Matchday 28 Preview

10:01Phil Kitromilides:Oh my God, so between us, it's terrible.

10:05Sid Lowe:I'm doing four this weekend, you're doing two so we're on 60 % of the games this weekend.

10:10Phil Kitromilides:And yet somehow didn't manage to coincide. Anyone would think they're keeping us apart deliberately so that the CSFP cannot take over the world. Someone's frightened of us, Phil. They're frightened. They're worried about us.

10:21Sid Lowe:I'm running scared with our unbelievable talent. Oviedo Valencia, Sid.

10:29Phil Kitromilides:yeah do you know what i was talking i was talking to the guaje about this yesterday are you going yeah well we're trying to we have a small problem uh a small i mean furry and very cute problem yeah which is that you know to go to this game we would have to be out the house for about 16 hours and we have a dog and no one to look after the dog um so i am trying to find a solution to that the neighbor who last time we did a navier a day trip like this came and walked the dog three times for us and took her home with her and then went to go out for another walk and was lovely and kept sending us videos of how much the dog was enjoying the day.

11:02Phil Kitromilides:And, you know, Rossi was loving every moment of it. Unfortunately, she's going up to Galicia this weekend, which is most inconsiderate of her. Yeah, on the same day that we got up to Oviedo. So maybe we could have all gone together. Yeah, exactly. We should take the dog with us. Maybe I should ask Oviedo if I can take the dog to the Tartieri. And we can.

11:18Sid Lowe:I mean, Sid, you are quite a big deal there. Like, couldn't you just pull rank and say, listen.

11:22Phil Kitromilides:Do you know what? I did once.

11:24Sid Lowe:I'm Sid Lom, mother. Do you know what?

11:25Phil Kitromilides:I did once, like a few years ago, and that wasn't actually our dog. We decided a few years ago that we would help out when we didn't have a dog. And we would help out. And the Onfay Centre for Guide Dog Training is very near us. So we took on a guide dog for a year. And it was a tiny little puppy. Now, of course, being a guide dog, it has a little vest. It can go everywhere. And we went to an Oviedo game and actually contacted Oviedo and said, yes, you can bring the dog in. this is a guide dog we'll sort it out for you um and then in the end we decided it's just too much hassle so the guide dog stayed outside with one of the three of us and me and the guaje went in i think that was a game against andora actually um edus rabbi's first game in second division get one of those little vests so that's what i'm saying i'm wondering if we've still got the vest

12:13Sid Lowe:knocking around at home i can just pretend a little vest and you can bring the dog in wherever does that mean that one of you has to pretend to be blind that that would be yes yeah that that's

12:24Phil Kitromilides:it's sort of borderline offensive isn't it i would say morally very very questionable yeah

12:29Sid Lowe:yeah so maybe don't do that maybe don't do that but but as i say we we were allowed to do it then

12:34Phil Kitromilides:obviously not being blind because we were training this guide dog yes i should point out at this point if you know i should be honest about it and say we were training this guy dog he didn't last very long and the guide dog is still fine but the guide dog was very poorly that training didn't go very well. I mean, we were only stepping in for someone for a month anyway. Right. Temporary guide dog trainer. I love that guide dog. It was called Rubius. It was gorgeous. It was a black Labrador puppy, really lovely creature.

13:11Phil Kitromilides:The other two members of this household were not quite so enamoured of the dog. Oviedo Valencia, Sid. Well, look, what I was going to say, sorry, what I was saying was I was talking to the Guaje about this yesterday, and I think we came to the conclusion that the Rayo Vallecano game, when Oviedo were desperately bad, was probably a manifestation, and I think me and you had talked about this as well, that after the slightly cruel way in which Oviedo were beaten by Atletico Madrid, that actually that was the moment where everyone said, OK, it's gone. Now, obviously, most of the season we felt it's going, but I think that was the moment we said it's gone.

13:42So I'm not entirely sure that there's any fight left in Oviedo now.

13:47Phil Kitromilides:Because in recent weeks, I would have said, this is a game where I could see Oviedo winning or at least getting a draw. I'm not so sure now. That said, Valencia away. They're not great, are they? 1-1 draw.

