It’s Chelsea on the top, awful, what a lacklustre performance by Manchester United, that was a scorcher, what a stunning goal by Lampard”. This is how my day in college begins. I’m an avid football fan and so are my friends Ravi and Victor. I am a Chelsea fan whereas they are the supporters of Red Devils (Manchester Untied).

During the football season we discuss our favourite teams’ performance. We are no less than any professional football analyst. But the reality is we never give honest comments. If I am a Chelsea fan it’s obvious that I would commend my team’s performance and the same holds true with my friends when it comes to Manchester United. So being a Blues fan I make comments in such a way that my team ranks higher and dominates Manchester United and my friends do just the opposite.

We don’t mind calling one another late at night after the match is over to discuss the game. Actually it is the wining side that generally makes the call. It might sound crazy but it’s a fact that whenever my ducky team is lamed by the opponent, I don’t feel like attending the classes. Many a time I have bunked my classes because my presence in college after an abysmal performance by my favourite team would give my opponents a chance to make a mockery of me. It’s sure that the losing team’s supporter will have to face criticism along with boos and jeers. But that’s no reason to complain.

In the eight-month-long football season we hardly miss a game. The three of us are acquainted with the strengths and weaknesses of our respective teams and that of the opponent’s. Yet most of the times we focus only on the strengths of our respective teams. It’s fun being with these guys and hashing out about football. The most satisfying thing about being a Chelsea fan is that for the last two seasons they are running rampant, have broken all records, are the champions of England and still raring to set new records. However, Manchester United, which dominated the Club football for so long, are no more resonant, they look sluggish and are unable to keep pace with the new champions. So this is what I tell my friends, “Guys, this is just the beginning of the end of a fairy tale for Manchester United.”