TRENT AND JULIAN ALVAREZ BACK TO THE PREMIER LEAGUE?

0:01Somewhere 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.

0:28This podcast is brought to you by Carvana. Car shopping shouldn't feel like preparing for a marathon of paperwork. That's why Carvana makes buying and financing your car easy. From start to finish, search thousands of vehicles with great prices. All online, all on your time. And when you're ready, your new car shows up right at your door. It doesn't get better than that. buy your car the easy way on carvana delivery fees may apply so good so good so good spring styles are at nordstrom rack stores now and they're up to 60 off stock up and save on rag and bone made well vince all saints and more of your favorites how did i not know rack has adidas why do we rock for the hottest deal just so many good brands join the nordic club to unlock exclusive of discounts, shop new arrivals first and more.

1:21Plus, buy online and pick up at your favourite rack store for free. Great brands, great prices. That's why you rack. So far, so good under Arbeloa. There's definitely a strong connection there with the players, you can see it. What about the penalty though? What did you make of that? It was an interesting one from Mbappe. I mean, I think it was done with all the best intentions. But for me on the sideline, I thought, oh, thanks for bringing that up again. It's sort of like a tutorial, isn't it? Look, this is how it's done. This is what you could have done. Had you done this, then you went and lost the AFCON final.

1:51So are these rumours strong in Spain? Yeah, this season has not gone how he would have wanted it to go, let's put it that way. Did you see the weather? Oh, it was horrific. I think there's a goal that we need to talk about. Harry's word on the group chat was filthy. Filthy, yeah.

2:13Hello and welcome to the Rest is Football La Liga with Alex Alge and me, Gary Lineker. Where have you been? You're always somewhere Alex. Always somewhere. Never at home. I'm home today. Well you're home today because I can see the dartboard. Exactly, exactly. No, I was in Milan for Inter-Arsenal. Yeah, which is a good game. Tuesday night. Yeah, good game, good game. And then I was at that 3-2 win for Manchester United yesterday. I was at the Emirates. So that was, I was about to say good, not good for Arsenal, but it was a great game to watch. Some brilliant goals in that, but some brilliant goals in La Liga as well, which we're going to be talking about.

2:47I think we should probably start with what was obviously the biggest game of the weekend. Two teams in the top four. Villarreal hosted Real Madrid, who've obviously changed coaches, got an interim till the end of the season. Well, little by little, poco a poco, they seem to be finding their feet under Abelard. And let's have a look at how they beat Villarreal.

3:12Alex Scott:Well, Real Madrid have been in deep water at times so far this season tonight. they face the yellow submarine Villarreal performing beyond expectations so far. That's Arda Gula, Valverde. Gula gets it back and is looking to just dance through a couple of challenges and is denied at the near post by Louis Junior.

3:40Alex Scott:That was a superb slaloming run from the Turk.

3:54Mbappe, this is Junior.

3:57Alex Scott:Papage tried to clear, but not very far. And Kylian Mbappe scores again. Well, Papage, the hero of the Africa Cup of Nations final, couldn't get enough on that block. And Mbappe was there to tap in. Parejo. for Moreno! And Villarreal's captain really should have hit the target there.

4:25Alex Scott:This is Junior from left to right and to Kylian Mbappe to try and have a run at Alfonso Pedraza who brings him down.

4:40Alex Scott:It was just too good from Mbappe. Pedrata lunged in. A chance to score an 11th penalty of the season. Oh, that's how you put Enka. With Brahim Diaz watching on. A cheeky second from Kylian Mbappe. Well, Alex, there wasn't much going on in the first half, but that man, Mbappe, struck again. Yeah, yeah, so good. He scored twice as well, didn't he, against Monaco's former club in the Champions League midweek, which was, I think, the start of a positive shift for Real Madrid. That was a massive win, 6-1. And the players that had been booed in the previous match really showed up. was that Vinny Junior scored twice and assists, Fede Valverde to assist.

5:33So I think they went into this game against Villarreal feeling good. And I think the mood had changed totally. Yeah. Before we actually talk about that particular game, we talked about it, didn't we, last week on the pod, Jude Bellingham, the fact that he, you know, they're starting to talk about his reputation going out too much and he kind of rubbished it and then did the little celebration drink Yeah, I quite like that because it sort of just shows, look, I'm not taking this too seriously. I'm hearing what you guys are saying about me, but it's not true. And I think he was asked about it post-match and he was like, look, I could get lawyers involved.