13:57Sid Lowe:Okay, yeah. 1-1 draw. Fair enough. And then Real Madrid against Elche at the Santiago... No, just the Bernabeu. Yeah. Just for the Bernabeu now. We've just had Alvaro Abelho's press conference. I think we're going to see maybe some more Canteranos Yeah, he actually said, didn't he?

14:15Phil Kitromilides:He was asked about, I can't remember which one of the Canteranos he was asked about I don't think it was Pitac, I think it was

14:20Sid Lowe:Manuel Angel I think it was

14:23Phil Kitromilides:Anyway, and he said, oh, and you might see some more tomorrow I think obviously you think about the fact that they're going to City that they've got the short Champions League thing Yeah, turnaround Six days rather than the eight days So I would imagine, wouldn't you, that Chiang Menni gets a rest that maybe Valverde gets a rest. Possibly one of the defenders gets a rest, I would think, wouldn't you? I would imagine that one of the central defenders gets a rest at least. Fran Garcia, I suppose, plays because he's probably going to have to play in Manchester. And I think you want to give him some minutes because he's not had very many.

14:55Phil Kitromilides:But I think you will have a very changed Real Madrid team. That said, it's still Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu against an Elche team that haven't won in 2026. So I'm still going home win. that have never won at the Bernabeu either. Yeah, they probably haven't played very many times, have they? I'm guessing. I'm not sure how many times they would have been there. I'm guessing they've been... Say interesting words while I look at it. I'm going to say some interesting words about... Well, we know that it's Edith Sarabi. Shall I tell you that Edith Sarabi won't change his style? They'll still want the ball.

15:26Phil Kitromilides:I'm not sure that's a particularly good way of going to the Bernabeu. Albeit, wanting the ball to slow the game down and to anaesthetise it actually isn't a bad thing to do. I think that probably is...

15:35Sid Lowe:I mean, they were good against Real Madrid at home.

15:36Phil Kitromilides:and they were very, very good against Real Madrid at home. They drew. They drew and they deserved more. And I remember speaking to David Affengruber after the game and he said, I know this sounds silly, but we're disappointed. And I thought, actually, you know what? To anyone who's watched the game, it doesn't sound silly because you were the better side. But I still think it's Real Madrid and I'm guessing that they've played there maybe a dozen times in the history, if that.

15:59Sid Lowe:Is that what you're saying? Do you think 12 times they've played there? I guess. I guess.

16:05Phil Kitromilides:I thought you were looking up. I thought you were about to tell me how wrong I am.

16:08Sid Lowe:Oh, sorry. They play there 24 times. Wow, that's much more than I thought.

16:14Phil Kitromilides:Okay.

16:15Sid Lowe:And they have lost 20 and drawn four. Wow, okay. There was a 2-2 draw back in 2022. But yeah, that was it. Well, anyway, home win. Home win, yeah. I mean, yeah. So good, so good, so good. new markdowns up to 70 % off are at Nordstrom Rack stores now and that means so many new reasons to rack because I always find something amazing just so many good brands because there's always something new join the Nordic Club to unlock exclusive discounts shop new arrivals first and more plus buy online and pick up at your favorite rack store for free great brands great prices that's why you rack when you want your spring break to feel like and your kids pool day to feel like and your hotel bed to feel like and room service to feel like because at Hilton hospitality feels like your cabana's ready would you like fresh towels?

17:21Sid Lowe:it matters where you stay book now at Hilton.com Hilton for this day Everything feels a bit uncertain right now. A few months ago, you never would have expected eggs being factored into your monthly budget. New sources of stress equal more opportunities for breakouts to strike. Luckily, Mighty Patch Original shrinks the look of pimples in just one use. We'd say that's a pretty good deal. Shop Mighty Patch at all major retailers. Okay, and then on to Sunday, Mallorca Español. Is this one of the games you're doing?

