should have departed Santa Clara with a satisfactory 1-1 draw against European champions Real Madrid. But this is America and a nation that does not appreciate 'ties', and so a penalty shootout was ordered in compliance with the International Champions Cup rules.
After a series of unfortunate misses, eye-catching saves and successful spot-kicks, increasingly-bearded goalkeeper David De Gea denied Casamiro to earn a fourth straight tour win for the Reds, after the previous successes against LA Galaxy (5-2), Real Salt Lake (2-1) and Manchester City (2-0).
As we prepare for the fifth and final outing in the USA, against the much-admired FC Barcelona in Washington DC, there is a definite feeling that Jose Mourinho’s men are gaining momentum ahead of an increasingly-fascinating 2017/18 season that promises so much for this improving team.
The manager has repeatedly stated this summer that the UEFA Super Cup on 8 August and the opportunity to lift a trophy is the club’s first priority, much like he recognised the FA Community Shield as a serious target last campaign. He knows that winning – and lifting trophies – is habitual. After claiming three pieces of silverware in 2016/17, everybody is looking towards the next prize.
With that in mind, it is no coincidence that seven friendlies have been organised in a bid to develop match sharpness ahead of the big kick-off. It is a very deliberate move from the boss, and one that could pay dividends in Macedonia next month when Real will provide the opposition once more.
Sunday’s fixture at the 'Theatre of Jeans' was Los Blancos’ first of the summer and that was apparent at times, when United’s work was slicker and more purposeful. The same could be said in Houston when Pep Guardiola’s Blues returned to action and found themselves facing a much-sharper foe. With 15 days and three more friendlies to go until the Super Cup, Zinedine Zidane has time to amplify his squad’s form and fitness. But they will still have fewer minutes in the legs than us when kick-off in Macedonia arrives.
Mourinho has not just concerned himself with matches, of course. His training sessions at the welcoming UCLA facility in sunny Los Angeles were all exceptionally intense and sharp, as he worked the players hard and often twice a day throughout the successful two-week stay in Beverly Hills.
As attendees at the open media workouts observed, each workout was planned with meticulous care and the attention to detail was genuinely impressive. Every station had a clear purpose and offered variety for the players at a time when repetition can quite easily creep in. The days of running laps around the pitch, necking pasta and waving farewell to footballs are long gone.
The City of Angels also offered a very typical distraction for the Reds in the form of celebrity meetings. The Game of Thrones cast visiting the training ground caused a stir among fans of the show, including Paul Pogba and Victor Lindelof, while the presence of Jamie Foxx at an exclusive adidas party in Hollywood prompted our very own superstars to turn into selfie-hunting fans.
The most high-profile guest was undoubtedly Julia Roberts, the genuine A-list actress whose family was twice on the touchline at UCLA and later at the game against Real Madrid. Coincidentally, several club staff stayed at the hotel where Pretty Woman was filmed in 1982, and that was where the likes of Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, Bruno Mars, Ringo Starr and Iggy Pop were all spotted too.
The company of such stars has added glitz and glamour to the pre-season tour, also raising the club’s profile among those who prefer entertainment content over sport, yet is not the main objective of the summer. It is merely part of the commercial factor that Mourinho understands all too well.
Make no mistake about it - Tour 2017 is all about the manager building a platform for greater success in his second season at Manchester United and the early signs are encouraging.
Yes, fitness remains the key, but the opportunity to secure five wins in the US is extremely valuable.