6:13I could, you know, I could kick off and say it's not true. I could just humor you a bit. I'm just saying, look, it's not true. And I'm going to prove that I'm not in the nightclubs every night drinking gallons because I'm going to show up and score goals for Real Madrid and play well. and he answered them with his goal, didn't he? So I think it was a bit of fun, to be honest. I quite liked it. I liked the celebration. And then obviously went away to Villarreal and it wasn't a great performance. Villarreal didn't show up. I think it was the Champions League Villarreal playing against Real Madrid at the weekend.

6:45The team that's already been eliminated from the Champions League. Yeah, Villarreal had a terrible, terrible time in the Champions League this season. But yeah, not great from Real Madrid, but job done. They played before Barcelona, so they temporarily went top of the league. But yeah, job done. And Arbeloa came out after the game speaking about Mbappe and Vinicius Junior and he said they're the two best players in the world, two footballers who change football matches. And I think so far, so good under Arbeloa. There's definitely a strong connection there with the players, you can see it. It's interesting you should say that, that he'll go publicly and praise his players.

7:19Now, I didn't really ever see Xavi Alonso talking up individuals. I don't know whether that's fair, but I didn't ever hear him say something like, oh, I've got Mbappe, he's the best player in the world, and Vinicius Junior's amazing. That building of confidence publicly. I mean, I didn't hear him slag them off either, as you would expect, because that's unacceptable. But I wonder whether the management side of things, I think players with big egos sometimes need a little bit of that. there's almost a narcissistic tendency amongst them possibly, speaking from experience. So, you know, you need to feel confident.

8:01You need to know that the coach trusts you. Yeah, I totally agree with that. And these are players, as you say, that probably do want to hear that. And you're right. I don't think we heard Xabi Alonso come out once and say anything like that. He was sort of very calm and didn't make bold statements. To be honest, it's not even a bold statement. It's just the truth, isn't it? They are two of the best players in the world. And maybe Xabi Alonso feels like, well, felt like he didn't need to say it. But, you know, I think you do with characters like that, personalities like that. They want to hear it.

8:37They want to feel value. They want to feel their worth and what they mean to the team, even though they should know it, right? Without their manager coming out and saying it. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, Mbappe got his goal, not the penalty, the first goal, which was obviously vitally important in that game. And it was kind of poachers finished that one, not his customary goals. But he also, his movement's very good in the box as well. He gets into good positions. I mean, he's such an excellent player. I think for him, he really needs to win something big with Real Madrid this season. Yeah. I know it sounds bonkers because he's scoring more goals than anybody in world football, pretty much at the moment.

9:13Him and Harry Kane, isn't it? He's at 34 goals in 28 appearances. As well. But it's incredible. I mean, it's ridiculous, really, because he's won a World Cup, nearly, nearly won single-handedly the last World Cup. But for Argentina, that incredible finish to that match. So I think it's unfair criticism. But he's won leagues, obviously, with PSG. But he needs La Liga. He certainly needs at some point the Champions League. Because that's obviously the thing that's massively missing from his trophy cabinet. I mean, it seems mad that a player that good, that prolific, needs to prove himself to football fans, but such is the nature of our sport.

9:57Yeah, but trophies will come, won't they? He's playing at Real Madrid. 100%. There's one point in it, they could win La Liga this season. Yeah, definitely. And the Champions League, they could win the Champions League as well. So I think he will win trophies as a Real Madrid player. That's almost not certain, isn't it? Wouldn't you say? What about the penalty though? What about his penalty? What did you make of that? I know, I know. We need to talk about this. We really do. He takes us back to AFCON, obviously, and Brim Diaz and his miss. And there's still people, conspiracy theory people saying he did that on purpose.

10:35It was an interesting one from Mbappe, obviously. I mean, I don't think he fought. Diaz seemed to take it really well and they were chatting on the side, wasn't he, with Bellingham at the end because he'd gone off. and it was obvious that they said, I told you he was going to do that. This is going to do a dink in your honour. I mean, if he had scored the winner in the AFCON with that penalty, then I would have understood it a bit more. But to do that, I mean, I think it was done with all the best intentions. But for me on the sideline, I thought, oh, thanks for bringing that up again. It's sort of like a tutorial, isn't it?

11:11Look, this is how it's done. This is what you could have done. Had you done this, then you wouldn't have lost the AFCON final. To be honest, As if Mbappe had hit that penalty in the AFCON final, the keeper would have saved it because he did. Because you need the keeper to dive out of the way as he did in this particular game. That's true. That's true. I get it. It seemed to be taken in the right spirit. And sometimes it's best to poke a bit of fun at one of your teammates when they butt. It was quite close to the bone, I thought. Well, maybe he wasn't thinking at all about the AFCON final. He just chose to do it.

