Real Madrid Finding Form?

13 Mar 2026 · 1 h 19 min · 26 chapters

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In short

ESPN FC Podcast Episode Summary: Real Madrid Finding Form?

Episode Overview

  • Podcast Title: ESPN FC
  • Episode Title: Real Madrid Finding Form?
  • Description: The FC crew reviews the UCL Round of 16 first legs, focusing on Real Madrid's 3-0 victory over Manchester City. Discussions include key moments from the matches, goalkeeper performances, and insights into Chelsea's situation.

Key Takeaways

Real Madrid vs. Manchester City

  • Match Recap: Real Madrid delivered a stunning 3-0 performance against Manchester City, raising questions about their season form.
  • Cultural Impact: Players like Thibaut Courtois noted that the Champions League elevates the team's performance, contrasting with their La Liga form where teams often defend deeper.
  • Panel's Views:
  • Motivation vs. Performance: Panelists discussed how the atmosphere and stakes of the Champions League can motivate players more than regular league matches.
  • Tactical Errors by City: Manchester City's open play under Pep Guardiola was criticized as it played into Real Madrid's strengths.
  • Questions on Consistency: While the win was significant, doubts lingered on whether Real Madrid could replicate this form consistently throughout the season.

Goalkeeper Discussions

  • Thibaut Courtois: Praised for his performance, particularly a crucial save which maintained Madrid's advantage.
  • Flaws in City’s Defense: Manchester City's goalkeeper, Ederson, and defensive setups were critiqued for their vulnerabilities, leading to a lack of support for their attacking players.

Other Matches Reviewed

  • Antonín Kinsky's Nightmare: The young goalkeeper's early substitution after a poor start raised eyebrows and sparked debate over coaching decisions.
  • Chelsea's Goalkeeper Dilemma: Ongoing discussions about who should start in goal, comparing Robert Sanchez and Philippe Jorgensen.
  • Europa & Conference League Highlights: Brief reviews of key matches in the Europa League and Conference League, emphasizing team performances and standout players.

Key Concepts and Arguments

  • Champions League vs. Domestic Performance: The panel explored how the intensity and atmosphere of Champions League games can uplift players, juxtaposing it with Real Madrid's inconsistent La Liga performances.
  • Tactical Miscalculations: The analysis pointed out tactical errors made by Guardiola, specifically in how City approached the game, leading to their downfall against a historically strong Madrid team.
  • Impact of Coaching Decisions: The episode discussed the implications of coaching decisions on player performance and morale, particularly in the case of Kinsky and Tottenham's Igor Tudor.

Panel Insights

  • Craig Burley: Emphasized the need for tactical awareness and the dangers of overcomplicating simple match situations.
  • Xhaka Hislop: Critique of goalkeeper performances, advocating for a more supportive coaching environment for young keepers.
  • Alex Kirkland and Jan Agafjortov: Provided contextual analysis on player performances, linking back to historical performances and overall team dynamics.

Final Thoughts

  • The discussion encapsulated the rollercoaster nature of football, with standout performances creating discussions on consistency, motivation, and strategy.
  • As the Champions League progresses, the performances of teams like Real Madrid and Manchester City will remain in the spotlight, setting the stage for exciting matches ahead.

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This summary encapsulates the critical discussions and analyses presented in this episode of ESPN FC, providing insights into the dynamic world of football as it stands today.

Written by AI. May contain mistakes. Listen to the episode to check what was said.

Chapters

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Real Madrid vs. Manchester City Overview

0:50 to 2:56

A recap of Real Madrid's performance against Manchester City and the context around it.

“They rose to the occasion against Man City.”

Analyzing the Champions League Performances

2:56 to 4:52

Discussing the motivation dynamics for Real Madrid, especially in the Champions League.

“And that elevation was somewhat, if not more than somewhat helped by a shambolic City performance particularly at the back and in the middle of the park.”

Evaluating Manchester City's Game Strategy

4:52 to 7:13

Examining Pep Guardiola's tactics and mistakes during the match against Real Madrid.

“I don't want to say the other games aren't as important, but, and the implication is the other games aren't as important.”

The Consequences of City's Defensive Failures

7:13 to 14:00

A critical look at Manchester City's defensive issues and their implications for the team.

“Obviously there's been a lot of talk about the line-up there was before the game and even more so during it.”

Analyzing Manchester City's Strategy Against Real Madrid

14:00 to 15:00

Discussion on Manchester City's tactical approach and past performance in Champions League.

“First and foremost, away from home, let's protect the vulnerable areas of the team.”

Erling Haaland's Recent Form and Performance

15:00 to 16:10

Insights into Haaland's struggles and the impact of Manchester City's current form on him.

“Yeah, and for one of the best strikers in the game right now, Jan, And we saw Erling Haaland with only 10 touches in the 81 minutes that he played.”

Thibaut Courtois' Exceptional Goalkeeping

16:10 to 17:40

Analysis of Courtois' performance and the significance of his saves in the match.

“That is not 100 % game for Erling Haaland as well.”

Young Talent and Real Madrid's Future

17:40 to 19:25

Discussion on the impact of young players like Thiago Pitarc and the coaching strategy.

“and how good it was in the second half of this game.”

Goalkeeping Errors in Recent Matches

21:42 to 28:00

Analysis of recent goalkeeper mistakes in the Champions League and their implications.

“Well, we did see a number of goalkeeper errors in the Champions League this week.”

Coaching Decisions and Player Support

28:00 to 29:58

Discussion on coaching strategies and the impact of support on young players.

“At that point, if somebody interjects, if a goalkeeper coach goes around and has a conversation with him, you could get him to settle down and maybe somehow avoid the second and the third.”
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Goalkeeper Performance and Public Reaction

29:59 to 32:35

Examination of the goalkeeper's performance and the crowd's reaction during a tough match.

“I mean, and yes, a goalkeeper is well vulnerable, but we have to stop, treat the goalkeepers differently than others.”

Atletico's Victory and Spurs' Struggles

32:36 to 34:24

A look at Atletico Madrid's success and Tottenham's challenges in recent games.

“Yeah, you got it right there in the end then, Jan.”

Goalkeeper Comparisons at Chelsea

36:25 to 42:00

Debate on the performance and strategy of goalkeepers at Chelsea.

“So the goalkeeper battle at Chelsea is on, and we've got a little comparison here between Robert Sanchez and Philippe Jorgensen.”

The Goalkeeper Debate

42:00 to 43:40

The discussion centers around the individual tactics of goalkeepers and their responsibilities on the pitch.

“This thing that they have to give him 16 games to prove himself.”

Enzo's Remonstration with Jürgensen

43:40 to 46:00

The panel discusses a moment where Enzo Fernandes expressed frustration towards goalkeeper Jürgensen, analyzing the appropriateness of such reactions.

“Well, Henzo was not happy at all with Jürgensen here.”

Ball Boy Incident and Multi-Ball System

46:00 to 47:20

The conversation shifts to a controversial incident involving a player and a ball boy, including the role of the multi-ball system in preventing such situations.

“Because how about when you make a mistake, I can run in seven yards up the field and get in your face.”

The Ethics of Player Conduct

47:20 to 49:20

The hosts debate the ethics surrounding player behavior on the pitch, particularly in interactions with younger players.

“But I'm just wondering, I mean, we're probably going to discuss more dives today.”

Florian Wirtz's Struggles at Liverpool

49:20 to 55:00

An in-depth analysis of Florian Wirtz's current form at Liverpool and the impact of team dynamics and coaching on his performance.

“OK, so while you're in this mood, it's a perfect time, Jan, to bring up Florian Wurz.”

Leverkusen vs. Arsenal: Penalty Debate

55:00 to 56:00

The panel discusses a controversial penalty given in the Leverkusen vs. Arsenal match, weighing the opinions of the players and coach on the incident.

“So it's all a little bit frustrating at the moment.”

The Controversial Penalty Call

56:00 to 57:20

A discussion on the penalty decision during a match, highlighting the perspectives on the dive and referee's call.

“No, but I would say that it was a penalty and it was a clear dive.”

Bodo Glimt's Impressive Performance

57:20 to 59:00

Analyzing Bodo Glimt's recent match performance and their rise as a team this season.

“No, catches his ankle with his chest as he slides in.”

Power Rankings and Champions League Insights

59:00 to 1:00:40

Insights into the current power rankings in European football and standout performances in the Champions League.

“This is not the class of Manchester City.”

Top Champions League Goals of the Week

1:03:19 to 1:06:00

Highlighting the top five goals scored in recent Champions League matches and discussing their significance.

“Jan is also getting in on the power ranking action today.”

Analyzing Arsenal's Conservative Playstyle

1:10:01 to 1:15:06

Discussing Arsenal's cautious approach in matches and its psychological impact on players.

“It's not because of Erling Haaland that sat here in a pickle in the second leg, is it?”

Real Madrid's Historical Success

1:15:06 to 1:16:39

Exploring Real Madrid's ability to win trophies while playing conservatively.

“Look at the Champions League in Paris two or three years ago against Liverpool.”

Recognition Stories and Humorous Moments

1:16:39 to 1:20:08

Sharing funny and unexpected recognition experiences from the hosts.

“I mean, they say that all the time now, and that is to attack them.”
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Transcript

Automatic transcript. May contain errors.

0:00Gab Marcotti:When you want your spring break to feel like... And your kid's pool day to feel like... And your hotel bed to feel like... Ooh, and room service to feel like... Because at Hilton, hospitality feels like... Your cabana's ready. Would you like fresh towels?

0:21Don Hutchison:It matters where you stay. Book now at Hilton.com. Hilton. For this day.

