Matchday 22 Preview

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1:38hello everyone and welcome to the friday preview podcast from tsfp we're recording a little bit later i'm really sorry about that it's entirely my fault because i wanted to go and play football this morning all down to me and as i said to you kitro never ever yeah pass up a game of football ever. No, it was you. You spurred me on. You know, thank you. Thank you for your love and support, Sid. I wouldn't be here without you. Anyway, it was a great game. Scored a goal. We won. Did you? Was it an overhead kick? Were you the goalkeeper? Did you go up in the 97th minute and head one in? No. I scored a lovely lob, if you must know, and we played next goal wins.

2:21And was it the winning goal? It wasn't the winning goal, no, but someone else had it. It felt like a 98th minute winner from a goalkeeper. Next goal wins. Vamos. This is what's coming up on Match Day 22 in La Liga EA Sports of much more interest than my morning football on a Friday. Friday night football is Espanol against Alaves at the RCDE Stadium. Then Sydney is making his way up to Asturias for Oviedo against Girona. Osasuna against Villarreal is immediately after that. Atletico Madrid travelling to Levante, who are traditionally one of their bogey clubs. Elche against Barcelona is the Saturday night game.

2:58Commentating that one. Looking forward to it. Also commentating Real Madrid against Riva Icano. Looking forward to that. Should be good. Betis against Valencia. I'm also commentating Getafe-Celtavico. Looking forward to that slightly less. I've been dragged into that because someone couldn't do it. But it should be good. I'm with Graham. Graham Hunter is always entertaining, so it should be fun. And it's the Basque Derby on Sunday night. Athletic Club against Real Sociedad. Monday night football is Mallorca against Sevilla. A big battle at the bottom of the table, Sid. So in our new revamped format, much like the Champions League, people are loving it.

3:33We're going to go through each game and give a prediction. Espanyol against Alaves. Espanyol having somewhat lost their way a little bit so far in 2026. Yet to win after a brilliant first half of the season. How do you see this one? I think the fact that it's in Barcelona or in Corneal, Prat, tips the balance quite significantly towards Espanyol, doesn't it? Alaves has six wins this season. I think five of them have been at home. And of course, Carlos Vicente has gone, who it's true has had a little bit less of a role to play in recently. Yeah, he's been in and out. In and out of the team at a point when, you know, six months or so ago you just said he's a really, really key player.

4:13I think you could see in the departure that there are a lot of people who probably didn't want this to happen. But at home, for Espanyol, who, as you say, have had a really bad start to the season. I've been beaten three times already. Sorry, bad start to the season, bad start to the year, to the calendar year. Beaten three times already. I'm going to go for a draw in this one. 1-1. Okay. We didn't do very well last week in the predictions, by the way. No, what was it? Four, maybe? Five? Four or five, yeah. I say we, I'm being very generous. It's you. Yeah, you are, yeah. But, you know, you're doing it on behalf of the TSFP crew.

4:47So there's a lot riding on this, Sid. As footballers always say, Phil, we win as a team, we lose as a team even though it's absolutely clear that one person is far more guilty than everyone else. I mean it's a bit like real football. You know, a goalkeeper can chuck one in the back of his net in the 99th minute and yet we win as a team we lose as a team. No you don't. You've lost because that muppet goalkeeper has chucked one in in the 99th minute. Because that absolute weirdo predicted a draw between Espanyol and Alaves. Anyway. Exactly. What a prat. Oviedo to your owner, Sidney. How are you feeling about this one?

5:17I don't want to do this. Do you know what? I'm really excited because this is the second biggest game I've ever been to. Okay. According to the manager of Real Oviedo, this is the World Cup final. Is it? And having only ever been to one World Cup final before, this is, by definition, therefore, the second or maybe even the joint first biggest game I've ever been to. Is that what he called it? The World Cup final? He called it the World Cup final. I mean, that's going one step further. I mean, two really shit countries have got to the final. Yeah. Odiedo Girona is a disappointing World Cup final.

5:48But that is going one step further, isn't it, than calling it every game a final. Every game is a World Cup final now. This is the World Cup final. I mean, so by that, does he mean that if you win this, you might as well just retire. It's done. It doesn't get any better. Forget it. There's no problem. It's the World Cup final. Currently nine points from safety, Sid, Alviedo. Yeah. So it is the World Cup final. Last win was in September. I mean, in fairness, the performances at home haven't been terrible over the last six weeks, even with Carrion, where they weren't scoring at home, but they weren't getting beaten.

