Barca Hit Valencia For Six, Madrid Stay Perfect & Getafe Flying High

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0:33Alan Shearer:But it's not all about sports. Music fans and foodies can get pre-sale ticket access to events like American Express Presents BST Hyde Park and London Restaurant Festival. Do summer differently with Amex. Search American Express to learn more. Preferred Rewards Gold Credit Card representative 85.5 % APR variable. annual fees apply after the first year 18 plus subject to status t's and c's apply somewhere out there is a chevy truck and the person who drives it well that's a chevy person you probably know one your buddy your sister ones who always show up they're the first to rise the last to leave they always have that little extra something and maybe you've got it too Chevrolet, together let's drive Visit chevy.com slash trucks to explore the lineup Coming up on today's show Firmin Lopez finds a way through Barcelona hit Valencia for six As Marcus Rashford gets his first assist A teasing cross and turned in by Rafinha Kylian Mbappe bags a goal and an assist As Real Madrid grind out a gritty win against Real Sociedad.

1:51Alan Shearer:Atletico Madrid get their first win of the season against Villarreal. And Getafe are flying high after cruising past Oviedo to make it three wins from four. Stay tuned for all the action.

2:20Alan Shearer:Hello and welcome to the Rest is Football La Liga with Alex Aljo and me, Gary Lineker. Thank you for the lovely feedback from last week's episode about Lamine Yamal. Hopefully in the future we'll get other chances to take a deep dive into players' career. That's not a dive in the penalty box, obviously. That's a dive in terms of their life and their career. What have you been up to, Alex, since we last spoke? The end of the international break. Less about me, Gary. Congratulations, TV presenter of the year. The NTA is unbelievable. So well-deserved. So happy for you. Oh, very kind. Was it a good night?

3:01Did you expect it?

3:02Alan Shearer:I didn't expect it. No, I expected Anton Dechter in it like everybody else did. But when I heard they weren't there, I thought, well, you never know. And they did seem very keen to get me there. So, yeah, it was lovely. Really nice. Taking a long time. Long time since I got football of the year. So it was nice to get the double. Worth the wait. Worth the wait with three of your boys as well. Yeah, three of the lads were there. Just Harry with better things to do than watch his dad win TV presenter of the year. Absolutely. On his honeymoon. No, congratulations. Luna de miel. Luna de miel, exactly.

3:37And your speech was as well. Very good. Very impressive. Thank you very much. I can't cope with any more praise, Alex.

3:44Alan Shearer:I can't cope with it. Let's talk about some Spanish football. There's only one place to start, and that's with Barcelona's absolute trashing of Valencia in front of just 6 ,000 people. Let's show you the action first. Six goals for your pleasure. Well, Barcelona still in the more intimate surroundings of the Estadi Johan Cruyff, without Laminya Mal, as they look to respond from dropping points for the first time this season. at Reo Vallecano. That is clipped towards Torres, who turns it nicely round the corner. The angle is against Firmin Lopez, but he finds a way through. And Barcelona have their opening goal.

4:33It's worked out to Marcus Rashford. A teasing cross, and turned in by Rafinha. And Barcelona have a bit of breathing space. A goal made in Manchester and converted from close range.

4:52Barcelona have certainly started this second half with purpose. This is Fermin driving into a bit of space and going for goal. And Arigta Balaga couldn't keep it out. He got a good chunk of a palm to it, but that is 3-0 Barcelona.

5:11He's worked over the top towards Rafinha. Plenty of company around him, but he has blasted in a fourth. And Barcelona are romping to victory.

5:25Jules Koundé. Dani Olmo. Lewandowski. It's Robert Lewandowski. You know the rest. and on a night like this he was not to be kept quiet. Danny Olmo just turned into a bit of traffic but it comes towards Lewandowski dinks it in but up goes the flag. Well this one is going to be overturned and Robert Lewandowski has his second and Barcelona have their sixth.

5:57Alan Shearer:Well that was a thumping victory for Barcelona. Five goals in the second half. they played in the I think it's the Estadi Johan Cruyff isn't it? Yeah it certainly is. Which was always where Barcelona B team plays it's right by the camp now I've played in there myself way back when and this the camp now they said they were hoping it would be ready by now. By November 2024 originally but you know how Spain is. It's very much mañana. Exactly I always say to people to sum up how it is in Spain. Here, if you want a job done, they say, give me a minute, give two seconds. In Spain, it's always manana, manana, you know, which I do like in a way that how chilled and relaxed they are.

