‘That’s why you failed as a coach’ – Fans tear into Rooney over Partey omission
Former England captain Wayne Rooney has come under fire from fans after controversially excluding Thomas Partey from his combined Real Madrid and Arsenal XI.
With top-tier players on both sides, picking a combined team was never going to be easy.
However, Rooney made some eyebrow-raising choices, most notably selecting Lucas Vázquez, who hasn’t regularly featured in that role for Carlo Ancelotti in recent months, over Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber, who has been a mainstay in the Gunners’ lineup throughout the 2024/25 season.
The decision that particularly sparked outrage was Rooney’s omission of Partey from the midfield.
Fans were quick to criticise the former Manchester United striker, with some questioning his football knowledge and others attributing his past coaching struggles to such decisions.
The Ghanaian midfielder was outstanding in the first leg against Real Madrid in London on Tuesday, April 8, 2025, earning widespread praise from fans and pundits alike.
The 31-year-old has featured in 30 Premier League games this season for Arsenal, scoring four goals and providing two assists.
Wayne Rooney’s combined XI for Arsenal vs Real Madrid:
Thibaut Courtois, Lucas Vázquez, Antonio Rüdiger, William Saliba, Myles Lewis-Skelly, Eduardo Camavinga, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Jr.
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Source: www.ghanaweb.com