0:34Craig Burley:Hello and welcome into the latest edition of ESPN FC. Kay Murray, Craig Burley and Xhaka Hislop here in the studio. Xhaka ready to rank some goalkeeping howlers this week.

0:43Gab Marcotti:It's not been a good week for the old goalkeepers union, has it?

0:46Craig Burley:Get ready, get ready. Goalkeepers union will have a keen eye on what Xhaka's got to say today. We're looking back on what happened between Real Madrid and Man City, both papers going with memorable. And it absolutely was. They rose to the occasion against Man City. it had many questioning where this version of Real Madrid have been all season. That question was also put to Thibaut Courtois.

1:09Gab Marcotti:I think in the Champions League, there are many more teams that play an open game where we excel because we find more space. We play better. It's up to us to say, well, we have to do the same in La Liga as we did today. And then it's also true that in La Liga, teams defend a bit deeper against us. And that's where we struggle.

1:30Craig Burley:Trent Alexander-Arnold also said the team seemed to get more motivated for the Champions League. He said, I think the size of the game, I don't want to say that the other games are less important, but when there's so many eyes on the game and so much hype, you need to perform as a player. We're going to welcome in Alex Kirkland, Jan Agafjortov, to be with us as well. That wasn't the headline in the Manchester Evening News, was it?

1:52Stewart Robson:Memorable.

1:52Craig Burley:It was definitely not. Well, memorable in a different way, we could say, because that was the case.

1:57Stewart Robson:I was listening to a little bit of Gareth Bale on a podcast, driving to work back and forward the last couple of days. And although we kind of know this, he was talking to some ex-players and he did say, and one of the things he said was, he said, things change when the Champions League comes along at Real Madrid, whether that's right or wrong. And he said, it's just, it elevates, it elevates the crowd, it elevates the players and I thought that was some of the things he said was quite intriguing, he'd actually make a decent pundit actually I think but even that elevation we always talk about with the Real Madrid we've seen them enough this season and last season to say no it can't just be the Champions League to motivate you because they've been so bad in some games but as I said in yesterday's show yes they were motivated yesterday, were elevated yesterday, played a lot better.

2:55Stewart Robson:A hell of a lot better. But it takes two to tangle. And that elevation was somewhat, if not more than somewhat helped by a shambolic City performance particularly at the back and in the middle of the park.

3:14Gab Marcotti:I think that's the thing for me and while both Trent Alexander-Arnold and Thibaut Courtois are absolutely right in what they say in terms of we've spoken over the years about Real Madrid and Champions League nights. And let's be honest, not many teams. I can only think of one team in world football who will come to the Bernabeu and try to play as ridiculous a high line and be as open at the back as Manchester City are. So to Couto's comparison, again, I don't think it's a good one on this instance. Manchester City played right into Real Madrid's strengths. And to the point that there was no Kylian Mbappe, made it all the more ridiculous.

3:53Gab Marcotti:Because it was just so easy for Real Madrid, and the first goal kind of summed it up. One long ball over the top of O 'Reilly. There is absolutely no cover. Acres of space for Valverde to run into. And that was how the entire game played out. At no point did Manchester City try to drop a little deeper, try to have some numbers to provide some kind of protection. It was just as a setup, as a tactic goes, I thought Pep Guardiola got this all wrong and played right into Real Madrid's strengths. And as a result, you do that, you allow Real Madrid to play to their strengths. That's what you're going to get every single time.

4:32Craig Burley:Yeah, well, obviously, we'll start with the Real Madrid side. That's the City side of things. As for Real Madrid, though, it feels like the Champions League beast has awoken here. Once again, we're seeing them in this competition that so often they come alive in. Alex, perhaps a plan today. Where's this Real Madrid side been all season? Yeah, and I love that quote from Trent that you read earlier, Kay, because he says, yes, I don't want to say the other games aren't as important, but, and the implication is the other games aren't as important. The atmosphere, the change in the atmosphere yesterday, sort of pre-match and then post-match at the Bernabeu was remarkable.

5:07Craig Burley:Before the game, it really felt quite flat, I thought, for a Champions League night. It wasn't a sellout at the Bernabeu. There were some empty seats. There was no big TIFO before the game. It didn't quite have the feeling of one of these Champions League nights at the Bernabeu reflect on the lack of confidence in the team. But afterwards, what a turnaround. It was kind of elation and a lot of the fans, it felt like, okay, are we back? Is this the way forward? I agree. I'm not sure how many kind of lessons we can take from this game and apply to the rest of the season. I think a lot of it was quite specific based on the circumstances, the opposition, the way City played and what Madrid were able to do.

5:42Craig Burley:But it's definitely the biggest result, the biggest performance of the brief are below it era so far so it's just a couple of months it hasn't been that long but without doubt it's the biggest night of his tenure so far on the biggest stage and the one that matters most to the club and the fans.

5:57Stewart Robson:It is but I mean just before we go to Jan quickly just briefly it is but you know you said part quote and you said the beast awakens the beast is a walk in I wouldn't agree with that really.

6:09Craig Burley:You don't think so?

6:10Stewart Robson:No I mean no because that's how bad look at the first goal. The first goal told you everything you need to know. There was a left back who wasn't a left back and the centre half next to him was in midfield. There must have been 60 yards between two defenders. So, listen, I'm not taking anything away from Madrid before any Real Madrid say, oh, they're Madrid haters. No, no, no, no, no. In isolation it was a great result. In isolation. But, I'm sorry but if that was Bayern Munich how they're playing or one or two other teams, they don't get that. They don't get it. So they took advantage big time.

6:53Stewart Robson:But I don't believe for one minute that they can put a run of consistent performances together like that. Unless they play City every week, which they're not going to do. So they've got a second leg to get over in Manchester and it ain't finished because City cannot be as bad both defensively and going forward. So there's a lot of work still to be done whether that penalty could be huge the penalty miss so i think it's a bit early on this you know real madrid champions league you know sort of thing yeah they got up for the game but my god i know we'll get to city

7:25Craig Burley:but they played such a huge part in it let's get to city now before we do hear from jan yet let's hear from pep guardiola himself on what happened to his side against real madrid

7:36Gab Marcotti:my feeling about how we played is that we haven't been that bad but this decision with a three nil defeat doesn't carry much weight.

7:44Craig Burley:Obviously there's been a lot of talk about the line-up there was before the game and even more so during it. Are you willing to give an explanation to the amount of changes and what you hoped for

7:55Don Hutchison:the game tonight compared to what happened?

7:59Stewart Robson:No, no, much changes. More changes was in Newcastle. So the last games most of the players played. I want to be aggressive from outside the one against one, especially when Jeremy was outstanding on the right we struggle a little bit more, make a movement in behind, we do it with Antoine, with Nikos, we arrive many times in that to have the sense that we can score a goal. The target is wingers to try to drop them, people in the middle in the pockets to arrive close to the box, control to the second structure with experienced players, fast players behind, that was the idea.

8:36Craig Burley:Okay, Jan Agafiosov what do you think of how Pep Guardiola had to explain it there?

8:41Don Hutchison:Well, he tries to do his best he said the same thing many times this season I mean, we can talk about is it a surprise that Real Madrid suddenly looks like a contender in the Champions League we can discuss that but it's not a surprise that Manchester City let chances come I mean, they always feel all season I mean, we've had games that won they've had some good games in there but there is always a chance that they can get a goal in there. And we talked about it a bit. You've got a left-back that is not an educated left-back. You've got a right-back who's not an educated right-back. And all year we've seen the same thing.

9:15Don Hutchison:I mean, they've had some games when Silva has been very good, coming from his right side, coming inside and carry that central part of the team. But that's the moment, and that's why I don't think they can catch Arsenal. because if you take a one-to-one, I mean, Arsenal will never lose. They will never let the opposition have so many chances against. And if you see them even at home, there are games that will be 2-0 up, you know, well, they can get a goal soon and they can get another one. And when Manchester City were at his bed, that never happened because they had, first of all, better defenders, I think.

9:51Don Hutchison:They forget Kyle Walker playing on the right side, whoever played on the left side, but also central on the park. You can always keep the ball. They can control the game. They don't control games as they used to do and they always seem to be capable of conceding. But as for your question to Pep, I think that Pep will think that the first 20 minutes, yes, the performance over 90 minutes were not that good but in the first 20 minutes, they created a chance that Djokou and Trent Alexander-Arnold wouldn't have made any interviews after the game if those 20 minutes were going because Doku had him in his pocket, but over 90 minutes, that was a very bad result, of course, with City, but it's not surprisingly that they get a game like this because when you play players like suddenly a Valverde get a hat-trick, I mean, you know there are top players all over the park at the Real Madrid and they won't get punished in the Premier League as they were now in the Champions League.

10:46Stewart Robson:I mean, I think the arrogance of the manager is sort of oozing out even more than it has been in his tenure at Manchester City. You cannot ask him a question about his line-up as one of the journalists dead and his eyes are bulging. You're asking me? Which I think is a rightful question to ask. He left Rodri, who's not as sharp as he was because of this long, almost a year out. He left him exposed with Bernardo Silva next to him, who's running about all over the place, as he does. and you've got four right, let's put it in a nutshell you've got a very weak back line that's your nemesis it's your Achilles heel is your back line and the arrogance of Man City, even though Real Madrid have been struggling to go to the Bernabeu and play four up front and not expect to be exposed on a counter or from long balls is madness Doku, Haaland, who hardly got any service, and that was a talking point yesterday.