6:26There is a sense of, I think, a bit of improvement under Almada, but then that's coming from a very low base. And I don't think they're going to win this either. I'm going for a draw in this one too. 0-0, 0-0 draw. Obviously. Oh, please, at least let us see some goals. Last time we played Girona, three goals, three all draw. Yes, it's true, actually. Yes. This is a very different Girona. Obviously, they've made some decent signings in January, not least one. They've actually got a goalkeeper now as well. Testegen is there. Claudio Ceverri is there. Fran Beltran is there as well. So they're looking reinforced in January, but you're still going to draw.

7:01I don't know about you. Just a very, very, very brief aside, and I promise to say no more about it than just to make this one comment. I think Fran Beltran's a very interesting signing. As much as anything else, I'm surprised that Celta were prepared to let him go. Yes, it's true. but there is overbooking in the Celtic field. There is overbooking. And maybe he didn't like basically, you know, Claudio Hidalgo swaps the team every week. There's always no continuity, so maybe he wanted to play a little bit more regular. Also, Sudo Villarreal. Villarreal coming off the back of that disgraceful Champions League showing.

7:36We absolutely slaughtered them on the bonus pod for patrons at patreon.com forward slash TSFP, as well as talking about all the other Champions League results as well, but rightly so, because they've been appalling. Will there be any kind of reaction against Osasuna El Cebar? Well, in this game, despite having called Villarreal a disgrace, surely we are with Villarreal all the way to the end, because Osasuna clearly had something against us in the last two games. Late goals, beating Oviedo and Rayo. So come on, the yellow submarine. And now, for all it's worth at home, I think Osasuna might even be favourites for this.

8:13I think it's possibly a bit of a step to say that they're going to win I think it's going to be very interesting tactically because of course we've seen a Villarreal side who can play front footed but do like to transition on you and also soon a team who don't really want the ball and therefore might not allow them to transition in quite the way they would and also soon a team that are better from set plays in terms of a percentage of the goals they score than anyone else I feel like I might be about to go for my third draw in a row draw. Okay. Osasuda with a really strong home record. Six wins, two draws, and only two defeats at El Sadar.

8:47Sixth best home record in the league. You've gone for another draw. Okay. This is getting a little bit predictable, Sid. A little bit boring. Are we going to change it up? We're going to get exciting. No. No. We're going to go for a draw again. Levante against Atletico Madrid. As you said, Levante are Atletico Madrid's bogey team. Atletico Madrid didn't perform well in midweek. Atletico Madrid don't perform while away from home. Simeone took off Pablo Barrios in midweek. And I don't know if you've heard him literally 20 minutes or so ago, just before we came on air. Simeone's press conference, he was asked about Barrios.

9:20Did you take him off for tactical reasons? And Simeone said, I'm not stupid, or at least not that stupid, or at least I hope I'm not that stupid. I took him off because we don't have a replacement for him, a like for like. We want to try and protect him. I took him off because we want him to be looked after and to be able to start this game and play well in this game as well? And I think that's a more general question than just the centre of the midfield. A slightly tired Atletico Madrid team who play in the Copa del Rey in midweek. I don't know about you, but I feel like the Copa del Rey is now, well, I'm stating the obvious really, I've just said I don't know about you, is now their best chance to win something, in theory.

9:54It's definitely their best chance to win something. Yeah, Barcelona is still in it, of course. And so there's a bit of me that thinks this isn't the time or the opponent for Atletico Madrid. So I'm going for another draw in this one. Levante, who under Luis Castro, the manager who we literally knew nothing about, have been considerably better. Two wins, a draw and one defeat at the Bernabeu against Real Madrid where they competed. So yeah, maybe they're in form. Maybe they can cause some problems. I mean, that answer that you alluded to from Simeone about Barrios points to the pretty big issues between him and the sporting director in the club.

10:38He is desperate for signings and it is the 30th of January, Sid, and they have let four people go in the January transfer window and brought no one in. All right, fourth draw in a row. I mean, clean sweep, Elche Barca? Do you know what? I am tempted to go for a draw in this, but I don't know. So, Elche, this is first against third in terms of possession in La Liga, I believe. And his past completion rate. Yeah, it was the last time I looked at Elche's figures. I think that, but I think in a funny sort of way, I think Barcelona live more comfortably without the ball than Elche in this scenario.

11:19And I just think what they have on the break, what they can run, the things they can do running into space, I think they are too strong for Elche. But I think it might be quite interesting. So I'm going to go for an away win, but it wouldn't be a massive, massive shock to me if it was a draw. Okay. Elche missing some key players, actually. Aleix Weber is suspended for this game. Alvaro Nunez and Ecto4. And the way they let the game slip away from them against Sevilla and actually just sort of all the way across the board in recent weeks, Elche. It's four without a win now. They sort of look like what they should be, to be fair to them.