17:58Phil Kitromilides:Yes, it is. I'm doing one, then gap, then one. So I'm doing this one and then Betis. I'm in the gap. I'm in the gap. So I can come into the room and annoy you while you're trying to commentate or just listen to your dulcet tones. Okay, Mallorca Espanol. Mallorca obviously under new management last week. Martin Demichelis, he has had the amazing idea of taking them out for a dinner, which has inevitably been called Conjura, as all these dinners always are. Like, you know, this is getting the team together. For what it's worth, I actually thought they were okay last week, Mallorca. A lot more of the ball.

18:30Phil Kitromilides:Very unlucky to lose in that they were 2-0 up in the 90th minute and conceded 2 in added time. Actually, maybe not added time. I think the one before was like 89-40 or something. But anyway, conceded very late to Osasuna. He wants more of the ball. He wants them to try and enjoy it a bit more. He's going to add a second striker. So it's not just Marici last week. It was Matteo Joseph, I think, who played alongside him. I think it will be again this week. These are all very positive things in theory, but they still didn't win. Equally, Espanol still haven't won in 2026, not even against Real Oviedo on Monday night, who they battered for most of the game.

19:05Phil Kitromilides:I mean, it was the best part of 25 shots, I think, that they racked off. Admittedly, I actually thought that Oviedo had 20 really good minutes when they put on their good players, funny enough. What a shock tactical decision that was. Let's put the good players on the pitch. Actually, for 20 minutes, I thought Cattolo was brilliant, but let's not go into Oviedo again. Exposito's line, I quite liked it. He said, I don't care how we play. I just want to win because they haven't won in 2026. I think they still won't now. I'm going for a Mallorca home win. Ooh, okay. Or maybe a draw. Hang on. Hold on.

19:37Phil Kitromilides:Am I bottling it and going for a draw?

19:39Sid Lowe:I mean, it does feel like a draw. It does feel like a draw.

19:42Phil Kitromilides:I'm going to stick my neck out and say, Mallorca are going to win this. And when you stick your neck out, sometimes you get it cut off.

19:50Sid Lowe:That would be a big result at the bottom of the table. Obviously, Mallorca are in the relegation zone. They're 18th. But if they were to win, that would drag a few more teams into problems. OK, Barcelona against Sevilla is the game that I'm doing in between your appearances.

20:09Phil Kitromilides:Right. So I don't know what to think. I genuinely don't know what to think here. Sevilla have drawn four of the last five. So that would lead you towards a draw. Barcelona have 65 ,000 fans. The first time that end will be full, which I think will change the feel of the stadium quite a lot. Because actually the Camp Nou, the return to the Camp Nou hasn't been as fun as I think as they thought it would be. Partly, I think having an empty end isn't that great. Obviously, there's the battle with the Gratulian Anima Thion, the singing section, which is, I think, taking quite a long time. There's a few of them back in now.

20:41Phil Kitromilides:There's a few of them back in now. I think that while Barcelona are still obviously fighting for the league in the sense that every game matters, obviously the immediate priority is the Champions League coming up. against Newcastle, albeit that's on Wednesday, not on Tuesday. But I do think they'll rest players. And you've already got, who have they got missing? They've got Balde, Frenkie de Jong, Koundé, all missing. Eric Garcia might not make it. The player who's played more minutes than anyone else has got a bit of a, what would you call it, a soble-carga, kind of a bit of a muscle strain.

21:13Sid Lowe:He needs a little rest, I think. Yeah, he does need a rest.

21:15Phil Kitromilides:Bernal finished the game in midweek absolutely exhausted, although I think we'll probably be okay. Lamine's had fever and didn't train, I think it was yesterday. Yeah. So I think... Am I going to be stupid enough to say that Barca don't win this? I think I might be. No. Against Sevilla.

21:35Sid Lowe:I mean, Sevilla did beat them 4-1 earlier this season, but that was...

