What about the Champions League

0:00Luke Moore: A bit of juice of a fixture at the Bernabeu and inexplicably we're doing five minutes on Lloyd Kelly. Welcome to the Football Ramble. It is Thursday 26th February. I'm Pete Donaldson. I'm Luke Moore.

0:10David Cartlidge: And I'm David Cartlidge.

0:24Luke Moore: Oh, it's a three-dad ramble. Unprecedented three-dad ramble. David Carlin is in the house. Hello, David. Welcome back. New Dad David. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I'm good, and I'm less tired than you. I can't believe I'm the only tired person in the room. Luke's had a good night's sleep for the first time in about three years. Luke doesn't let it affect him.

0:44Pete Donaldson: The best ramblers don't let it affect him, guys. Be angry from birth and they'll want to know if you're tired or not.

0:50Luke Moore: That's absolutely fine. I've got a lovely little song for you that I've written. Oh, go on. Baby powder and car lick and poo namis and sleep deprivation and meconiums and drinking in the shower and crying in your sleep. Are you having a nice time, David? And you, Dad?

1:05David Cartlidge: I have cried in my sleep several times.

1:08Pete Donaldson: you always drank in the shower anyway yeah honestly a shower beer one of the best beers

1:13Luke Moore: on holiday ice cold when you're in the shower watching a bit of YouTube on your phone beautiful

1:24Pete Donaldson: YouTube on the phone in the shower

1:26Luke Moore: yeah I watch YouTube I do my MSNBC roundup see what Trump's up to and then just crack on with everything else it's a good start to the day it's a good start to the day well don't look up at the clock

1:38Pete Donaldson: we've been doing two minutes what are you doing don't

1:42Luke Moore: and that's been the football round

1:43Pete Donaldson: for another day oh how's work yeah I just talked about all the stuff I do in the shower and then just chopped off early really

1:49Luke Moore: not everything I do in the shower no well it was a pretty solid evening of Gazprom all told apart from the officiating the denouement to an absolute toxic waste of a fixture came with an expected Real Madrid win Real Madrid a 2-1 on the night against Benfica 3-1 on aggregate I mean it was a interesting sort of start to this particular fixture a banner with the words no to racism was displayed in the stands before kickoff which I think might have been short for no we're actually stuffed with racism actually we're absolutely full no more please a group of real-life supporters were giving Nazi salutes on the telly and also chanting fascist songs outside the stadium I'm not sure that was the tenor of Vinicius Junior's point like, come on guys, let's out-racist these guys.

2:35Pete Donaldson: Don't worry, don't worry. Everyone's, don't worry about it. I'm not really worried about what Prestiani's alleged to have done because I know you guys have got my back.

2:41Luke Moore: Oh, right, yeah, okay, yeah.

2:43Pete Donaldson: Can I also just interject for a very important reason and just say for your own internal records, Gazprom ceased being sponsors of the Champions League in 2022. They're a Russian asset. I know, exactly. They can't be doing, yeah.

2:55Luke Moore: You could do... A Continental still getting involved? Don't believe so. No, I just always think of... Heineken? Heineken? You're a Heine man. I'm a Heidi man. All right, fine. Hannigan's all right. Yeah, Hannigan's a good one. It's a bad rap.

3:07Pete Donaldson: Other options for you, David, would be PepsiCo perhaps or MasterCard or as ever, crypto.com. Just crypto.com.

3:14Luke Moore: Yeah. It's a very nebulous statement, isn't it? Crypto.com.

3:18Pete Donaldson: What are you sponsoring that for? What do you want to get out of that? Crypto.com. Anyway, people doing Nazi salutes in the crowd, that's bad.

3:28Luke Moore: That is bad.

3:29Pete Donaldson: I mean, yeah.

3:30Luke Moore: I mean, we also had a Benfica fan taking a tour of the Bernabeu trophy room, seen holding bananas in front of Real Madrid team photo. It's obviously very difficult as a host of a show, like the Football Ramble, to talk about the football, because we're mainly focused on the Premier League, and we just don't see quite so much of this, I think it's fair to say. But Dave, you're obviously... Yeah, make David do it. Make David do it. I'm doing my shoe like that. Can you defend football, please? Obviously, like a more European-focused journalist, how do you kind of square this circle? Obviously, these countries have a much more overt relationship relationship with the two Fs, fascism and football.