11:59They're not doing anything horribly wrong. They look like what they should be, which is a recently promoted team that doesn't find it easier to win. They're in 11th, which feels like they're really, really safe. But that's only three points off the relegation zone. It is. They did get a good result against Real Madrid at home, famously. And they're the only team not to have been beaten at the Metropolitano this season by Atletico Madrid. So they do have pedigree against the bigger sides. Absolutely. But you're going for an away win. All right. Get in the game with the college-branded Venmo debit card.

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13:53or visit Priceline.com and book your next trip today. Real Madrid, Ryo, Sid. Well, Ryo have only won once in 11 games, Phil. And I know you know that. I am acutely aware. And Ryo prepared for this game by having to find a new training ground. I'm acutely aware of this. Yes. I think this is a home win, isn't it? Despite all of Ryo's problems, I think this is a home win. they're going to get whistled again you know i think they might and i think they might they are okay they're one million percent will be one million percent after what happened in against benfica and drop it out of the top eight and the performance that they put in they are one million percent maybe it won't be as pointed as different players but yes yeah i think it might be a more of the kind of whistle that you do it for a bit and then you give up because you're board of it, if you sort of mean, than last time, which was so much more continuous as well as being pointed and as well as being individualised.

14:56I also think that part of the whistles, in a way, I mean, this isn't a criticism, by the way, it's just me stating an analysis. In a way, I think part of the whistles would be encouraged by the things that the players said post-game, because it's not just that you feel like they're not, kind of, the attitude's not good and they're not trying. The players actually said so. Now, Mbappé's post-game comments were really quite damning, I thought In which he included himself But you kind of got the feeling that he was actually pointing a finger at others, to be honest Hmm, yes Alright, you've gone for a home win there, sadly But predictably, potentially I think it could be an uncomfortable game for Real Madrid They won this fixture 2-1 last season It was uncomfortable I was there, and there were whistles for Real Madrid at the end Even though they'd won So, yeah, let's see if Rio can make life uncomfortable for them.

15:46Betis against Valencia after this. Betis sort of up and down, a team that we're not entirely sure about. Yeah, and a team that played in Europe yesterday, which I think does make a difference. I think as well, Valencia. If you look at Valencia, I mean, you know, obviously, again, I've said this lots of times and I apologise for it, but it's a proviso that I feel like I should add in. Seeing from a Real Oviedo point of view, you see what Valencia have done in the winter window. I'm not saying they've bought the greatest players on the planet, but they've bought Guido, they've bought Sadiq, and they've bought Nunez.

16:19One strong player in the middle of each line of the pitch. And this isn't a team that's particularly good, but those feel to me, for a team that's in potential relegation trouble, to be quite strong additions to the squad. They've won two in a row, Valencia. For what it's worth, I think they've been very fortunate to have won two in a row. I don't like how they're playing at all. I don't think they've deserved very much in those two games that they've won and I wonder about Betis, I am tempted by the draw but I'm going to go for a home win still, I'm going to go for Betis being too strong at home.

16:51I'm going for a stone cold home win as well, I'm back in Betis here, I think they can do it Okay that was Unai Nunez they've signed by the way the centre-back and Guido Rodriguez to go with Umar Sadiq To go with Uba Sadiq, yeah, we've spoken about him. He's a trier, at least. He runs around. And everyone loves him. He's a bit of a character, isn't he? He's a huge cult figure. He's a bit of a character. He's a cult hero. Cult hero for the fans at Mestaya. Getafe against Celtavigo, the game that I will be commentating for the world to enjoy. Well, Getafe have been busy in the transfer window, which Bordelast was desperately pleading for.

17:34And how have they been so busy, Sid? I don't truly understand this. It's funny because nobody's actually said publicly, yes, we've effectively won our battle with La Liga over the UCE money. But they must have done because it's the only way this could have happened. And so, yeah, I mean, we don't actually, I say they've been busy in transfer window. The reason I use the word busy is because I don't actually know if they've been successful. They've been successful in terms of getting players. I don't know how good these players are. They've signed Luis Vázquez, a striker who scored on his debut against Girona last week, and Martin Satriano.

18:14Yeah, who Oviedo have been after. I don't know very much about it in truth. And there were moments in the Girona game, weren't they? And they actually might have won it. Sorry, they might have got the goal right at the end when Testega made that save. Yes. Yeah. Yeah, and Uruguayan centre-back Sebastian Boseli and an Argentine centre-back Zaid Romero. Yeah, and honestly, these are not players that I know very much about. That is... Very much? Well, almost nothing, as I say. Yes. Only I know about him because of... Their nationality. Yeah, honestly, that's about the extent of my knowledge of them, yeah.