11:58Stewart Robson:I'm sure Jan's got some thoughts on that. Semenyo, who played almost alongside him, and Savinho, who did okay at Newcastle, but he's pretty lightweight. When Semenyo's been playing well in the wider positions, and did that in the second half, that's a front four, with Bernardo Silva supporting. So you're now leaving one player who isn't as fit and sharp as he was 18 months ago for reasons that are not really his fault. He's exposed. The back line's exposed and it's all over the place. And he's bulging his eyes at a journalist asking him the question. Now, he may turn this around. They might have a blistering night at the Etihad and they might win 4 or 5.

12:41Stewart Robson:I don't know. I don't know if that will happen or not. I think it's unlikely. I think it's unlikely Real Madrid, when City are pushing forward, will not do the same again. Because City haven't learned a lesson. If you think about the game earlier in the season at the Bernabeu when City won 2-1, it was the same thing. It was one of the more exciting games that Real Madrid have played this year, even though they lost. Because City played so open. And I thought, surely they're going to learn a lesson from that. Because they kind of, in some sense, got away with it that night. Surely they've learned a lesson.

13:13Stewart Robson:It's a knockout in the Champions League. You can't take those risks because you might get punished. And they did. And they did. And I think everybody's right to ask that question. That you've gone to the Bernabeu. You thought playing four up front was the right thing to do. And once again, and Jan mentioned it, the fullbacks. They had all summer to not allow Matthias Nunes or Kusinov, as it was, to play there. They had all summer to rectify that. They had all summer to rectify the left-back area. and they buy a player from Wolves, Annette Nourie, who can't defend. So lo and behold, he doesn't play and a midfielder has to play there again like he has for probably 60 % of the season.

13:51Stewart Robson:So when you look at it in that context, how can a manager of his experience not think about protecting that back line? First and foremost, away from home, let's protect the vulnerable areas of the team. Let's make sure we're solid. we'll sucker Real Madrid in and then we'll use the pace of Semenyo and Doko and Haaland to hit them. But it was completely the other way around. I can't remember a time, well actually you can go back to a lot of the Champions League knockout games where for some reason at Manchester City Guardiola does things and his teams do things and it's why they've only got one thus far Champions League winner's medal.

14:32Stewart Robson:Because they were the favourites on many, many years. but they did things as a team in either the quarters or the semis or whatever it was and you'd sit and go, what are they doing? They're just trying to be overcomplicated, over clever and they got what they deserve. In fact, they deserve to get beaten by Moore last night. So lucky that Vinicius Jr. never scored the penalty. But for one of the best coaches that's ever managed and coached in the game, he got it so wrong last night and he won't accept it. He got it so wrong. It was scary.

15:01Craig Burley:Yeah, and for one of the best strikers in the game right now, Jan, And we saw Erling Haaland with only 10 touches in the 81 minutes that he played. What happened to him?

15:09Don Hutchison:Well, I don't think we can say right now he's one of the best strikers in the world. We have to go that far because he's got a spell now. He twisted his ankle. He's been out for a while. He has always had a period in the season where he's not been that fit or sharp as we usually see him. I mean, in terms of his touches, I think that is quite old news because Erling Haaland never has too many touches. There was one game he had 40 and it was breaking news all over the world and he worked very, very hard for the team. But I think that the problem with Erling Haaland is also a consequence of things not working at Manchester City now because they don't make him look good either.

15:50Don Hutchison:Let's put it this way. They don't make each other look well. I see a lot of individual players doing things. I see wingers taking too many touches. are not only based on last night's game. We see a team where they're not secure in midfield. They can't control the games, as we were talking about. And you're conceding goals for fun. They have to hunt results again. That is not 100 % game for Erling Haaland as well. I think that, and I'll follow Craig on that, I think that game and those players that Manchester City have got, I mean, that was made for a game come there to make sure that they don't concede easy goals and just play on the strength they have going forward.

16:32Don Hutchison:I mean, they've got some fantastic counter players there and they've wasn't taken advantage of at all. But Erling Aller-Northern is best form. When I put my Norwegian glasses on, I won't be the last time this show. I think he will relax and rest till the World Cup.

16:49Craig Burley:Alex?

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16:52Craig Burley:Yeah, look, Harden's record against me isn't good, is he? It hasn't been for a few years now. It feels like quite often it's Antonio Rudiger, who's sort of tasked with dealing with Haaland and he quite enjoys that. He enjoys the physical battle. He gets close to him. And there were some really eye-catching images from the game yesterday in which it appeared to be Arda Gula who was picking up Erling Haaland from set pieces. And this had people scratching their heads. But the feeling from the Madrid side, I think, is that from set pieces, corners and free kicks, Haaland isn't necessarily the biggest threat in that City team.

17:21Craig Burley:So that was the explanation for that. But yeah, for such a big-name player and a top player, it's been a few years now. And of course, these teams have met year after year after year, every time in the knockout stage, where Haaland hasn't really been able to deliver against Madrid. And it is quite notable. OK, let's get to the goalkeeper side of things here. I want to ask you about Thibaut Courtois' save on Nico O 'Reilly and how good it was in the second half of this game.

17:43Gab Marcotti:Listen, Thibaut Courtois, for me, is the best goalkeeper in the game right now. And this is part of the reason why. This pass out isn't a great one. But the thing about Courtois, especially for a man of his size, is his reactions, how quick they are, how exact they are. Oftentimes, somebody that size might want to throw a right arm at it. He goes with his leg, makes an incredible save. Just his reactions, whether it's with his feet, whether it's diving with his hands, whatever it is, is almost second to none. And again, coming from one of the biggest goalkeepers in the game today, which is why, again, I say right now, I don't think there's a better goalkeeper in the world.

18:24Craig Burley:Yeah, obviously, that was a defining moment in one side of things. Alex because at the time it was if City had been able to score Courtois has really done his part there to ensure his side have that big advantage going to the Etihad yeah and it was really interesting it was the youngster Thiago Pitarc 18 years old who gave the ball away in such a dangerous position I thought he had a very good game Pitarc was really good again on his first start in the Champions League he just had a few minutes off the bench in this competition against Benfica extremely well until that moment in around about the 75th minute when he lost the ball Courtois gets him out of trouble but what really sort of caught my eyes was straight after that all the Real Madrid players as well as congratulating Courtois was straight open to Pitoch as well to pat him on the back and pat him on the head and let him know that look don't worry keep playing your game it's all good I mean he was he was brought off by Arbeloa shortly afterwards but like I say one of the big performances of the night was yes Courtois with that save but Pitoch despite that it was his responsibility giving the ball away to create that chance for City I thought he was very encouraging and it's been one of the big I think success stories of the Arbaloa managerial reign so far is his willingness, his desire to use academy players.

19:29Craig Burley:Of course, he was the coach of the B team Castilla before taking this job. And we've seen it not just with Peter, she's probably the biggest one, but there've been a few now where he didn't have to pick these young players and he's picking them ahead of more senior alternatives. And so far, at least, I think it's paying off for Arbaloa. Yeah, absolutely. Well, there's a lot more talk about this game on the latest Gab and Jules podcast. That dropped today, so you can check that out wherever you get your podcasts.

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21:41Craig Burley:On the subject of goalkeepers, though, Well, we did see a number of goalkeeper errors in the Champions League this week. So, Xhaka is the one for our rankings. And we've asked you to give us a little five to one on these errors.

21:52Gab Marcotti:Yeah, so, as errors go, this I have at number five from Daniel Black. It's his mistake. There's no arguing that. Why I have it as fifth is because in the greater context of the game, it didn't really make that much of a difference. Because it's Tottenham. You are. Just see it.

22:19Gab Marcotti:It didn't make that big a difference in what I want. Because it's Tottenham. In Everett double overcome. What's he doing here, Shaq? Come on. So, this one, I just think Donnarumma, one, just kind of doesn't understand O 'Reilly. I don't know why O 'Reilly does as he is. Donnarumma quite clearly underestimates Valverde's pace. But why is he dragging his arm away? He's inside the box, he can see that. And that's the thing, because you go down to that side, if you keep your arm outstretched, you make the save. I don't know if he thought he was going to be outside of the box, but he's slower than he actually thought.

22:57Gab Marcotti:Jorgensen. Yep. And why I have this one, well, this, the game changed on this moment. Chelsea come back from behind twice at 2-2. These aren't the moments to be taking chances. You're away in the first league of a Champions League game. Do not take that kind of a chance. Even if the manager tells you, I want you passing the ball out the back every single time. Who's the top two? I wonder. You've got to know the moment. Oh, this is a surprise. Nastasja Kinski. Yeah, this was a tough watch. This was a tough watch, I think, for every single goalkeeper. Young goalkeeper, getting a chance, throwing at the deep end quite literally and really struggled.

23:47Gab Marcotti:So who's number one?

23:51Gab Marcotti:It's a twofer here. It's a twofer here. Oh, Kinski. It's, yeah.

24:00Gab Marcotti:Listen, my heart breaks for the young man. I don't know. I really don't know how you bounce back from this. I'll be all right. I really don't. I will say, and while there's no question there's goalkeeping errors of both, coaching staff, I don't think, helped.

24:19Craig Burley:So here's some of the reaction in the English papers afterwards to Antonin Kinski's performance and the display. He was obviously subbed off after 17 minutes. That's been heavily criticised. It's opened some debate as well. But here is Igor Tudor speaking about his decision after the game.

24:37Stewart Robson:Can you explain what happened with the two goalkeepers? The first decision to drop Vicario and then the second one to drop Kinski. It happened very rare. I'm coaching for 15 years, I never do like this. It was necessary to preserve the guy, preserve the team. Incredible situation, nothing to comment, you see. It was before the game right choice to do in the moment like we are with pressure on Vicario, another competition, Tony is very good goalkeeper. So it was for me right decision after it happened this, of course, it's easy to say that it was not right decision. I also explained to Tony, he's the right guy and a good goalkeeper.