4:03David Cartlidge: Yeah, exactly. Especially Real Madrid as well, given their history. Look, they're not ones, I mean, you're on about the note of racism banner and what have you. Real Madrid are not ones to be in an ivory tower about this. They've got a lot of previous, recent previous as well. La Minha Mal was widely insulted at the Bernabeu. It wasn't just a pocket. And there's been other high-profile incidents as well. And look, them Florentino Perez, Real Madrid president, tried to do something about this. He expelled one of the main ultras groups. he did so but they still congregate outside the stadium they still try to get a bit of pre-match hype and what have you so a lot of those videos outside the stadium will be those fan groups they're not allowed in as a collective in the Bernabeu anymore but they do come in individually I think that's what potentially happened what the cameras have picked up might be an individual from that group so they still managed to filter into the stadium and it's still an ongoing problem at Real Madrid and at other clubs as well

4:54Pete Donaldson: yeah I find the whole thing utterly baffling because you know this is not brand safe stuff, right? And we know that that's not the main point. The point here is people should not be racially abused, of course. But we know what tends to happen. Things only change when the money men start to say, okay, this is not working for us anymore. When sponsors walk away. Exactly. And none of this stuff is brand safe, right? And it's kind of... Gazprom have gone. Well, might be slightly different reasons for that. Slightly different, yeah. Perhaps there's different reasons for that. But so, this is not a good look for anyone and I can't believe, I cannot believe that there aren't some serious conversations being had.

5:31Pete Donaldson: Because if I was a marketing director and my brand was on the advertising holdings when some guy's chucking up a Nazi salute in front of it, you'd be having some pretty firm and frank conversations about what's actually happening in this competition set against the background of what we're not in the first leg. And it happened in MMA the other day. That's Sean Strickland, idiot, who sits there.

5:54Luke Moore: Take the fucking mic away from him. Yeah, I know.

5:55Pete Donaldson: But he's sitting there. talking about all this ridiculous sexist misogynistic in some cases literally everything literally everything he's like what have I done

6:05David Cartlidge: what haven't I done it's a running meme now because he goes here's the thing guys and everybody's like but he's

6:11Pete Donaldson: he's sitting right in front of a massive sponsor logo yeah like it's unbelievable who wants a place to that yeah yeah it's like I think it might have even been crypto.com but anyway the point being the point being that like back in the day this used to matter this is what used to make as unsavory as it sounds this is what used to make this shit matter you know the way that the tipping point would be achieved is if a massive headline sponsor would pull out and go we're not doing this anymore and all of a sudden there's a massive hole in people's finances and then that's the money that's the language that people understand and shit actually happens I thought it was patently ridiculous that Mourinho took Prestiani to the second leg that he travelled with the squad I thought that was really hard I don't know how

6:56Luke Moore: how they managed to get away with it. Bearing in mind,

6:59Pete Donaldson: did they get away with it because they were appealing it at the time? That's it. They appealed it for this game. Yeah.

7:04David Cartlidge: Which was rejected later. So there's no, this is the thing, and this is what Mourinho and this is what Benfica have said. Look, there's no official verdict here yet. So the case is still out. It's still ongoing. But it's that letter of the law kind of like mealy mouth crap.

7:18Pete Donaldson: But his defence was, I wasn't being racist, I was being homophobic, which carries exactly the same sentence anyway. I absolutely love that. What an excuse. He trained the Bernabeu before the game with the team. It's clear they're sending a message there. That's a symbolic gesture, isn't it?

7:34Luke Moore: And a very, if you don't mind me saying, Jose Mourinho gesture as well. That's his kind of siege stuff. He's sunk to even lower depth in the last week or so, hasn't he?

7:42David Cartlidge: It's like the old Limmy video. Double down. Double do and do. Double do. Double do. Just keep on double and do. Yeah, exactly.

7:48Luke Moore: I mean, the match itself was pretty standard stuff. Benfica showed a lot. Real probably missed a bit of creative. Very scruffy opening goal from Benfica. wasn't it

7:56David Cartlidge: it was a kind of comedy of pinball really Real Madrid's full box Trent and Carreras were all over the place Carreras just didn't fancy tracking back Trent was just didn't know where he was playing Trent was doing some good stuff in the 18 yard box though he's moseying around in there yeah exactly so it was a real mess and it did look like Benfico was like

8:17Pete Donaldson: oh they might be in this and it was an interesting experience as a viewer because I after I would generally like particularly after of what happened in the group phase, the table phase. Is it called the group phase still? I don't know. The league phase. Table time. Particularly what happened in table time, in table football, I would have ordinarily loved Benfica to beat Real Madrid in this time. But after the first leg, I wanted Real Madrid to smash him. I was so pleased Vinicius Jr. scored. I did the same. And did the dance as well.

