What’s not to love about David de Gea? Manchester United’s goalkeeper might appear to have it all: a humongous salary, a lovely family, a sensationally beautiful wife, Edurne Garcia, who is a star in her own right in Spain, and a pleasing ability to behave like a complete berk. He is a mix of utter brilliance and complete rubbish.

Last week he made a series of terrible errors, backed up by a woeful Harry Maguire, to gift Sevilla a Europa League tie that United should have won quite easily. Then at the weekend he was magnificent in the FA Cup semi-final, keeping United in a game that Brighton should have won.

But wait, he can’t save penalties! On Sunday, he went the wrong way every time before Solly March shot over the top, and de Gea’s mates could (just) take the win and the place in the final. The last time United crashed out of Europe, against Villareal, de Gea failed to save ten penalties. Being the 11th man he then had to take one himself, which he of course missed, Villareal scored their 11th and that was it for United in the final. He may be crazy, David de Gea, but no one can deny he adds to the gaiety of nations.

Some pursed lips over a few empty seats at Wembley on Saturday for the first semi-final, Manchester City’s inevitable burial of Sheffield United. But I’m not surprised: it’s a staggeringly expensive day out for City’s fans and, more importantly, it’s an absolute dog of a place, hard to get to and even harder to leave.

That’s unusual these days though. In those long-ago times of pounds, shillings and pence and bobbies on bicycles, our football stadiums were pretty dour, uncomfortable and sometimes downright dangerous places. Many league grounds were hit by bombs during the war, but miserly directors placed thrift before comfort. Now the majority have been significantly upgraded. Some of the very latest stadiums to be built or renovated – at Arsenal, Fulham and Tottenham for example – have become architectural landmarks and not just scruffy additions to our industrial skylines.

Spurs may have arguably the best stadium in the world, but their football has become a fiasco. Quite how much farther do they have to fall? Harry Kane is many things, but not a captain in the Roy Keane mould. When he tried to get his players to buck up after they had shipped five goals in 20 minutes against Newcastle, it was as effective as a Dominic Raab apology. Where will the leadership come from? Still, there should be another coach along in a week or so. So that’s OK then.

Meanwhile, extremely cheering tidings from Germany, where things might not be going so smoothly for long-time Bundesliga monoliths Bayern Munich. They have slipped out of the German Cup, and were made to look reassuringly ordinary by Manchester City over a couple of legs in the Champions League.

At the weekend, connoisseurs of the small print might have noticed a 3-1 defeat for the German juggernaut away to Mainz, allowing Bo-russia Dortmund to go top. Which is a shocker for your average German as that slot belongs permanently to Bayern. Meanwhile, Sadio Mane and Leroy Sane have come to blows, and after the Mainz loss Oliver Kahn, the CEO, and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic stormed into the Bayern dressing room to tell the very costly collection of superstars what a pile of pathetic losers they were.

‘There are 11 men on the pitch who have to work their asses off for the goals of this club, said Kahn afterwards. The last time Dortmund were top at this stage of the season was 12 years ago under Jürgen Klopp, when they went on to win the title.