25:34Stewart Robson:Unfortunately, it happened in this big game, these mistakes. So we pay this. This start of the game was too much for us in this moment where we are fragile, when

25:47Craig Burley:we are weak, let's say like that.

25:55Gab Marcotti:It wasn't the right decision. What one? To start Kinski, as he's saying. Was it the right decision to take him off? Before the game, it was the right decision to start him. It could not have been if you take him off after 17 minutes. Those two do not go hand in hand. Now, it's the right decision if you're thinking, I need him in the longer term for the rest of the season in terms of our relegation battle, and I need him just to kind of have this game, get a game under his belt. a lot of speculation kind of leading into the game about what kind of team Spurser puts out giving their relegation battle understandably well I don't know takes he takes a priority maybe that that that's his thinking um but if that's your thinking and you have no faith in Vicario then you you you you leave him you leave him out there you leave him out there to figure things out and which is why I say I felt he was let down by the coaching staff now and why I say It was heartbreaking.

26:53Gab Marcotti:Every single goalkeeper who's played this game knows how easy it is to find yourself in that position. I will say this. The goalkeeping coaches that I had at clubs at Newcastle and Terrigano or West Ham at Les Sealy, after the first goal where you slip, they're straight around the back of the goal, having a word with me, bringing a pair of new, a fresh pair of cleats, something to give you that outlet. Now, maybe I missed it. A lot of games going on at the same time, but I did not see that. And I did not see somebody coming around to reassure him, to have a conversation with him, just to make sure he settles down.

27:30Gab Marcotti:Now, which is why I say that's a failure of the coaching staff. Whether it's your goalkeeping coach or you've got Tudor who didn't send him, something had to be done. Something should have been done at that very moment. but you leave him alone with his thoughts in a big game as big a game as this is in the Champions League of course he's just going to deteriorate of course he's going to spiral and then you're forced to now make a decision after 17 minutes now you could say well yeah clearly he spiraled to a point where I could not leave him on fine that's all well and good but that for me could have been preempted and a good coaching staff would have known that would have done something about it and at least got him through to half time at least got him to that point where you could get back into the dressing room you could have a conversation whether two or three down you have a conversation and get him to settle down get him to play his game and then that way at least you have him in the long say longer term between now and on the end of the season but I thought it was a failure of the coaching staff certainly in that moment well they were

28:40Stewart Robson:left him on, he could have been number five, number four, number three.

28:44Gab Marcotti:The first goal came after five minutes. At that point, if somebody interjects, if a goalkeeper coach goes around and has a conversation with him, you could get him to settle down and maybe somehow avoid the second and the third. But you allow him to stay out there with his own thoughts at 22 years old on as big a stages as that, he's going to spiral. So it gets a three at 17 miss. And at that point, it is the right decision to take him off. But that's what coaching is about. It's not just about picking an 11 and sending off.

29:25Stewart Robson:I've seen people. I mean, people are escalating this to, I'm not talking about you, but as if he'll never be able to come out. He'll have to be locked in a padded room he'll never be able to come out again he can't deal i mean come on come on so game of football he made mistakes you relatively young guys not 18 it was a disastrous night for him of course it was maybe the decisions were all bad his decisions were bad but come on this this he'll never he'll never recover i can't i can't have that you gotta go away sometimes you got to take these big punch in the faces in any sport and I'm afraid we've all had dark moments in careers and every sports person has pretty much every sports person has had these really really dark moments where you just feel you've let everybody down and you have something you've got to recover from it that's the way of the world it's something it's and Shaka I know where you're

30:26Don Hutchison:coming from and I understand your points what you're doing that you need support every human being needs support not only a goalkeeper I mean I mean I feel so sorry for the kid uh first I thought well well done take him off let him have that but after I was thinking his own in his own it was not only sitting on a bench they took him straight to the dressing room he would sit in there I felt so sorry like everybody else but hey this is the performance we're on and I I think these analyses afterwards, this man will never recover. I mean, hello. He did two mistakes in a football game. I mean, and yes, a goalkeeper is well vulnerable, but we have to stop, treat the goalkeepers differently than others.

31:09Don Hutchison:Oh, they need trust. They need to be number one. You have to know that you're number one. I need to know that I'm number one. Everybody would like to be seen. Everybody liked to be there. I mean, the thing is with Spurs at the moment. You're the number one, Jan.

31:22Stewart Robson:Don't worry.

31:23Don Hutchison:You're the number one

31:24Stewart Robson:Norwegian on this show.

31:28Don Hutchison:but I mean with Spurs it's something the bigger question is I mean why did they play with sneakers I mean that's what works for one first minute they were falling all over the place not only Kinski they were falling all over the place that is one thing and Igor Tudor he comes to a club I follow this career he had an okay decent job then and again but then he comes to Spurs and he managed to kill two goalkeepers in half a day to Vicario now will be insecure going into the Premier League relegation battle. Then he kills Kinski. And after 17 minutes, you think, oh, I'm going to kill him again. So this is a lot of things going on at the same time at Spurs now at the moment.

32:09Don Hutchison:And we can say it's Spurs. It can only happen at Spurs. But wow, there is a lot of things. And I saw that Tudor was talking to Romero and they agreed maybe that we should take him off and all those kind of things. I mean, that was a sad day for football. But hey, grow up. He's 22 years of age. He can play for another 15 years. If this kills him, then if you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen or whatever the saying is.

32:36Craig Burley:Yeah, you got it right there in the end then, Jan. Alex, you were actually at this game and I know you've written about it today. What did you make of the whole situation? Yeah, I mean, the surprising thing for me in terms of the Kinski substitution was the reaction of the crowd. because so often in that kind of situation, you know, players being subbed off early because they've had a mare, you kind of expect the crowd to kind of get stuck in, right? And jeer and kind of ironically, you know, cheer their withdrawal. It wasn't the case. It felt to me the Atletico crowd were genuinely sympathetic to this guy.

33:06Craig Burley:And there was some applause, but there was no kind of irony there. It was, and they sort of whistled, actually, the substitution, almost sort of backing Kinski. And yeah, I was in that post-match presser from Igor Tudor as well. I've got to say, I found his whole kind of discourse and what he said and how he said it just deeply, deeply unimpressive. And it's no surprise to me that he's not connecting with the Spurs dressing room because if that's how he's talking to the players or anything like how he's talking to us, I just don't buy it at all. Like I said, I didn't find it convincing at all.

33:34Craig Burley:So yeah, it was a dreadful night for Spurs, a brilliant night for Atleti. But like I say, what struck me the most from the whole thing was that kind of sympathy from the home crowd for a player who was having an absolute nightmare.

33:45Stewart Robson:But apparently he's taking the press conference tomorrow. Tudo.

33:50Don Hutchison:2 % Sean Dyche

33:52Stewart Robson:Yeah, I mean they're scurrying around looking for an alternative because it just has not worked and as Alex said he's been unimpressive, he's made well, he's made a worse impact than Thomas Frank or anybody else at this moment in time it's a shame really in a sense that Atleti scored five goals and also one of the goals that they scored was a thing of beauty and nobody's really talking about it Old Black makes this great save and then the ball gets launched up in the air somehow I can't remember the mechanics of it, how it all came about. And then we saw one of the most beautiful touches from Antoine Griezmann into Julian Alvarez who takes it 60 yards and finishes.

34:31Stewart Robson:And all those sort of things have been forgotten. And this sort of ugly goalkeeping sort of performance in Tottenham and Igor Tudor was that that goal in particular, when the touch of Antoine Griezmann in the finish of Julian Alvarez, that they're taking a 5-2 lead to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That's a pretty healthy lead to be taken.

34:53Craig Burley:I don't think Alex will be in that two-door press conference the next one because he's got a busy weekend ahead.

34:58Stewart Robson:Liverpool, he's playing Liverpool. Good luck at the weekend.

35:01Craig Burley:Where are you off to this weekend for us, Alex? I'll be at the Bernabeu, of course. I'll be at Real Madrid Elche on Saturday. OK, we look forward to that. Craig will be on the coverage for that game as well. Make sure to join us. Oh, the Madrid hater. Real Madrid against Elche. They dropped points against Elche in the reverse fixture this season. Barcelona take on Sevilla on Sunday. Both of these games will be available on ESPN+.

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36:36Craig Burley:Goals prevented is one of the stats here. Don't ask me, Craig, but I do think a minus there, and negative is probably not a good thing on the.76 under Jorgensen.

36:45Stewart Robson:This pops up every now and again. I want to calculate that. Just before we hear from Liam Rossignor, I just want to go over there and somehow, that goals prevented line, I want to boot it out of the start. What does it mean? I have no idea. Right.

37:01Craig Burley:OK, he has no idea. Let's see what Liam Rossignor had to say about his decision on starting Jorgensen for the PSG game after the game.

37:11Gab Marcotti:You know you have a difficult decision with the goalkeepers Do you feel you have one that's at a level To compete in this competition? Yeah, both of them They have different qualities Rob is an outstanding Standing from crosses, an outstanding shot stopper I am trying to Win in the short term And win in the long term as well Philippe has different qualities And one of his qualities Which he showed against Aston Villa One of the reasons we won for one at Aston Villa we were so calm in our possession moments, which we weren't before, not just on Rob, but on the whole team.

37:46Stewart Robson:It's brilliant, isn't it? Well, let me just tell you about Robert Sanchez. He's absolutely brilliant at crosses and shop-stopping, but I'm going to drop him.

37:59Gab Marcotti:What needs to do is play Sanchez and Jürgensen.