8:46David Cartlidge: I did still want Benfica to win purely because I just love a Real Madrid meltdown. So it's pretty much on par with an Arsenal meltdown in the Premier League. To give you an idea of the levels here.

8:57Pete Donaldson: You don't mind us clipping out a social clip saying David Cutley sides with racist. Go ahead, man. I'm all right. New father. He's a new father as well. Double boon. You've got to think more carefully about these things now, mate. You've got a legacy to protect.

9:10Luke Moore: Yeah, I mean, it was... Vinicius Junior scored his sixth goal in five games. Living well truly being the best revenge, has to be said.

9:18Pete Donaldson: He also said the dance goes on, which I liked.

9:20Luke Moore: That was a very Marcus Speller quote there. I think so, yeah. The dance goes on. The beat goes on. Was that a 90s song? It was. The beat goes on. Probably a bit of that. Beautiful hit from Merchomania as well. But I mean, the goal of the night was Vinny's for me. He just opened his body up and just... Lovely. Nonchalant. Very tight offside ruling on VAR at one point as well. They just seem to be getting micron thin these decisions, aren't they?

9:46David Cartlidge: Yeah, it gets more and more absurd every game. Look, listeners know my view on this shit, so I'm not going to bore them with that.

9:53Luke Moore: and he wants men to hurt each other.

9:57David Cartlidge: So I'm not going to go on about it. But yes, you know, you're totally right. It's getting more and more ridiculous. And we're going to talk about the Juventus game in a minute as well and what happened there. But yeah, it's way for things.

10:06Luke Moore: Yeah, well, the aforementioned Judge Mourinho was reportedly watching the entire game from the team coach in the car park. He was, he had been prepared a radio booth, but he's made the decision to sit on the team bus and watch it on telly.

10:18Pete Donaldson: As a father of a two-year-old, sitting on my own on a nice luxury coach for two hours watching a football match does sound good.

10:26Luke Moore: Just a child-free poo would be nice at this point in my life.

10:31David Cartlidge: Maybe he had Prestiani with him though. Maybe just him and Prestiani around the bus together. I reckon he might have

10:36Pete Donaldson: had Prestiani on his hands and knees he was using him as a footstool. Yes. You're going to be punished. You're going to be punished. There were probably

10:43David Cartlidge: a few Real Madrid fans next to the team just going Gianluca. Yeah. Giving the thumbs up. Mourinho, so I've set far to my what I had left

10:50Pete Donaldson: to my reputation for you. Get down.

10:51Luke Moore: Get down. You can charge the iPod when it runs out of batteries. He's now lost all of his last nine Champions League knockout games. It's been 10 years since his last win. Like you say, a tarnished legacy, one might say.

11:04Pete Donaldson: Yeah, I mean, he'll set fire to everything, won't he? He's a scorched earth kind of guy. So that is fairly interesting. I don't know what clubs... Just asking questions.

11:13Luke Moore: Just asking questions. He's just saying what we're all thinking.

11:15Pete Donaldson: He's just a provocateur. But the profile of clubs he would have been at during that record would have been slightly different.

11:23Luke Moore: Would have been

11:24Pete Donaldson: pretty variable. But ultimately, he's an aging guy, isn't he? So he's not an improving manager. He's a declining force. 100%. But the charisma he has, it'll be interesting actually to see whether, because if he keeps doubling down this Prestiani stuff, because obviously we've got the, if he gets officially found guilty and the punishment comes, there'll be a Benfica response to that. And Benfica have kind of doubled down supporting Prestiani and stuck with their man, you know, they don't seem to have want to have done the right thing. If Mourinho's in the vanguard of that, it will be interesting long term to see if that stops him getting another job.

11:59Pete Donaldson: Yeah. Because he doesn't last anywhere too long.

12:01David Cartlidge: What a hilt to die on, though. Why not die? Say his football had become obsolete, completely obsolete, and they got absolutely hammered in the league or whatever it may be. At least go down with your football. Don't go down with this. Like, what a way to bow out to it.