6:41But when it comes to actually wanting to play at the Camp Nou again, it must be pretty frustrating for those Barcelona players. And you know why they couldn't play at the Olympic Stadium where they played last season? Because Post Malone had a concert there. so he got priority so Barcelona played in front of 6 ,000 as you say at the training ground where the B team play but they played very well

7:04Alan Shearer:I suspect the problem might have been that they didn't pre-book the Olympic stadium because they thought their own stadium would be ready so other people have got in first yeah it's a bit odd isn't it Barcelona playing in front of 6 ,000 people but they did seem actually I mean it's a good little atmosphere probably a better atmosphere than you actually get in the Olympic Stadium because the nature of an Olympic Stadium is that it has a running track around it. So the crowd are miles away from the pitch, which I never enjoyed as a player and I don't enjoy particularly as a spectator. Yeah, and I asked the lucky few fans actually got to go.

7:44I asked a friend of mine out there how they sorted it and only season ticket holders were eligible to go into the ballot. you have to have a full season ticket for the last two seasons and at the Olympic Stadium as well. They had until 10 a.m. on Friday to apply. Then there was a draw to see who would receive the tickets. So then 290 tickets were given to Valencia fans. So there were 290 probably pretty depressed Valencia fans in there as well after that terrible performance. And to think what they lost 7-1 last season away at Barcelona. They lost 5-0 in the Copa del Rey and then a 6-0 defeat on Sunday.

8:23does that play on your mind Gary when you're going into games knowing that you normally get hammered at a particular ground or against a particular team I think it does even if it's

8:32Alan Shearer:only subconsciously it has to have some kind of effect I think probably not before the game or it's not like you go oh they beat 6-0 last season because a different season is or 7-1 or whatever it was it's different when you're facing it but then a couple of goals go in and you you might start to think here we go again I think particularly for possibly defenders when they're up against such such talented individuals as the Barcelona team has so yeah yes and no no if in your mind are you thinking about the night before the game about last season's result not at all but I think there's a subconscious thing there and you know it's that whole bogey grounds thing or bogey team thing because you don't really think about it that way but I think there is something in there deep down and mental aspect of football and all sport is it your confidence might not be quite as good as it normally is and that can have a bad effect.

9:34Well speaking of talented individuals Gary no Lamine Jamal which was the massive talking point ahead of the game considering he started both games for Spain during the international break. You don't often see Hansi Flick angry, but he wasn't happy, was he? Because he said they gave him painkillers. So he was able to play over 70 minutes in both matches for Spain. He didn't train during the international break, but he just played both the games. And we were talking about it, weren't we, just before in the Lamin-Yemal special, how they manage his minutes and make sure this doesn't happen. And it's very early in the season for him to be having issues.

10:09Alan Shearer:Absolutely. And that's the one thing you would worry about. And with the national team as well, they're going to be fine. You're not going to not qualify for the World Cup. And they need to be, I would agree with Hansi Flick on this. They need to be a little bit more responsible because he's still a child, really. He's growing into his body and he needs protecting possibly again from himself. I'm sure he would be insistent that he wanted to play because you always want to play, but you don't always know what's best for yourself, particularly when you're relatively inexperienced, which he clearly is.

10:49Alan Shearer:So I would concur totally there with Hansi Flick. And that's probably almost certainly why they left him out and they need to get him right. And I think they might learn lessons. Hansi Flick wasn't there when this happened, but lessons with Pedri. I mean, he's come back brilliantly eventually, but he had a long time out. And he was probably, well, I think definitely overplayed. And I think the same could be true of Lamin-Yumal, but it does seem that the most important person in his development at present, Andy Flick, recognises it. Yeah. And another interesting decision, team selection, Rafinha starting on the bench.