38:02Stewart Robson:Well, the good thing is, he doesn't want a number one, so that's fine he hasn't got one he's got two number twos because Robert Sanchez if you think back to it and I said this a long time ago when Robert Sanchez arrived at Chelsea he at the time was number two at Brighton to I think it was Jason Steele at the time before Verbruggen came in so he was a number he was number one for a period but he had lost his place at Brighton and he is right in a sense. He does make some good. He is a decent shot stopper, but he makes a lot of bad decisions. And it seems Jorgensen yesterday is culpable for that as well, because at 2-2, you have to make good decisions.

38:45Stewart Robson:And he made a bad decision and that cost him the third. And then it sort of folded like a pack of cars. Who are you picking Xhaka out of those two?

38:54Gab Marcotti:I understand the decision to play Jorgensen. If you want to do that, you want to pass the ball out of the back, that's your strategy against PSG. The thing I have, and I can't help but think, is you say to Jürgen, listen, we're passing the ball out of the back no matter what. And as a result, every single time he gets it, that's what he tries to do, that's his strength. But then there are moments, you have to give the goalkeepers that permission. Just move along.

39:23Stewart Robson:Goals prevented.

39:25Gab Marcotti:Jesus. Somebody will explain that to us at some point. Unless you turn around and put any balls into the back of your net.

39:32Stewart Robson:Surely every save is a goal prevented. What the hell is this all about?

39:36Gab Marcotti:But he's got less errors leading to a goal, but he's prevented negative goals. I don't know.

39:42Craig Burley:Shaq, you're the one who's supposed to be able to explain these things. I can't explain that.

39:47Gab Marcotti:Negative goals prevented, that means you score in them. That means you scored a couple.

39:51Stewart Robson:Shaq, I've finally worked out why I don't normally do Thursdays. and

39:56Gab Marcotti:you just wait

39:57Stewart Robson:we already just started it's not the Europa League or the glamorous Europa Conference it's goalkeepers

40:04Craig Burley:there's a whole lot of goalkeepers

40:07Gab Marcotti:I'm up to here with goalkeepers let me finish my thought then on Jürgensen right you've got to give them authority just to go along from time to time and let them understand and read the game because my issue with Jürgensen and the mistake in the game against PSG is the timing of it. You're 2-2, you come back from behind twice, you're away to PSG, just kill the game for a minute.

40:34Stewart Robson:So why doesn't he? I just... But you're saying the manager told him, can't I go, well, I know the answer to this, because most of them can't think for themselves. Well, let me just,

40:43Gab Marcotti:if that were me, I'm going long. Yes. Go long. And then take me... And just kill the atmosphere in the game. And if Liam Rossini says to you after the game, why didn't you say, because it wasn't the right decision? Exactly. And don't get me wrong, managers do ask that of you, of the goalkeeper. Why did he do this? And you just think, because I didn't think that's what the game called for at that moment.

41:05Craig Burley:Jan?

41:09Don Hutchison:We discuss goalkeepers and somehow, I mean, at one hand, I'm not saying Xhaka because Xhaka is my friend. I love Xhaka. But all goalkeepers, when they talk, sometimes they say they want to be footballers. So they say, no, forget us. We're not playing 4-4-2. We're playing 1-4-4-2. We need to be on the pitch as well. And then when it comes to mistakes or think by themselves or have two, oh, whoa, danger, danger. There are two players competing for one place. That would make the other one so insecure. Oh, he won't save anything. Remember when Raya came to Arsenal? I mean, it was nearly a strike in London.

41:49Don Hutchison:What do you do? Ramstel is the best one in the world and so on and so on. Why don't we just... Rosseno, I love you. I love that he says, I don't need a number one. I play with the one I need. This is the best goalkeeper I have. This thing that they have to give him 16 games to prove himself. Give any player 16 games to prove themselves. This goalkeeper thing getting totally out of hand. And now they start with goal-prevented PG as well. I mean, yeah, that is a beauty. And, you know, I'm so with Xhaka as well. because sometimes we're talking so much about tactic and the tactic of the coach. But the main thing on a football pitch is the individual tactic.

42:35Don Hutchison:How do you read a game? What do you do when it's 2-0 down, 2-0 up? What do you do when it's 0-0? You're OK with that 0-0. Do you keep the ball? Do you try to flick the ball? Do you try to get a free kick? What do you do? That is individual tactic. And Jürgensen, if he had in his head that, oh, my coach here, you have to play out from the back. When they're running at him, then when they are attacking, when you have to play the ball long, well, that's his mistake. Don't take that on the coach. The last two days have been absolutely concrete proof

43:06Stewart Robson:that the Hislops of this world, the Kinskis of this world, the All Blacks of this world, the Jorgensons, the Sanchez, the Donnarumas, they all stood at the school when they were youngsters and put their hand up and said, I'm the centre forward Mr Headmaster and every one of them was given a pair of gloves and said no you're not get back there Shaq, if we ever needed proof that they wanted to be the outfield player and they couldn't do it it's been this Champions League a couple of days

43:40Craig Burley:You did didn't you?

43:42Stewart Robson:You asked to be up front and you were told no It's really true but carry on

43:46Craig Burley:Someone else who was being really mean to a goalkeeper in this very game was Enzo because you talked about that moment when the pass was intercepted. Well, Henzo was not happy at all with Jürgensen here. And he was remonstrating to his goalkeeper as well. Shaka, what did you make of this?

44:00Gab Marcotti:So I liken this to when, say, two players are attacking goal and one doesn't pass it to the other and everybody's throwing their arms up and remonstrating. Jürgensen knows he's made a mistake. He doesn't need Enzo to point it out. and similarly if we're up at the other end of the pitch two strikers and one throwing his arms up in the air because he didn't get a pass he wanted or he felt he should have gotten I am scathing against that kind of action similarly here I think Enzo is Enzo is trying to make a scene where one really isn't and again from a goalkeeping perspective from my, if that were me if that were an experience to me, I am going so hard at Enzo at that point.

44:52Gab Marcotti:Don't throw your arms up and be making a scene at my expense. I am now charging at you. And let's see how brave you are, all this bravado throwing the ball and remonstrating. Jürgensen doesn't need that. He does not. And I find that incredibly distasteful. A bit weak.

45:14Don Hutchison:How about in the 90s? In the 90s, we would have a fight in the dressing room afterwards. Absolutely, we would. Absolutely, we would. Absolutely.

45:21Gab Marcotti:Absolutely.

45:22Stewart Robson:Do you remember, there's one, if you want to go on YouTube, if you don't, don't. I don't care, whatever. But, I mean, Maka, Steve McManaman and Bruce Grobler, do you remember when it was a Merseyside derby? And Maka must have said something to Grobler. I don't know what happened. Can we get Maka on? Phone him now, he's got no chance of answering.

45:41Craig Burley:Absolutely not.

45:41Stewart Robson:Something went off and Grobler came out. And they were, you know, I don't know if there was a punch thrown, but it was pretty close to it. And that's to Shaq's point. Jorgensen obviously doesn't feel he's got the gravitas within that dressing room to do what he should have done there, which is really get in Enzo Fernandes' face. He said, don't you ever do that to me again. You know what I mean? Because how about when you make a mistake, I can run in seven yards up the field and get in your face. So I think it just shows you where the pecking order is a little bit. But, you know, Enzo Fernandes himself is at times a bit of a distasteful character on the field.

46:17Craig Burley:Yeah, there was a lot of dramatic moments in this game. One of them was between Pedro Neto and a ball boy as well. It's in stoppages here, as you can see. He tries to retrieve the ball quickly for a throw-in. Ball boy appears to hesitate, so he shoves him. He goes backwards into the boards there.

46:33Stewart Robson:I thought we were done with all this ball boy things. I thought we had the multi-ball system on the cones. To save this...

46:41Craig Burley:He's under investigation.

46:43Stewart Robson:We have this multi-ball system now in most countries where you have these cones around the perimeter of the field with a few yards, and the ball girls, the job is to quickly go and put the ball on the cone and move. And that is to stop... And whether they didn't have time to do that, I don't know. That is to stop this scenario. If you remember Bernd Leno at Bournemouth, and there have been many other incidents with youngsters. However, multi-ball system or not, and I get the frustration as a player, I understand, but you can't go shoving youngsters around on the side of the field. You just can't do that.

47:23Don Hutchison:Jan? But I'm just wondering, I mean, we're probably going to discuss more dives today. Did the ball boy dive? Because the reason I ask is because I know it's politically correct and Craig is the nice one. I can hear that. But Jan, have you heard the young friends? No, listen, listen. Go on, go on. I was just, when I saw that straight away, I mean, if he's injured a boy, fair enough, but there's a lot of ball boy holding around and to do what the player did, don't do that. Of course not. But remember what Di Canio did with the referee back in the days when he played for Sheffield Wednesday and the referee was diving.

48:00Don Hutchison:I mean, now, and if we now have a football player, if we have a ball boy diving as well.

48:04Craig Burley:He might sell it afterwards, but he gets pushed backwards. He could have to dive backwards like that. He couldn't stay on his feet there, could he?

48:11Don Hutchison:No, but was he injured? Was he injured? Yeah, but you can't push. You can't push youngsters over. Craig, I know you're the kind guy of us. Don't try to be evil. I'm just saying that there's a lot of things going on. I'm 100 % sure. Of course you shouldn't push him out. I'm just wondering when all that thing was going. Because you know the ball boys are told to delay the game, don't give the balls away. I'm not defending any action like that, Craig. I am as kind as you. I'm just saying that would be a new one. Obviously not.