18:50They're playing against Celta, right? And Celta? Who are really good. And they got beaten last weekend by Raul Sociedad. But apart from that, they've been playing really, really well. Despite the fact that actually the last time I saw them live, it was at Oviedo and they didn't score. And Oviedo were probably the better team, funnily enough, in yet another 0-0 draw. I think on the face of it, logic says Celta are favourites. But if there's a team that challenges logic, it is Getafe and at home and Celta played in midweek. I'm so tempted by the draw again, you know. Sid, it's our podcast. We can do whatever we like.

19:31Draw. Good. You see, we've got no shadowy investors. We're not sponsored by a betting company. We can say whatever we want. We're not sponsored by Getafe. We weren't obliged to say Getafe were going to win. I'd quite like to be sponsored by Getafe. It would be quite funny, wouldn't it? Don't you think? To be sponsored by Getafe. TSFP brought to you by Getafe. I don't think that's a good look, Sid. I don't think that's not really what we're aiming for. Bordelass is boys.

20:01I'm absolutely not up for that. You do another podcast and get them to sponsor. Oh, that would be tremendous. I'm not having this podcast sponsored by him. Honestly. Bas Derby at San Mames. Athletic club against a flying Real Sociedad. Yeah, an athletic club team with... I did actually look at the list earlier. I think it was seven players long, the list of players. Athletic. I can't remember now how many it was, but it was a lot. It's been like that almost all year. Real Sociedad are flying. It is Samames and it is a derby and that is a bit different. And I thought that in midweek I saw good things from Athletic despite their current problems in patches, not for enough of the game.

20:44My word, I am so close to another home draw.

20:51Real Sociedad, away win. Yeah, I'm going to say 1-0. 1-0. La Real. 1-0 La Real Miki Oyazabal with another one it's time that the world bowed before Mike Oyazabal isn't it I mean yeah last week's podcast on Monday I was going on about his buyout goals and why nobody had sort of absolutely cut me it does seem odd but yeah big Mike up front he's going to score I can sense it in my bones Monday Sid Mallorca against Sevilla

21:30Are you commentating this one? No You've done a few Monday games Am I? Maybe I am I don't know No I don't think I am I think I might have had no Mondays this week No games at all this week Through no one's football on my own by the way That wasn't a complaint Mallorca They've only won one away all season by the way And it was against this lot It was against Sevilla Neither of these teams are particularly good No. I feel like Mallorca is slightly worse, but it is at home and Maurici does have 14 goals. Yeah. I'm going for a home win, but not with a huge amount of conviction. Okay. All right. Yeah, I can see that.

22:14I can see that. All right. Home win there for Mallorca against Sevilla. Remember at the start of the weekend, there are just four points separating ninth and 18th. It's insanely tight. I mean, is it always like this, Sid? It's not always like this, is it? No, this feels like the kind of stuff you get in the second division, doesn't it? Yeah. I mean, not the football. Football's great, guys. Keep watching. Keep subscribing. No, well, I was just about to say it's because it's so competitive. It's not because they're all equally poor. Yes. 100%. Definitely not. 100 % not that. Maurici, by the way.

22:49Maurici's got 14 goals this year, which is in itself pretty impressive. Mallorca have scored 24. yeah yeah he's got 58 % of their goals it's the highest it's nuts yeah absolutely nuts Mbappe is just behind but yeah yeah well that really is nuts because Madrid should have enough quality players for Mbappe to be nowhere near that for one player to be outstanding at a club like Mallorca sort of makes a bit more sense for one single player to be quite so outstanding at Real Madrid we've had the draw for the Champions League playoff Real Madrid are playing Benfica against it Yeah, I like the headline.

23:25Did you see the English language version of Ass's headline? I quite liked it. No, it was Déjà Vu, which I quite liked. Déjà Vu, that is good. Yes, that's very good. And Atletico Madrid are playing Club Bruges, which is not that sexy. I feel like they played them recently. Did they play them this season or last season? I don't know. One of the things about this new format of the Champions League, and I don't want to get into this long debate about it again, but one of the things that does happen is I feel like there's a lot of games that I don't really know what they were or when they happened or if they happened, if you see what I mean?

23:59I mean, no, I don't. What do you mean? Do you not think like... Athletico have played what? Eight games, right? Yes. I'm not sure how many of them I could name. Because when it's a group stage... This is a free team. Come on. When it's a group stage, because it's three teams and you play each other twice, yeah? Yeah. It sort of feels a little bit more like it makes sense. Do you see what I mean? Come on. How many Atletico Madrid games in the Champions League can you play? How many Atletico Madrid games can I come up with? Well, they've just played Bodo Glynn, right? Well done. Tick. Tell you what, I'm struggling here.