11:31Now, there's a few different things going on here. Some people are saying it's been reported that he turned up late to training. So that was his punishment. It was Ronnie Bardagi starting instead his first start for the club. He was taken off at halftime, struggled a bit and Rafinha was brought on and scored two great goals. but it might just be that Hansi is managing his minutes, know that they have a big game in the Champions League away at Newcastle on Thursday and it was better for Rafinha to rest it and start the game on the bench.

12:05Alan Shearer:Yeah, it makes sense. We'll come on to it shortly but similar sorts of things with Real Madrid as well. He said he's going to be rotating, particularly Carvajal and Trent Alexander-Arna. We'll come to that. But when you've got the amount of talent that perhaps Barcelona have, you can afford to rest your players a little bit. And some players obviously travel further for international breaks than others as well when they come back. So you've got to bear that in mind. And of course, the all-important Champions League that's coming up in a tough game away at Newcastle. So you're absolutely right about that.

12:40Alan Shearer:A first goal involvement, as they're now called, it certainly wasn't a thing when I played for Barcelona back in the day, thankfully because I didn't have too many of those assists but it was a cracking ball from Marcus he started the game and had some nice moments yeah how important is that for him Gary do you think for his confidence getting that first assist contributing I know you say goal involvements weren't a thing when you were playing but they really are now and players are judged on the number of goals number of assists and it was I guess crucial that he got that first assist He'd have liked a goal, but he'll take the assist.

13:18Alan Shearer:Yeah, I think it's very important for Marcus to feel that involvement. I'm sure he's been pretty happy with the way he's performed so far. I thought he did really well on the international break with England. He looked, when he came on, he did really well, got his penalty. So his confidence will be flowing. And I think with Marcus, I think confidence is very important. He'll get more confident when he gets his first goal. that's another goal to get a goal so yeah but I think it will do him the world of good he played over an hour again but clearly Hansi Flick was resting players for big games ahead so yeah big boost for Marcus for that and it was a cracker as well because he cut in hit that kind of bendy crossing whip one into the far post where Rafinha got on the end of it so I think yeah I think it's good signs for Marcus.

14:12Alan Shearer:There was some silly rumours flying around that he's that Barcelona are going to end his loan deal. Did you hear those rumours? I haven't heard that. It was one of those social media little bits of nonsense. I never know what's true anymore. Especially with all this AI, people making things up and I think it's best just to try and ignore things like that until you hear it from a manager or otherwise. I'll tell you what is true. Fermín López is a very good footballer. A very good footballer. Clinical finish for that first goal. But so much talent all over the pitch. I think that was probably their most convincing performance so far.

14:51Well, it definitely was their most convincing performance of the season. And Lewandowski coming on, just absolutely brilliant. What makes him such a good goal scorer, Gary?

15:04Alan Shearer:Well, he gets it. I know that sounds a bit simple, but he knows how to score goals. Goal scoring is about gambling on where the ball will go. And he's as good as any at doing that. People will say, God, he's always in the right place at the right time. He's not actually. He's in the right place all the time. now what I mean by that is when you to score goals you have to imagine where the ball is going to go and then attack that space before the pass is made, before the cross is made and it's just before they strike the pass or cross and then you make your run because if you wait longer to see where the ball is going to go then the defenders do that as well and you're invariably out fought and you You don't have the opportunity.

15:55Alan Shearer:But if you gamble on where you think it might go, say the near post, and you make that run ahead of your defender, the ball goes exactly where you want it. You've got a really good chance to score. And Lewandowski is a master of that. I could give you Thomas Muller was another one that does that particularly well. Harland does it. All the prolific goal scorers gamble on space and attack in that space. and he does it as well as anyone. So most of his goals will be from close range. And he's also obviously a very calm and a very precise finisher as well. That's something else you have to have. You have to be cold, ice cold as a strike.

16:38Alan Shearer:You can't be edgy and nervous and over-emotional, I always think. Where do you think he ranks in terms of best number nines in the world? Where does he rank for you? In his prime, I think he was probably the top number nine in the world. Cristiano adapted to a nine and probably became that slightly ahead of him, obviously, with numbers. Similar, I would say, to Harry Kane. He was scoring the same sort of numbers Harry Kane is now doing in Germany. So he's absolutely one of the very best number nines in the business. No question about that. Shall we move on to Real Madrid, who made it four wins out of four at Anueta, beating Real Sociedad 2-1 with 10 men.

