Arguably the best centre-back duo in world football were roughed up by a 17-year-old on his competitive debut for Aston Villa.
It is not hyperbole to say Brian Madjo could have scored four or five goals in the first half alone. Two crosses from John McGinn initially were both headed wide by the teenage forward, having been unmarked.
Yet, described as a “physical monster” by club sources, Madjo kept on going. Nothing fazed him — not the occasion or the missed chances.
The England youth international has long been big for his age, but to contest and dominate his direct marker so comprehensively in the first half was stunning.
He is the youngest player to ever play in a Super Cup final at 17 years and 212 days old. If Madjo had started to convert his chances, the potential, from that first-half viewing, felt endless.
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@J_Tanswell