11:40And as soon as he did it and it went in, he was thinking, oh God, I've just done that. And Brahim Diaz is watching. what can I do to make this better oh that's for you that's for you I did that for you I don't know I'm just making a theory I don't know it's quite amusing I think it probably takes it's best to kind of have a bit of fun at these things but if I was still I'd have been thinking oh just as people have stopped talking about it he'd done that he'd remind everyone or had he done the Panenka and missed it he could have been like look that was for you look we all make mistakes but he happened just to score it and yeah not great can I say I don't want to make things even worse for him, but people are still talking about my embarrassing Penenka 35 years on.

12:22So it's never going to go away. It's not going away. It's not going away. It's not going away. And his was significantly more important in a game than mine was. Not great. Not great. He's going to have nightmares, isn't he, for the next 35 years? Yeah. Gerard Moreno had a great chance to actually make life very difficult for Real Madrid. Yeah. He had two really good chances to level it for Villarreal. One was in the 56th minute, one was in the 62nd. And he's normally a very good finisher. Yeah. The second he was left completely alone, wasn't he, in the penalty area and should have scored it. He's having a really good season.

12:57But he didn't. But he didn't. Villarreal didn't show up. They've really struggled Villarreal this season against the big three. They haven't been able to beat any of the big three this season. But overall, have had a great season. Yeah, they've been a sort of flat track bullies, dare I say, to use a cricketing term. They've been very good against teams below them, not so good against teams above them and in the Champions League. Strange, strange old season. Shall we talk about Trent Alexander-Arnold? Yes. Or Trent, obviously, as he's now known. Trent, yeah, rebranded. I mean, there's a lot of rumours, aren't there, and speculation.

13:32and here we go again a little bit with social media and you have to be very cautious with that. But it's sort of saying that he's not in Arbelo's plans, that he's told him to get himself a move. Now, I find it hard to believe because, A, why would he say that to someone before he's even played a game for him? Because obviously he's been injured mostly this season, so there's not been much to go at. Secondly, we've talked about the power at Real Madrid is with the players and the power at Real Madrid is with the president. The power at Real Madrid is never with the coaches. So I don't see a coach, particularly an interim coach that he is at the moment.

14:18And if he carries on and performs brilliantly, he'll probably get the job. But I just don't, it just doesn't ring true. What do you think? Someone at Liverpool is desperate to get him back. they're calling Arbaloa of course Arbaloa used to play there can you imagine please like we need him back we need him back to him playing and he's been linked with Manchester City as well yeah he has as well I mean so I mean there won't be any shortage of of clubs that want Trent that's for sure because he's so brilliant yeah he had a really tough start I think to his career at Real Madrid it all went wrong when he played paddle with me after he played paddle with me because that's when he picked up his injury but I'm sure it wasn't not on the paddle court you should make that clear not on the paddle court but he did his hamstring injury straight after that, which was a massive blow for him.

15:02That was after the September international break. So, he had a really long... He was your partner in the paddle game, wasn't he? He was my partner. Did he have to do too much running? I think so. I think that was the issue. Probably shouldn't start this as a rumour. Obviously, it was nothing to do with paddle. Nothing to do with paddle. So, are these rumours strong in Spain or is it someone winding things up maybe at Barcelona or I don't know? No, I think, I generally think Trent hasn't, what's the right, how's the right way to read it? It's just, yeah, it's sort of just like the Madridistas didn't buy into the signing at all.

15:38And it's almost like people didn't really know about him. Really? What he was capable of. Yeah, 100%, 100%. I mean, I find that hard to believe. They weren't speaking about him like a big name player. It's like they weren't aware of how good he was and everything he'd achieved and what he was capable of doing for Real Madrid. it was strange when I went out there because I went to that interview and speaking to Madrid fans, they sort of like didn't really, they weren't sort of bothered by it or like who he was or, and to be fair, he hadn't played really at all at that point. But then he came back from his injury and did play really well for a few games.

16:14And then I think he maybe had a tough time settling out there as well. And I think it is hard for those players because they don't live in the city center. They can't go in and enjoy Madrid as - Why don't they live in the city center? Because they have these nice big houses out on the outskirts, they're on a golf course, and they all live in the same gated communities. There's two different communities that they would live in. But it's 20 minutes out from the city center, you can't enjoy Madrid as a normal person would enjoy Madrid. And I think it's lonely as well because you're isolated, He can't go out.

16:50And so I think his brother has gone to live with him to help, I guess. His younger brother lives out with him now. But I don't think it's easy. I don't think it's easy adapting. I find that hard to believe. What? It's not easy. I mean, it's a beautiful city, Madrid. Not quite as nice as Barcelona, I'm biased, but it hasn't got the C. There's no C, is there? There's no C. No, there's no C. There's no C. But yeah, I don't know. We'll see. I think obviously you think your move to Real Madrid is a dream come true and it was all that the Liverpool fans weren't happy with him. And I think this season has not gone how he would have wanted it to go.