12:15Luke Moore: And you can say that about the club itself. Do you know what I mean? players come and go but your legacy lasts forever

12:21David Cartlidge: the Eusebio comment I know you guys have discussed is still one of the most extraordinary things I've seen it hurts

12:29Luke Moore: but it's that kind of toxic what about ism that you just see so often nowadays that people panic you're always doing what about that's what I'm doing I'm doing a what about yeah well what about Marcus he's not here Real Madrid will be facing you the Manchester City are sporting in the last 16 in Turin you've drama maxed but were eventually goal-mogged by Giga Chad's Galatasaray I mean

12:54Pete Donaldson: are they Giga Chad? Ozzermen's a bit of a Giga Chad

12:57Luke Moore: he's a Giga Chad he's an old he's an old Giga Chad hand I suppose in many ways a Giga Chad yeah I mean Italian team losing five in a row going into this but a spirited performance Luke wasn't it it was pretty good yeah I mean

13:12Pete Donaldson: it was a really good game I loaded that up the game

13:15Luke Moore: pick of the night wasn't it

13:16Pete Donaldson: I loaded up the game to watch out of the choices that we had after the Atalanta game, which we'll come on to. And it got good because obviously Juventus went 3-0 up, despite the fact they went down to 10 men in one of the most ridiculous red cards I've ever seen in my life. Barely a yellow, definitely not a red. We're going to have to talk about that. We'll have to talk about it. And then obviously they ran out of steam. It looked like they ran out of energy and then there was a cherry on top at the end. But it was a good game. and I thought when Juventus scored the first goal he thought okay let's see what colour Galatasaray's pants are Locker tell his first Champions League goal but then Galatasaray got it done in extra time but the red card my goodness me yeah let's go on

13:58Luke Moore: to the red card so honestly it's outrageous so I can't remember which Galatasaray player he landed on but Lloyd Kelly jumped up for a header at no point did he look at anywhere else other than the ball and where the ball was coming in from and where it was going He lands on the Galatasaray player's ankle, back of his ankle, and he got a straight red. It was upgraded from a yellow card. I don't even think it was a yellow card. I completely agree.

14:26Pete Donaldson: Yeah.

14:26Luke Moore: Absolutely wild.

14:27Pete Donaldson: Not everything has to be a foul. Yeah. And not everything has to be a card. And for it to be extended to that level, because what you're basically doing, it seems like, in that situation, is you are saying, that looked really nasty. You could have snapped his Achilles or something. so therefore it's dangerous and therefore it's a red. But dangerous situations happen without anyone being to blame for them. No one running on your heart will pop. Yeah, exactly. What they seem to be saying is you jumped up in the air there and you came down again and that's not good enough. You do have to jump in the air sometimes.

14:59Pete Donaldson: This stuff has to stop. It's crazy they're doing that. It's absolutely crazy. To do that to a lovely man like Lloyd Kelly as well. Do you know what makes it even crazier is that back in the day if a referee made that decision we could all just sit around and go he's got a different angle of it he's in the cold room he's made a mistake, it happens they go through it over and over again and then go yeah

15:27Luke Moore: Is it because, and I'm not even playing Devers I guess I just do not believe with this point I'm saying, Lloyd Kelly extends his right leg I think, so it looks like he is moving his foot towards I can't even do it it's bullshit absolutely don't justify it

15:46Pete Donaldson: because if you start to try and justify it I'm just trying to think what are they thinking

15:50Luke Moore: where are they getting this from that's the thing

15:54David Cartlidge: you've got to condemn this crap straight away you can't make I'm not trying to go oh I need to see from this angle this is what they no it is absolute rubbish it's a ridiculous decision

16:03Pete Donaldson: and has it contributed to the event that's going out of the Champions League probably because they ran out of steam because they were down to 10 members

16:10Luke Moore: I mean the way that some of their really decent chances that didn't go in obviously they scored a couple of goals quite late but like that yield is stretching that yield is what I don't know how

16:21David Cartlidge: I'm still convinced

16:22Luke Moore: that went in I know it just looks so obvious Sigourg over screwing a pretty simple shot wide when he had the goal he didn't have the goal he had half the goal which is good enough I think for a European Gaspron player in my opinion

16:33Pete Donaldson: also we should obviously point out as well that Juventus did you know in Galatasaray's defence Juventus did concede five goals in the first thing. They've only got themselves to blame. That's not helped them. I don't think if you conceded five in the first thing, it's that easy to go through. But they made a pretty good fist of it. They did. You must put in the tie away in the end.