17:24Here's how the action unfolded. Real Madrid are in San Sebastian this evening, looking to preserve their perfect start at a ground they won twice that last season without conceding. Gotti has turned and rather hit that blind and presented an opportunity for Kylian Mbappe. well that is what he does for La Liga games four goals this season with an opportunity presented on a plate for Kylian Mbappe Mbappe just run out of road a little bit there and Sociedad are able to hack it clear Housen tussling with the Alfa Bout it is a foul it is a red card for Dean Housen and Real Madrid will have to play almost an hour with ten

18:17Mbappe all dances away from a challenge Kylian Mbappe for Ardegula it's two and two for the Turk

18:27one of the bubbles into the path of Baronet Shea who gets his cross in Real Madrid still can't get it clear Courtois makes the save but the referee has given a penalty Danny Carvajal is the offender it's Baronet Shea's ball in and yet it just clips the arm of Danny Carvajal Mikel Oyafabal the stutter and scores and Real Sociedad are still in this one

19:05Alan Shearer:They're not free-flowing at the moment, I think it's safe to say. They're fine in their feet, but I think that's true of most sides at present. It's still early in the season. I always think the season really kicks off after the first international break and you start to get a bit more motion in the sides and start to understand what the team is. The new signings start to settle in. But it is an impressive start for Xabi Alonso. He'll be delighted. Four wins from four. I must say Kylian Mbappe is looking exceptionally sharp. He's on another level. He's on another level to every player on the pitch.

19:45He really is. And if you look at his numbers, I know that he was criticised, which is pretty crazy saying that, isn't it? But he was criticised at times last season. They're saying, fine, he's scoring goals, but he's not really helping the team. We're not winning football matches. But this season, you can see he's helping the team so much. His link-up play is so good. His defending's really good. And I know we talk about numbers a lot these days, but his numbers are so good. It's 35 goals in 38 La Liga games, which is not bad, is it, Gary? Not bad.

20:15Alan Shearer:Yeah, it was damn, damn good, I would say. Damn good. I think with Killian, I think he's playing as a number nine now. I mean, he does leak out to the left a bit as well because it's a natural position for him. But he's taken to it like a duck to water. I think he's learnt the role really quickly. He's got immense footballing intelligence. I mean, he's a very smart bloke anyway, whenever you hear him speak. I think he's just so impressive. And it's funny, isn't it? It's not quite happened for him in terms of a Ballon d 'Or as of yet. He would have won it if it, I think, had it not been for obviously Messi and Ronaldo being so dominant in that over so many years.

21:03Alan Shearer:But I think it's only a matter of time. He's all round game as a nine. We talked about Lewandowski, didn't we, briefly earlier and what's it take to be a number nine. But he's got all that and he's got more because Lewandowski is an archetypal number nine. and he's a box player. Whereas Mbappe is so much more than that. He can beat players. He can go past them easily. He's incredibly quick. He's adapted very well to playing up front. I love the way he spins all the time. Tries to get... He will be caught offside occasionally. Doesn't matter. I hear people use that as a criticism. He gets caught offside so often.

21:42Alan Shearer:I'm going, no. It's part of how you score goals because you have to take chances sometimes with an offside. Spin behind them. And sometimes in games, I used to get offside deliberately against teams that will play a high line because they think they're winning over you and they get a little bit lackadaisical on it. So I think it's a really good tactic. And I love the way he's spinning like a natural centre forward. He's finishing as good as pretty much anyone in the game today. So I really enjoy watching him play. He's got a big smile on his face at the moment, hasn't he? Yeah, such a big smile and he deserves to.

22:21And linking up with Ardugula so well as well, they had one goal disallowed, marginal offside, but then he set him up for the second goal, which was obviously a really important goal because controversially, they were down to 10 men. Dean Housen, he was a long way off, but sort of 40 hours out, wasn't he? Running, sprinting side by side with Mikel Oriyazabal. Eder Militao was there as the covering defender. And it was minimal contact. Yes, should he have probably let him run? Was he going to score? Probably not. But still, really harsh. Xabi Alonso said it's a yellow card and they have complained because they don't.

23:01But it was a yellow, wasn't it? That's not a sending off.