48:42Stewart Robson:You know, if one of us had youngsters, well, we're not kids, but, you know, if that was your youngster at a game... We know that. No, no, no, but listen, this is where you've got to have some responsibilities. If that was one of our youngsters at a game... Absolutely. You would not be happy if somebody's pushing them over. Absolutely. Don't backtrack, Jan. But that's why this multi-ball system, which is, this is just the whole thing, is just bonkers. The bottom line is, you cannot, you cannae, as they say, you cannae push the youngsters.

49:18Craig Burley:And he says he's apologised as well. Leto said that after the fact. Is he OK? Is he OK? Is he OK?

49:25Don Hutchison:Just to update us. Give it up, Jan.

49:27Craig Burley:Don't worry. Is he OK?

49:28Don Hutchison:I just asked. I didn't read anyway.

49:30Craig Burley:I thought you were being facetious. No, no, no. He has. He has. He has been for the league.

49:35Stewart Robson:He's got his tongue in cheek.

49:36Craig Burley:OK, so while you're in this mood, it's a perfect time, Jan, to bring up Florian Wurz. Remember a little bit earlier in the season when you were telling everybody, I told you so, as if he's come good now and that's it. And now he's brilliant and he's the player that he was in the Bundesliga and now in the Premier League. Well, Craig was talking about him this week and I don't think he quite agrees with you.

49:57Stewart Robson:You got a clip? We might have a clip.

50:00Craig Burley:We don't.

50:00Don Hutchison:No, very unprofessional. Hold on. Craig likes to push young kids around at Liverpool.

50:07Stewart Robson:No, no, no. Jan, this is like a back-page headline where the journalist has done all the groundwork and the sub-editor has put this headline on that's nothing to do with the story itself. Stevie and I were talking about Liverpool's poor performance away in Istanbul against Galatasaray and we were discussing Florian Verts' soft finishes in the game the couple of chances that he had that weren't very good. We're also discussing his ineffectiveness in the game and we also discussed the fact that Arne Slott played him on the left when I don't think that's his preferred position. Now, I think it's fair to say he is definitely not the only one but it just looks like, I don't know, it looks like this moment in time is this Liverpool move for him is going to be tough.

50:57Stewart Robson:That's how it looks to me.

51:00Don Hutchison:well I agree based on the Istanbul game and against Galatasaray and the two chances he had I mean if you pick one Liverpool player that you want to be in that situation to get that ball in the goal you'd have chosen him because he's normally very brilliant there what I see what I saw in Istanbul no he's not I saw a kid in Istanbul without confidence I mean that's what I saw there's different reasons for that He had a period where he looked better, much better. I think that in the long term, this will be a very, very good signing for them. But at the moment, as for different players, we talked about Haaland.

51:39Don Hutchison:At this moment, they are not at their best. And Florent is definitely one of them. I thought that at that time, when I thought he was back, when he had two or three very good games, this will make him even more confident. But I didn't see a confident player in Istanbul. So on that, I agree. but I think in the long term he will be very good for Liverpool. Do you think, I'm just going to ask this,

52:01Stewart Robson:do you think, because Anneli Slott, there's no doubt he's under pressure, Jan, they may not get Champions League football next year, I don't know what the scenario is going to be for him at the end of the season, but clearly he's not on solid ground. He can't be if they don't get in the Champions League, and that's a big question mark at this moment in time. And they're not going to win the Champions League, let's be frank about it, not the way they're defending. Do you think if Liverpool decide to move on and it is somebody like Xabi Alonso coming in that we could see a different Florian Vercs because Alonso knows him so well from Leverkusen, he did such a great job for him.

52:37Stewart Robson:Do you think it could take that kind of evolution to get the best out of the young lad?

52:43Don Hutchison:Well, it's a good point with Xabi Alonso because the two of them are father and son at Leverkusen and had so much success there. I mean, what I say from Liverpool is that They will kind of stay with slot and they will keep on coaching there or be the boss also for the next season. But I don't think that is the main problem. I don't think the main problem for Florian Witts is slot. I think there is a lot of thing going into that. We sometimes underestimate this thing coming from more or less from your mom and dad's house, coming to Liverpool. Big price tag. We always say these are machines. They're going in there.

53:20Don Hutchison:These are human beings, fragile human beings, going to another country doing his stuff. So could a new coach make him better? I'm not sure that is the main problem, Craig, to be honest. But in terms of Xabi Alonso, of course, if you get your, not the guy who found you, but the guy who had so much success, of course that would be good for him. But I don't think Anus Lott is Florent Witt's problem.

53:45Stewart Robson:To be honest, I said this at the top, Liverpool's issues throughout the team are multiple. It's not the fact that Florian Verts is up and down. Mo Salah has been dreadful. Dreadful since he came back. And before he left for the African Cup, Ibrahim Kanati. Van Dijk's not been great, but Kanati's been abysmal. Abysmal. I mean, it's like the midfield, McAllister, World Cup winner. He never gives the ball away. Never. He's so tidy on the ball, he can't find a red jersey at the moment. So, you know, sometimes we focus on Florian Verts. You look at the Alexander Rezac sign and it's been injuries and all sorts, but there's been so many issues with this Liverpool side.

54:30Stewart Robson:There's no doubt Florian Verts is short of confidence, but if you think that's the only problem at Liverpool, In fact, I think it's one of Arnish Lott's least problems when you look at some of the other positions in the team, starting with the little Egyptian on the right-hand side, who I think is going to have to be dropped sooner rather than later. And maybe get Florian Virts in this. We keep talking about it. Can he play Florian Virts in number 10 and get him floating around, get him doing this, that? And he never seems to do it. He does it now and again and he's back in the left, he's on the bench.

55:01Stewart Robson:So it's all a little bit frustrating at the moment.

55:03Craig Burley:Speaking of frustrating, let's take it to his former team, Leverkusen, who were up against Arsenal. It looked as though they were going to get that 1-0 victory, but for this late penalty that went Arsenal's way, Noni Maduweke earning that penalty.

55:20Stewart Robson:The ref gave it, didn't they? Yes. And VAR didn't get involved because there was minimal contact, so they didn't want to get involved.

55:28Craig Burley:No. So, there was protest from the players as well. And let's see what Kasper Hulman had to say about it. The Leverkusen coach, he said that was never a penalty. There was almost no contact at all. Madueke himself said, I don't really know what happened. I just know I felt contact went down and penalty. The debate is whether there was enough contact here than I suppose. Jan, how did you see it?

55:53Gab Marcotti:Wait, you know, Jan. Give me bars, Jan just said.

56:00Don Hutchison:No, but I would say that it was a penalty and it was a clear dive. And I will explain that. Because straight away, I thought it was not even close to be a penalty. Then I saw it in slow motion. I saw that Tillman kind of touched him a bit. But after that, it was a clear dive from Madueke. The referee gave it. And as it was said here, I mean, VAR didn't feel that that was enough to take that away. But that was a very, very soft thing. But I have to say also, Kasmar Ullman is the first witness of the defence. And he just said it was just a big touch. I mean, that is enough to give a penalty.

56:44Craig Burley:Yeah, there we go. How do you see it, Shaz? I thought it was a penalty.

56:47Gab Marcotti:Malik Tillman catches him with his upper body. as he's sliding. He makes a play for the ball, doesn't touch the ball, doesn't touch the ball, doesn't touch the man with his leg, but in his follow-through, catches Madweke with his upper chest as he's going on. And Madweke is not unique at all in that regard. You get contact, you go down. He was on the ground. Who? Who was the player? Malik Tillman. Malik Tillman. He slides in and catches him with his chest. Catches his ankle with his chest. Oh, catches the ankle. I was wondering how he could catch him with his chest. No, catches his ankle with his chest as he slides in.

57:24Gab Marcotti:Back to goalkeepers. And from the time Madriker gets free contact, like any other striker in the world, they go down.

57:31Craig Burley:One thing Jan has definitely been right on this season is Bodo Glimp saying that it's not just a fan.

57:36Stewart Robson:Are you suggesting Jan's been wrong a lot?

57:40Craig Burley:Just in the show, I've got a few examples.

57:43Stewart Robson:Isn't that a great story?

57:44Craig Burley:It is amazing. Look at this. 2026, all of these wins. The Cinderella story continues, Jan. and they seem to be the giant slayers as well. They just keep going.

57:54Don Hutchison:And there was a big difference last night. First of all, I managed to make my wife look football with me. So that was a breaking point for me that I managed to see the game. But there was something about the performance yesterday that kind of took them to a new step for me because they were just so convincingly better in sporting. They were just dominant. They just went out there, put their chest out. and after the game when they kind of took their round and celebrated with their fans and there was like there was something in their face saying well we knew this will happen we knew we were going to win a lot of the games this season they played on City and played on Inter's weaknesses so on but this time it was just convincingly yes Sporting had some chances and they were efficient to some of the things that Boruglund did but I think that this game I mean we will talk a lot about Atletico Madrid away two times winning against Inter and so on, and Manchester City at home.

58:50Don Hutchison:But this game, they just came out there and just showed the world how good they were. And just with this self-confidence, I was a bit afraid of this game because I thought that when they played... I mean, this is not the class of Inter. This is not the class of Manchester City. But they still just managed to roll them over.

59:07Craig Burley:The big question, though, is whether Bodo Glimt have made it into Xhaka's power rankings and where.

59:14Gab Marcotti:He doesn't even know. That's an easy question. He doesn't even know. That's an easy question to answer. Of course they're in. Bode Gleimt up one into five. Bayern Munich, I think are playing the best football Europe bar none right now. I moved Barca just ahead of Arsenal. Barca who were poor at Newcastle. But yeah, but Arsenal weren't great on the road themselves. Real are in, I just thought that that results...

59:39Craig Burley:The beast has awoken.