16:52David Cartlidge: Yeah, they were really impressive. Like you say, it was just tiredness. We did them in the end. I think we'll agree.

16:57Luke Moore: I mean, like, David, it'd be interesting to get your take on Juventus, but they really are modern football taken to its logical sort of extreme. New manager every year. Nobody has a squad to count their own. the last guy couldn't get him scoring Spalletti doesn't have any full backs available he's on a height and nothing would you sign a new contract David? with the football ramble would you sign a new contract with Juventus?

17:20David Cartlidge: no absolutely with the ramble yes absolutely put it on the table put it on the table I'll sign it he's under zero hours no and it's funny they've been heralded this week there's been an Italian football is dead sort of thing because of Bodo Glimp

17:39Pete Donaldson: basically yes yes exactly

17:40David Cartlidge: but Juve is alive and all this but I mean Juve is they're lucky that they've got a rich owner who writes a check at the end of every single season and covers everything otherwise they'd be in the mire like all the other clubs as well so no I don't think it's a good club to be at I don't think it's a good league to be at for a variety of reasons but yeah

17:57Luke Moore: absolutely wild alright well coming after this just a reminder that defensive scorpion kicks aren't a good idea

18:14David Cartlidge: It's yours to go and win Not as ours, yeah Tell me, what do you say In that huddle Right at the end None of your business Cheers, Geoff

18:23Pete Donaldson: None of your business We've had Geoff around for ages We've got Gary Cottrell now Yes You know, so We hardly knew Geoff Did we, really? What's happened to Geoff? We've just binned off, hasn't we? Just been binned off He was an absolute prick, on one of the counts. You think everyone's a prick? Yeah, well, you ask me. Do you want me to say, I think everyone's a prick. It's prick what about or he is what it is. As a plot twist, the only bloke I decide is a good bloke is Jeff Shrees.

18:49David Cartlidge: That seems very likely. No, it's a good point. Did you like him before? Was it the Ivanovich incident that made you fall out with Jeff Shrees? No. Did you dislike him before then?

18:56Pete Donaldson: I hated Jeff Shrees for years. I've been an original player. You have been an OG.

19:00David Cartlidge: Legacy fan. Legacy player, for sure.

19:03Pete Donaldson: The Jeff Shrevevanovich thing was probably one of the best things he did. 100%. Yeah. The other stuff he does is just nasty work. Nasty business. And he got the job because he was Richard Key's estate agent, wasn't he? That's a good point, actually. So there you go. You live by the sword, you die by the sword.

19:18Luke Moore: Welcome back to the football Rumble elsewhere in the Champions League. Atalanta 4, Borussia Dortmund 1, 4-3 on Arrogant. Arrogant? On aggregate there. 4-3 Arrogant score. An Arrogant scoreline. 4-3. Atalanta won a penalty in the 94th minute. I mean, talk us through this Lucky Mo it's an incredible situation

19:37Pete Donaldson: well I'll talk you through it if you like so basically the tie is in the balance and you know the ball comes over into the Borussia Dortmund penalty area pops up in the air and the Borussia Dortmund defender decides Ben Sabanini decides to flick his foot at it behind him I don't think it was a scorpion kick necessarily but he flicks his foot behind him at the same time that the Atalanta forward has put his head down to head it and it's reviewed it's seen as dangerous play because he catches him right on the head and there's blood which never looks good and it's reviewed and he gets sent off and it's a penalty It's a unique sending off I think that's what we need in football Is there any merit in the argument that says high foot slash dangerous play should probably only be used if it's above a certain height because the striker does put his head

20:30David Cartlidge: right down there I was going to say he did duck his head And the Dortmund players were all making that gesture to say his head is down.

20:35Pete Donaldson: I saw Emery Chan was kicking off about that. Yes, yeah. So I'm not saying it was a right or wrong decision. I'm just saying it as a thought experiment. So in the game, in the North London derby on Sunday, there was a period of play where Vicario comes flying out, right, to sweep up the ball. And because he's mad and he's got flippers on his feet and he doesn't like kicking it very much, he dives down and he headers the ball about two feet off the ground, right? And he wins the header and it's clear and it's fine, right? If Victor Giacarez at that point tries to kick the ball and kicks him in the head, what's the decision?