17:28No, that's purely down to injury there. I mean, he's had a couple of injuries. He's had a lot of bad luck in that sense. But if Dani Carvajal's fit, he's not starting. Yeah. And Fede Valverde at right back is pretty decent as well. So I think he's not the first name on the team sheet. And he's not used to that, is he? So you think there's an element of truth in this? Yeah, yeah, I do. I do. I do. I really do. I do. Well, we want to see him playing. That's for sure. Because he's so unbelievably talented. Yeah. And obviously, no England for him as well this summer. Well, not necessarily. Well, not necessarily.

18:04But it's very unlikely, isn't it? Football can turn so quickly. If he comes back in a couple of weeks, gets a chance, plays brilliantly. and then all of a sudden he's loved by Real I know this you know this is obviously the dream scenario for him it's highly possible that he comes back in and people do realise how good he is in Madrid and then Trent at the top of his game has to be in the England squad that's for sure because he gives you something so different he's one of the greatest passers of the football in the game so we'll see we'll see I wouldn't give up on him yet do you think he's Do you think he's played that well for England over the years?

18:45I don't think it's really had the confidence of coaches sometimes. But, you know, what he did at Liverpool for years and years and years, he was just one of my very favourite players. But football can turn. I wouldn't. I think at the moment the odds are against him. But if he comes back and plays, then that can change very, very quickly. I would not give up on Trent just yet. Let's turn our attention to Barcelona. We always thought it might be quite a comfortable victory. It took them a while to get going, but it all came good in the end. Let's have a look.

19:27Alex Scott:It is top against bottom in La Liga. Barcelona hosts Real Oviedo looking to respond to last Sunday's defeat to Sociedad. Cuomo is just a little bit slow to get rid of that ball there. This is Jamal. And Dani Olmo! Dani Olmo's red-hot streak in front of goal continues. But Real Oviedo, the architects of their own downfall there. Kostas goes back, but he's sold his goalkeeper Aaron Escandel short. And Rafinha will make him pay. And in the space of five minutes, Real Oviedo have completely imploded.

20:16Alex Scott:Kostas going back to his goalkeeper, Escandel. Once again, Oviedo have given the ball away there. This is Dani Olmo. It's a little dink for Jamal! Sensational! the boy Wanda does it again for Barcelona.

20:39Alex Scott:Once again Real Oviedo gave it away, but there was still so much work for Lamin Jamal to do there. Frankie de Jong wins it back for Barcelona. He's got Jamal arriving on the overlap. Kostas cuts it out.

21:04Alex Scott:as Firmin Lopez is there to be one final flourish in amongst the downpour it's Robert Lewandowski he's denied and that is that and Barcelona beneath the deluge return to winning ways Blimey let's start with did you see the weather? Oh it was horrific I've seen the pictures of the stadium the floods in the ground and the fans were completely drenched because obviously there's no roof on yet not that there was ever a roof on the count now other than the little bit above where the directors sit um it's crazy and one stand before mad weather absolutely mad how does that playing in conditions like that how does that affect your game is it is it pretty impossible to play well pitches in my day would have been flooded by that yeah they can cope with it a bit more.

21:57I play one game and I've seen it once or twice. Because it was on match of the day that week and it did get abandoned. We played about half an hour or so. It was Leicester versus Southampton. And honestly, it's quite comical. You can find it, you know, just Google football floods and Leicester City Southampton or whatever you do. And it was completely bonkers. I remember Steve Linex was out a winger, it was quite a character. And the one, he tries to kick the ball and it just catches in the water and he kind of slips and goes forward and he's doing the breaststroke. It was quite amusing. I love that.

22:43It was funny. And that game did get abandoned. That, you don't really see that now. I don't, these surfaces seem to be able to cope with all sorts of conditions but it was a bit bonkers but the stands were more the poor fans I mean there weren't that many of them allowed in there yet anyway but the atmosphere was pretty felt pretty flat from what I saw yeah yeah I thought Real Oviedo did really well in the first half actually it's been a bit of a struggle for them this season but they they took it to them in the first half didn't they and then Barcelona played a lot better in the second half but no Pedri for Barcelona injured again yeah and I think that's a big blow isn't it and I hope it's not for too long I think it's a month or so because they do miss him top top player and Rashford wasn't used which I was surprised by he's not had many starts lately but I mean I know that Rafinha is fit again and Lewandowski is playing and I mean that is yeah he played 90 minutes Lewandowski which is also surprising and then Rashford was a sub in the Champions League against Slavia Prague midweek.