59:41Gab Marcotti:The beast has awoken and gone straight to number four. I thought of the Champions League week, that certainly was the big performance, the biggest of the results. Bodo Glimp continued to amaze, as we've just spoken about. PSG, who lost to Monaco in the league, but then responded with that result against Chelsea. So they're down to Atletico Madrid, just dismantling Spurs. Galatasaray, a little bit unlucky not to be further ahead against Liverpool. pool. Porto in Milan after winning the Milan derby. They get honourable mention. Porto, top in Portugal, still going well in Europa League.

1:00:24Craig Burley:Craig, on a Thursday, you get the power rankings. That's one of the best bits about Thursday. He loves Thursdays. You should come off Thursdays, to be honest.

1:00:33Don Hutchison:Bishaka, just a question. And I just do that. I mean, that's one of the better rankings I've seen you do. I've seen you maybe have changed it during the day, but that's another thing. Changed it during the day, didn't it five minutes before we came on air? The power ranking, I mean, how can Bordeaux not be further up? Please give me an answer on that. They won five games in the Champions League, games in a row.

1:01:00Gab Marcotti:I'm part elitist and... That would involve thinking.

1:01:08Gab Marcotti:they've been outstanding champions of the league there's no question about it still going well domestically there is no league in Norway there is no league in Norway they're still going well domestically

1:01:18Stewart Robson:even though they're not playing at the moment they beat Molder the other day

1:01:21Don Hutchison:they are playing yeah in a cup game there you go domestically these three guys

1:01:28Craig Burley:will be answering your questions in the latest edition of Extra Time be sure to check out Extra Time every single day on YouTube if you want to. You don't have to, but you can.

1:01:37Gab Marcotti:Yeah, go on then. Rich Eisen here. The tax deadline will be here before you know it. And you just want to know your taxes are actually being handled. But the old way? You hand everything off and then silence. Days pass. Weeks pass. You start wondering, should I send another follow-up email? It feels like you're chasing updates and getting nowhere. But now, taxes are different because your taxes are done for you by a TurboTax full-service expert. With Intuit TurboTax, you can match with your dedicated tax expert and hand off everything right in the app. And while your expert checks for every deduction, you'll see real-time updates on your phone so you always know exactly where things stand.

1:02:20Gab Marcotti:Suddenly, you're not refreshing your inbox. You're going for a run, grabbing a coffee, scrolling anything other than a just-checking-in message because your TurboTax expert is handling it and keeping you in the loop. So this tax season, get your best possible outcome and every dollar you deserve without the guesswork. Visit TurboTax.com today to learn more. Real-time updates only in iOS mobile app, only available with TurboTax full-service experts.

1:02:47Craig Burley:If you run a home service business, you're probably wondering if your current software is ready to handle that next phase of growth. You're working hard to bring in more revenue, stay on top of marketing, payroll, projects, and more, all while keeping your customers happy. but your software isn't cutting it. If that's the case, it's time to upgrade to Service Titan, the all-in-one solution that scales with you. Find out how the most successful home service contractors are growing today. Visit servicetitan.com to learn more. That's servicetitan.com. Jan is also getting in on the power ranking action today.

1:03:22Craig Burley:You put together the five top Champions League goals of the week. Jan, over to you.

1:03:28Don Hutchison:Yes, and we'll start. We start at the fifth position and we start in Bordeaux because we need that Norwegian in anyway. Jens Petter Haug has been fantastic in the Champions League for Kasper Hög. This was the Dane who could never score a goal and now come Champions League, he's scoring for fun. And he got the three in the number four, Olysee. When did he turn into be Arjen Robben? Look at this. This is his first goal of the night, exactly like Robben. and later in the game, oops, he did it again and he made two goals exactly like Arjen Robben and he's number four. Number three, Barcola, look at this goal.

1:04:07Don Hutchison:I mean, everything is in there. After 10 minutes, this is a 1-0, very important goal for PSG and they were back in the top of the Champions League and we can talk more about that later. And then Dembélé, talking about when the goings get tough, the tough gets going. getting close to the Champions League final and Dembélé look at this I mean he's brilliant and as you see it's not only Real Madrid who now feels that the road to Budapest right it's got to be atlete at number one it's got to be it's got to be it's got to be Valverde because this goal got everything it got It's got balance, it's got technique, it's got energy, it's got finis, if that is an English word.

1:04:56Don Hutchison:I mean, Valverde is my number one hat-trick in 22 minutes against, yes, he did it again in defence of Manchester City.

1:05:03Stewart Robson:You didn't see the Julian Alvarez goal with a beautiful touch from this one. How can this not be in it? Let me tell you something.

1:05:10Gab Marcotti:What's this? Jan, what's this? What's this? I'm going to pronounce this word like Jan from now on. Fantastic finis.

1:05:17Stewart Robson:I mean, look at the touch in the finish, Jan.

1:05:21Don Hutchison:He had a touch.

1:05:22Gab Marcotti:Touch of the night, touch of the night, touch of the night.

1:05:25Don Hutchison:Didn't make it into my goal ranking, unfortunately. He put some in the region in there. Better luck next time, better luck next time. You're playing Tottenham again, so you'll have the chance again.

1:05:36Stewart Robson:And that's why this man next to me has been on the power rankings for about 20 years. Because it's not easy. Bad influence. Jan could take it over. Jan, did you know Favors there?

1:05:49Craig Burley:Yeah. Let's just say that. All right, stick around. Extra time is coming up next, and these three guys will be answering your questions. Thanks for being with us on ESPN FC.

1:06:02Craig Burley:Welcome in to the latest edition of Extra Time. First question, how do you say finesse in Norwegian, Jan?

1:06:11Don Hutchison:Finesse. Is that an English word called finesse? Finesse. Finesse.

1:06:15Craig Burley:But now it's finis.

1:06:17Gab Marcotti:Yeah, finis. Finis. I'm lost. He said finis. He said finis.

1:06:25Craig Burley:I'll offer up a very difficult time. You were right there, though. I loved it, yeah.

1:06:30Gab Marcotti:I've seen that from now on forever. Switched off by that point.

1:06:33Craig Burley:All right.

1:06:34Gab Marcotti:For Mr.

1:06:34Craig Burley:Hislop, what do you think happened to Donnarumma on Real Madrid's first goal that made him not try to deflect the ball?

1:06:41Stewart Robson:He shot his eyes.

1:06:42Gab Marcotti:I think he thought he was outside the ball. Well, he's got eyes, hasn't he?

1:06:48Stewart Robson:There's white lines.

1:06:49Craig Burley:We left out one goalkeeper in the main show, so here he is at extra time.

1:06:53Gab Marcotti:Got a rumour slower than he thought he was. He's like, oh, I'm going to be outside the box here and then realise he's still 10 yards inside.

1:06:59Don Hutchison:I don't feel for Xhaka Hislop. I mean, I love my football history and I've checked everything. This is the worst week in the history of football of goalkeepers. I mean, terrible performance. And you're ending up with one of the best goalkeepers in the world telling me he's blind and couldn't see a wide line. OK, well done.

1:07:18Stewart Robson:It's been a tough week. It has been a tough week. It was a strange one. I mean, that goal really wasn't his fault, but that decision was a bit of... Yeah, yeah. And he's been brilliant for City, hasn't he? Without a doubt. And it was a goalkeeper. And this is why goalkeepers drive you nuts. There was a goalkeeper doing the co-coms and he never even mentioned that on the commentary.

1:07:37Craig Burley:Protection.

1:07:39Gab Marcotti:I don't see anything wrong with it myself.

1:07:40Don Hutchison:I saw Joe Hart said as well, instead of talking about the goalkeeper he said I spoke to Donnarumma and I'm nearly crying he say we will beat him at Etihad okay thank you

1:07:51Stewart Robson:I heard a great one it might have been Johar I don't know he said somebody said anyway it's a great line he said Donnarumma Donnarumma thought he was outside the box which and he was he was scared he'd given a penalty away oh That was no Joe Hart. That was no Joe Hart. Somebody was. He was outside the box and he was scared of giving a pair of... Can't give a pair of... Outside the box. Jan. Maybe he was scared of getting sent off. Tough league.

1:08:24Craig Burley:Can you explain, Jan, why Haaland always performs poorly against Real Madrid? Every weekend, we see good La Liga strikers such as Borja Iglesias, Burimi and Mauricio Solor do very well against Madrid. But the best striker in the world, there's that term again, always struggles.

1:08:41Don Hutchison:He's had a stats against Real Madrid. Games, so he's... Versus Real Madrid and versus other teams. Oh, what a terrible, terrible... Only three goals in seven games. Wow. Almost a goal every time. Sad, sad man. He had got to retire. I mean, I don't get that. And it's that Rudiger got him in his pocket. I mean, Rudiger is sometimes a bit too mad, but they love a duel, as he did against Bern at Etihad the other day. but is it three in seven games? Is that the worst stats you can find?

1:09:14Craig Burley:Okay, it's only the second time in 57 Champions League matches that he's failed to record a single shot.

1:09:22Don Hutchison:Yeah, so now we're starting on a new chapter. We're taking away from Real Madrid now. Okay, so yeah, he wasn't good at Santiago Bernabeu, absolutely. But if his stat is so bad that he's only scored three in seven games against Real Madrid, wow, he got to retire. No confidence there.

1:09:39Craig Burley:So by those stats, he's due a goal in the return. Yeah, that's true.

1:09:42Don Hutchison:Stats don't really work.

1:09:46Gab Marcotti:There's one stat.