21:09Pete Donaldson: Giacarez gets sent off. Yeah, but what should... Okay, fair. What should be the decision? Oh, right. Don't fucking do that. Yeah, yeah. Don't put your head down there, you idiot. That's where the feet are. It depends. So you pick your poison on this one back at the Antalanta game. You pick your poison, you go, okay, his head was high enough and therefore it was dangerous play, therefore the decision was cracked. Or you say, I mean, he's only throwing a foot at it behind to try and clear the ball, which is basically his job. He doesn't know the striker's putting his head right down there. Yeah, exactly.

21:36Pete Donaldson: So what do you do?

21:37Luke Moore: But then if you're doing something, I don't know, if you're not looking at something. But players are expected in the heat of a moment to do something without seeing your own feet. When I'm playing, I've always got to stare at my feet.

21:50Pete Donaldson: Because the ball gets flicked off the goalkeeper's hand. So it's not as though the defender's necessarily even in the wrong position. He has to react in a way that would be commensurate of being a defender in the penalty area and try and clear the ball or whatever means necessary and that happens. Look, I didn't hate... You charmed me. I agree. I didn't hate the penalty decision. I didn't think it was the worst decision ever or anything like that. I just thought it was interesting to think about because I think if you come flying in with your feet six feet in the air and brain someone, then fine.

22:18Pete Donaldson: But I don't think this was that and I also think the referee was massively influenced by the fact that it brought up blood. There was blood spill.

22:25David Cartlidge: I mean, there was a lot of blood. It was classic WWE attitude. Someone's been blading blood.

22:30Pete Donaldson: As Pete said to me in the pub on Friday quite late on when it was just me and him left, heads do bleed a lot. Yeah, they do. There's a lot of blood in the hell. That was after you'd had a barroom brawl.

22:40David Cartlidge: Do you think it was a penalty? I'm genuinely on the fence. Yeah, fine. And I bet you're surprised because I've usually either got a take. No, I think you've explained it really well, Luke. And my issue is I think we expect too much from players to completely control all their actions. there's just a lot of natural movement in the way and it goes back to the Lloyd Kelly one as well and this one as well like you said the Dortmund player wasn't expected to know that somebody was coming running in behind him ducking their head he can't know that it was very intense at the end as well it was end to end so there's also that taken into account and we just can't we expect so much from players to control every aspect of their bodies and their minds now and that's what worries me

23:19Pete Donaldson: I think that's right it'd be good interest and maybe we could stick a little poll on the YouTube in the comments and see what people think I reckon it'd be a bit of a close one. I would say that Atalanta were brilliant, though, and turned the tie around amazingly well. I know Dortmund have got a tendency to self-immolate, but the turnaround was brilliant. To win it in that dramatic fashion was great football. 97th minute. And the penalty itself was a fucking belter. Oh, stunning. Kissed the crossbar on the way in. Did it actually hit the crossbar? Yeah, a little kiss on the crossbar on the way in.

23:50Luke Moore: I knew it was good, but I just saw that and I was like, stones absolute stones to step up like that

23:57Pete Donaldson: I think the compromise would have been okay you can have a penalty but the geezer who's had his head split open has to take it and he's not allowed to wipe any blood away so it's almost like at the end of Crimson Mask have you seen the film Bloodsport with Jean-Claude Van Damme at the end where he gets the sand throw in his face and he's blinded but because of his training he's still able to win I think it should be like that

24:19Luke Moore: yeah and the ball should have blood all over it as well yeah alright I'm all for this Why do I have like a blood emitting ball? Yeah, it's a good question. As it slams into the back of the onion bag, just spraying blood everywhere.

24:29Pete Donaldson: I almost just said that's a good question. And I realise it's not. It's not a terrible question. And when you kick it, it goes... Every time. Oof. Oh, you bastard. The harder you kick it, the louder it goes. If you felt it, it goes... Yes. And if you just... Top corner, it shouts, I, pappy. Or if it's a lovely little flick on...

24:50Luke Moore: Yeah. It's a...

24:51Pete Donaldson: Ooh. Oh, cheeky.

24:53Luke Moore: Cheeky. Well, yes, Atlanta march on. They're playing either Arsenal or Bayern Munich in the round of 16 now.

25:00Pete Donaldson: So I would love to see Arsenal play Atalanta. I think it would be an interesting challenge.

