Take it from me, there were highly-charged scenes at Stamford Bridge last night after we were denied a number of nailed-on penalties ultimately leading to the cruellest of defeats in the 3rd minute of extra time. I've rarely, if ever, felt as low after a game. You can't help feeling that this was the result that UEFA really, really wanted.

Do brands worry about allying themselves to such raw emotion? I totally understood the anger at the end of the game yesterday, including Drogba's frustration. I'm not sure all the marketing suits do. Many would prefer an anaesthetised version of the game football, with the best side winning and the losers, along with their fans, generously shaking hands with the opposition and cheerfully admitting they were beaten by a better side. The dispassionate, disinterested, half empty boxes at Wembley perhaps being the ultimate icon of this brand-friendly, corporate football. They don't want us questioning the parentage of the referee or the opposing fans in traditional anglo-saxon. Or worse.

Anyone who goes to football regularly knows it is not like that. There is misery, fear and loathing alongside joy. Palace v Brighton is still a throw back to the worst of the 70s. Liverpool fans still taunt United about Munich. Watch the Dutch continue the war against Germany. Real v Barca is the civil war that never ended whilst Rangers and Celtic do the same for religion. Villa v City is tasty. Even the smock-wearing East Anglians will join battle. I also accept there is a still a neanderthal element amongst Chelsea support, as there is with all clubs (possibly excepting the MK Dons franchise).

But I wouldn't swap it for anything. And certainly not for the supposed better manners and sportmanship of middle class English rugby. I just wonder how many of the big brands in football really understand the values they have bought into? And whether they are still prepared to accept raw passion rather than turning the game into a bland day out, more acceptable to corporate guests.