1:09:47Stewart Robson:I mean, it was a difficult night for him. And it was a difficult night for a few of them. And it's difficult to comprehend only getting 10 touches in a game. But, you know, that sometimes is how it is. But let's be frank about it. It's not because of Erling Haaland that sat here in a pickle in the second leg, is it? he was quiet but when you've got Doku having a million touches and all the other stuff it's

1:10:17Don Hutchison:and another just small point and we talked about this before even when he was at Dortmund and we were sitting here discussing that I don't think Erling Haaland likes to have a partner up front around him he likes to have his space that's his strength to create spaces and run into them and if he creates a space and, oh, hello, Marmoush, are you in my space? I don't think he loves that.

1:10:40Craig Burley:Craig, can one claim that the only reason Arteta has been pretty conservative in big games is because he hasn't been able to deliver any silverware so far? Do you think he'll set his team up to be more fluid once he wins a trophy, or will he double down on that approach?

1:10:59Stewart Robson:I don't necessarily think this is the approach. I think there is definitely a mindset going around Arsenal that they're in the driving seat and from a player's perspective they don't want to screw it up and sometimes when that happens and I've been in that luckily I mean I've been in that scenario when I was at Celtic going for a title that they hadn't won for a long time. And you do get apprehensive. You do maybe get a little conservative because you're trying to get over the line. People just think you go out there and, you know, 100 passes and score five goals and it's easy. It's not. It's not easy to get over the line.

1:11:52Stewart Robson:And I think there is a big part of that within the Arsenal side at the moment. Now, are a lot of people fed up about the set pieces and all this? Yeah, I think they are. But they've used it well in their armoury. But I don't think it's necessarily Arteta saying do this and play. But I do think it's sometimes a player mentality. They're in a scenario now where if they throw this away, I'm talking about the Premier League in particular, which I don't think they will. But if they throw this away somehow, they're going to get absolutely smashed. So I think there is a little bit of that about the performances, a bit of trepidation, a bit of worry, and being a little bit more conservative as you get into the last, what, three months of the season, which is ultimately the business end.

1:12:40Stewart Robson:You can't expect a team that hasn't won the league for 22 years to be playing like the Harlem Globetrotters in the final 12 games of the season. I mean, it's not going to happen.

1:12:49Gab Marcotti:I think there's also an aspect to this, and listen, we've spoken about their style all season long, But at this stage of the season, with the lead you've got, you've got to defend that. And right now, I can criticize Arsenal for their style, for their reliance on set pieces, but know full well that I in that dressing, that's exactly how we should be playing, particularly at this stage of the season. If you're 2-0 up with 10 minutes to go, you don't throw five men bombing forward in a game. It's just nuts. So for Arsenal, at this point of the season, you've got to protect the lead that you have, see the season out and I firmly believe you win that silverware I think Arsenal their style progresses if they don't and I said this three or four weeks ago if Arsenal win four titles in the next six or seven years and are still playing this week still relying on said pieces then I think you have a real reason to question Arteta

1:13:44Don Hutchison:but I think sometimes we criticise Arsenal wrongly because they've taken advantage of the tools they're having Now it's all about getting over the line. And I think it's in the human nature that when we defend something, we go in defence mood somehow. I mean, the best team of the world, they play without fear. But they have that in common that they have won so many titles. So to this good question is that I think as well, and Xhaka is also alluding to, I think that if they win this title, I think that will thing will open up. I don't think Arteta goes on to the pitch, just be careful, just be careful.

1:14:22Don Hutchison:That's just in a human nature. When you're so close, you just want to make sure that you push yourself over the line. And a great winner, the great tennis player from Sweden, Bjorn Borg, he said when he had a match ball against him, he played full risk. He played all in. I mean, that is what winners do, but we can't all be like that. Human nature is to defend and try to just get away with it. And at least when it's 11, 12 games left of the season.

1:14:50Stewart Robson:It's weird, isn't it? I don't want to be too long now because it's Thursday. But it's weird because it's not really been over-criticised at the most successful club in the world, is it? Real Madrid. I mean, quite often Real Madrid, when they've won trophies, they've sat in. They haven't played the best football. Look at the Champions League in Paris two or three years ago against Liverpool. They got battered. Won the game 1-0. look at Mourinho he's entering Milan against Bayern Munich Champions League final got battered won the game narrowly did what they had to do teams like Real Madrid have been doing this for years not always sometimes they've had Galacticos they've played some great stuff but their mantra has been we don't need the ball necessarily we just need to be at the right moment and it's worked for them and I think there is a little bit of that about Arsenal but there seems to be this mantra at the moment particularly in England that Arsenal have to play this football that everybody else wants.

1:15:49Stewart Robson:But that's not the case, because they have to do what they need to do for their fans, not what every other fan wants. And I've had this sort of discussion with somebody. I said, it's about time the fans of the other team, the other teams in the Premier League, that are moaning and groaning about Arsenal's style, why don't they look in the mirror and say, why are we in a relegation battle? Why are we not challenging Arsenal for the league? Why are we mid-table? They should all be looking at themselves saying, why are we not better? Rather than looking at Arsenal, the supporters this is, looking at Arsenal and going, look at them, I don't want to watch Arsenal.

1:16:25Stewart Robson:They're boring at the moment. Meanwhile, their team is not exactly pulling up any roses. So Arsenal, you know, they do what they need to do to get over the line. OK, next question.

1:16:38Don Hutchison:Craig, don't you, no, just want to say there is a spin against Arsenal, especially in England. I mean, they say that all the time now, and that is to attack them. Because as you were saying, Puyol for Barcelona, Ramos for Real Madrid, wow. There were some good defenders in doing what they had to do back in the days with the great teams as well.

1:16:58Craig Burley:Yeah, questions change, so it's the Oscars music of extra time. We're done. With goalkeeping errors having been rather prevalent of late, what was your worst error you've ever committed?

1:17:07Gab Marcotti:Oh, I've spoken all this. Worst error I've made was away to Charlton. I remember because Patrick Berger scored this volley that was incredible and then right at the end of the game I let this one just kind of dribble under me. That was just so poor. I felt to go and apologise to Patrick Berger just for that. That was easy. Don't get upset about it

1:17:37Stewart Robson:No need to elaborate We're getting pushed I know you're sad We're going to be sad somewhere else We brought you back to my sad place You're on Football Americas tonight We're going to be sad over there Jan

1:17:52Craig Burley:Which is more likely Bodo Glimt winning the Champions League Or Norway winning the World Cup

1:17:58Don Hutchison:I think that both things are very likely In Norway At the moment now in Norway we're just discussing who Norway will meet in the final I think that Bordeaux Glimt they will play Arsenal now Arsenal thought they had an easy path to go to Budapest seems that they have to go with a winter wheel on from Borde before they go to Budapest so I would say Bordeaux Glimt I mean it is a boring answer

1:18:27Craig Burley:Alright that's a question what's the most random place someone has recognised you

1:18:33Stewart Robson:I can't recognise Can I stand? Can I stand? When I was in Colombia I got recognised. What do you mean random place?

1:18:39Craig Burley:Just like somewhere there you didn't expect to be recognised. Like a supermarket or a country? Yeah like somewhere where you were like I didn't expect anyone to know who I was.

1:18:44Stewart Robson:But when you're a global superstar like him.

1:18:48Craig Burley:Yeah, so in Colombia you got recognised. I got recognised in Colombia.

1:18:52Gab Marcotti:Say no, it was a Trinidadian. I'm just walking the streets of Colombia as you do. And the Trinidadian was there. Trinidadians everywhere.

1:19:01Craig Burley:I know you guys do get everywhere. Remember when I told you I went to the pool down in Florida? Yeah. There was a Trinidad guy. We're everywhere. Telling me to send his best regards. And then telling me all these things about your career. Yeah.

1:19:12Gab Marcotti:Yeah, we are everywhere. Yeah. I don't know.

1:19:14Don Hutchison:Jan? It was that. I won't say country, but I think the funniest situation we had, we went to Vienna with the whole family, and we knew the hotel director in Vienna, and we were staying in the top floor. We had a fantastic room, and somebody knocked at a door. And I was thinking, I went to the door. There was no one there. And we had another door. so I went to that door as well. There was no one there and then there was these guys' windows cleaner in the like 50th floor and they knocked on the window and wanted an autograph and I said, sorry, sorry, sorry, we have to wait.

1:19:47Craig Burley:That's a good one. Anyway, Craig, no supermarket ever? Yeah, yeah. I mean, Craig's a man of boys.

1:19:54Gab Marcotti:Craig's a man of people, you know. Dentist.

1:19:58Craig Burley:Did he ever tell you off for some of your takes?

1:20:01Stewart Robson:I'm not gloating, but I actually have to take a pen out of me these days. Sign autographs.

1:20:05Craig Burley:Signing autographs. Well, look at that. That's all we've got time for. Craig on a Thursday with a Ben call. We'll see you next time on ESPN FC. As you know, managing maintenance, repair, and operations is never easy. But for the ones who always rise to the challenge, Grainger has your back. From professional-grade products you can count on to fast, dependable delivery. They're there to help you keep things running smoothly. Plus, their technical product specialists are here to help answer your toughest questions. And because Grainger knows safety is always a priority, they're committed to being your partner in protecting both your people and your facilities.

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From the publisher

The FC crew look back at the main takeaways for the 1st legs of the UCL Round of 16, including Real Madrid's 3-0 thrashing of Manchester City, can this win kickstart a run of good form for Los Blancos? Plus, the panel discusses Antonín Kinsky's nightmare match against Atlético Madrid, was Igor Tudor right to sub the keeper off after 17 minutes? And, who should start in goal for Chelsea? Plus, a look back at Europa & Conference League action.

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Real Madrid Finding Form?ESPN FC · 1 h 19 min
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