25:05David Cartlidge: Nice open match, yeah. It would, and I'd like to see Palladino go up at it. I think that'd be a nice little matchup as well. Ivan Uric was replaced. It was a very strange walk. Everybody thinks of Atalanta as this forward-thinking, exciting club, and then they appointed Ivan Uric.

25:20Luke Moore: Well, he's out now. Yeah, exactly. for a bit

25:23David Cartlidge: they did make the decision but yeah they got Paladino's

25:26Pete Donaldson: yeah I forgot about that can I just say I was desperate to see Yurich pop up at Spurs he's the guy he's the guy to save us he's the guy

25:34Luke Moore: well in Paris PSG survived a late scare against Monaco 2 all on the night 5-4 on aggregate Monaco's Mamadou Koulibaly was shown 2 yellow cards in 3 minutes probably wanted to hide after his miss in the first few minutes Koulibaly but his second yellow was just absolutely stolen. Absolutely bought, rather, by Hakimi.

25:55Pete Donaldson: He did leave one on him, didn't he? He kind of went in there a bit late.

25:58Luke Moore: I think Hakimi left it a foot in there.

26:00Pete Donaldson: But in the Champions League, we've talked a lot about decisions today. It varies by yellers. In the Champions League, everything's a yeller like that. Everything like that's a yeller. It's just how it goes. But you could tell

26:11Luke Moore: the way he spun that he was looking for it, in my opinion.

26:13Pete Donaldson: I would have blown it. What? Ashraf Hakimi? Come on.

26:17Luke Moore: Stand-up guy.

26:18David Cartlidge: Hashtag not that time. When you say that about a man like...

26:20Pete Donaldson: I would have loved to see PSG get knocked out. I was hoping for it.

26:25David Cartlidge: Yeah, when Monaco scored, I was like, ooh. Yeah, because they slugged the ball.

26:30Pete Donaldson: They started the first leg so badly and it would have been, they just couldn't close it out. It was disappointing. I don't know how I feel about these kind of teams from the same nation playing each other so early.

26:43David Cartlidge: I don't like it. I'm not a fan of it. I'm not a fan of it. And also, anytime another French team plays PSG, they do just shoot themselves. all the time yeah yeah remember Brest last year

26:52Pete Donaldson: yeah yeah I think they got a big 10-0 in aggregate and they were a good side

26:56David Cartlidge: last year weren't they yeah yeah and there's a lot of times PSG face sides your Marseille's your Monaco's who've come into the game in a good moment and they've just managed to just implode just the mere sight of PSG yeah

27:07Pete Donaldson: no right I am in the as I said earlier before that I didn't actually see much of this going because all the games were at the same time obviously but when I said earlier about I'd love to see Atalanta play Arsenal I'd also love Bodo Glimp to play Man City right okay yeah because again they've got their number because I Chief no no I don't know they've got their number but I do see I'm sure you'd agree with this David maybe you'll cover this later on OTC but they're growing in confidence the teams they're beating it's not a coincidence now they're beating better and better teams and I would just love to see them have another run up at it

27:42David Cartlidge: I'd like to see them play PSG and be PSG that'd be great as well PSG just mourn about the artificial pitch whoever faces Bodo Glimt and maybe only gets a draw or gets beaten by them in Norway they are going to moan about that pitch Can I just say

27:55Pete Donaldson: I don't think there should be an artificial pitch in the Champions League Yeah I'm not sure about that Is that why Man City lost to Bodo Glimt away then do you think last time?

28:06David Cartlidge: No it's not why it's the excuse that they use I brought me Maldives Oh no I think there's no excuse whatsoever if you're a good team and you've got the level of players that Man City have you cannot complain about the pitch. You've got somebody like Ryan Cherky who's an unbelievably technical footballer. You cannot complain about the state of the pitch. But should there be an artificial pitch in the Champions League? There probably shouldn't but I'm not like going I mean there has to be though

28:28Luke Moore: hasn't there?

28:28David Cartlidge: Well because where they are geographically. Yeah so did CSK Moscow used to have one as well? I think so. I'm sure everybody used to complain back in the Wagner Love days. Yeah but I think

28:36Pete Donaldson: that's a nice mention. But I think you can say Summer of Love. If you're in the latter stages of the Champions League I'm pretty sure you could afford to maintain your pitch.

28:44David Cartlidge: That's a brutal glimpse though.

28:45Pete Donaldson: I don't know

28:46David Cartlidge: get one of those 10 ,000 class in the stadium the FA needs to send one of those little

28:50Luke Moore: inflatable pitches to cover the pitch exactly in the FA Cup

28:54Pete Donaldson: exactly I just think it would be great to see them have another run because it's much more difficult to beat the better team across two legs so I just think it would be really interesting

29:03David Cartlidge: I just want to see big clubs get rattled that's all I care about really

29:06Pete Donaldson: and I also think that Galatasaray would give either Liverpool or Spurs a bloody nose as well based on what we've seen because they're just quite chaotic and I think that's probably quite interesting to watch.

29:17Luke Moore: I'm looking forward to the knockout stages. It's going to be really interesting stuff. And yeah, we're going to be reacting live to that Champions League draw over on the YouTube channel this Friday at 12pm. Are you doing it, Dawson? I'm not doing it. No, I'm in Transnitria that day. Oh, are you? You're going to mold over to that, aren't you? Yeah, Marcus and Jim are going to be doing it. 12pm UK time. We're going to be on hand to give you all a lowdown on the round of 16 ties and the destinies of all six Premier League clubs. Get yourself to the Football Rumble YouTube channel right now to subscribe and get involved.

29:44Luke Moore: Maybe give us some abuse under this video if you want. And don't forget to turn on notifications so you're reminded of when we go live. Hi, guys. Hi, we're live. Come see us. Come see us. Friday the 27th, 12 p.m. UK time. The best time. Do not miss it. Yeah, if you're listening

29:58Pete Donaldson: to this in the US, if you're on the East Coast, that's 7 a.m. Perfect little breakfast treat. Wake it up. The first faces you see are Marks and Jim. Can't ask for any more than that.

30:06Luke Moore: Exactly. And you really have to remember that there are other things happening in the Football Ramble slash on the continent. universe. I met Andy Brassel. Our fair weather Brassel.

30:17Pete Donaldson: I'm going to the Forest Game with Brassel tonight. You are going to the... It's disappointing it's already a done deal. So pissed off with the first leg through now. At least Hooters is still open though. Yeah, exactly. Well, David, you might say that I couldn't possibly comment.

30:30Luke Moore: Yeah, father of...

30:31Pete Donaldson: I'm a dad now. I can't do that as well. It's the dad's restaurant. Apparently there's rules. It's a dad's restaurant. If you want to bring this up, David, before the show, I said to you, can I please see a photo of your son? And you took ages and I said, can I see one? And what? And you said, I'm looking to see if Hooters are still opening. So we all know what type of person you are, David.

30:50Luke Moore: David? Yeah.

30:51Pete Donaldson: Outrageous. I'm going with Andy. Andy told me he'd get me a press pass for the Nottingham Forest game.

30:55Luke Moore: Oh, are you going to be giving it the big one with your press pass, your big lanyard?

30:59Pete Donaldson: No, because he couldn't. Right. And I'd have to buy him over 60 quid. Oh, wow. But I'd already paid for the train, so I'll get you a green tea instead. Yeah, exactly. A lovely green tea.

31:08Luke Moore: Yes, well, Andy was at the Parc des Princes for this game, aka the PSG match, and recorded his reaction straight after full time. Just search On The Continent on YouTube or wherever you get your podcast to watch or listen now. What have you got planned for On The Continent today, David? Are you excited? The show that's going to be happening today? Oh, yes.

31:26David Cartlidge: Very highbrow idea. Very, very highbrow. Very, very highbrow. Yeah, yeah. Going to be talking about... Slumming it this morning with you guys. You love it.

31:34Luke Moore: You bloody love it. I do, I do. He's not getting another contract, Lou.

31:37Pete Donaldson: Oh, don't look at me. I don't do the contract.

31:39Luke Moore: I'm on charge.

31:40Pete Donaldson: because I'd be right out of the bloody door. I love having David here. Right. I love having a northeastern person who knows what they're talking about. It's not what you've told me. No, it's right. I'll play you up against each other.

31:50Luke Moore: All right. Well, thank you for listening to the Football Ramble, part of the Aircast Creator Network. We'll be back tomorrow for the preview show. Say goodbye, David. Goodbye, David. You're not having it. I'm not editing that bit out. I don't care. I don't care what you do. Say goodbye. I just want to go home. Go fuck yourself.

32:13Luke Moore: The Football Ramble is a Stack Production and part of the Acast Creator Network.