21:38Phil Kitromilides:Yeah, and just tore them to bits. But that was a different period of season. I think Barcelona might be cautious. I don't know. I think there's a chance that Barca don't win this. I think there is a chance that Barca don't win this. okay I'm going home win I'm going home win but it's one of those where I wouldn't be

21:58Sid Lowe:really shocked I can say tight home win tight yeah yeah narrow yeah narrow okay uh then your

22:06Phil Kitromilides:game bettes against Celta yeah which should in theory be fun although let's see what the impact of having played on Thursday night is for both of them both and the nature of that Thursday night as well as you mentioned earlier really bad bettes performance and a Celta performance hanging on with 10 men and then not managing to hang on. And then eventually conceding that late goal to Endric. Celta rotate massively anyway. And, you know, as I've said to you before, I've been preparing these games a couple of days in advance, at least for some of the basic stats. My current Celta potential 11, I think, has 19 names on it because I was just like, I just don't know where he's going to go with this.

22:42Sid Lowe:Presumably Borke Iglesias will start if he's going to be suspended for Thursday.

22:45Phil Kitromilides:Oh, you would think so. It would make absolutely no sense for him not to. Now, initially, I think before last night's game, I thought there was a chance he wouldn't start because they would be holding him for the European game. That obviously now won't be the case. So I think he will. I thought he played very well against Real Madrid. I think he's been really important to them in terms of not just the goals and in fact, not even the goals, really, but the linking up of everybody else and the way that others play off him.

23:10Phil Kitromilides:There's a bit of me that thinks, is this a game where neither team really cares that much and it ends draw? I think that's what I'm saying. I mean, they should care. They should care because it's massive. It's fifth against six. And fifth place is very likely to be a Champions League place. And a Champions League place is big for both clubs. Really big. And for Celta, it's huge. I mean, for Betis, it's big. For Celta, it would be absolutely huge. But I just think the timing of it isn't quite right. And on the face of it, I was really excited about this game. And then I kind of started thinking about the context of it and thought, maybe not.

23:41Phil Kitromilides:And do you know what? Actually, I think Celta are better equipped to rotate than Betis. It's just they do it all the time. I'm really close to saying an away win here. Really close.

23:51Sid Lowe:They've got a very good away win.

23:52Phil Kitromilides:Go on then, away win. Yeah, I'm going to do it.

23:55Sid Lowe:Yeah, away win. Sunday night football is a Basque-ish derby between Real Sociedad and Osasuna.

24:02Phil Kitromilides:Yeah, Real Sociedad, who've actually lost two and five. The Matarazzo effect is finished. I mean, in fairness, one of them was Atletico Madrid, which is that game we were talking about. By the way, I had it confirmed, my theory, which is that when you play a game like that in the build-up to a cup final, part of your thinking is, I don't want the other team to know anything. And that's very deliberate.

24:25Phil Kitromilides:And also, Suna, you know, they keep doing it. They keep coming back. They keep finding a way, but it's Real Sothrad at home. Ruben Garcia is out. I'm going, Real Sothrad home win.

24:35Sid Lowe:Okay. I mean, they're pushing for you.

24:39Phil Kitromilides:You say okay in a way that's not convinced. You think that might not happen?

24:43Sid Lowe:I would say draw. I would say for all.

24:46Phil Kitromilides:I think that's perfectly plausible. Real Sociedad obviously against Atletico had a whole load of their good players. Didn't start. I think Tava didn't start. Geddes didn't start. Who else? Thubeldi didn't start. I think Gorrocha didn't start. They'll all start this week. I'm going home win. I'm going home win. But I think there's a chance. You've convinced yourself. Yeah. All right.

25:05Sid Lowe:And then finally Monday night, it's Rio against Levante.

25:08Phil Kitromilides:Rio.

25:09Sid Lowe:Yeah, even between these, because they're playing Thursday night as well.

25:13Phil Kitromilides:Yeah, I mean, you know, So, La Liga protected a few teams, but haven't really protected Ryo. I suppose you could argue they have, because they played Thursday. So, they're giving them rest at the start of it rather than at the end of it.

25:27Phil Kitromilides:Yeah, Ryo. Yeah?

25:29Sid Lowe:Yeah, okay. All right.

25:32Phil Kitromilides:Alimowski, he's going to score a hat-trick. Well, he's not going to score a hat-trick, but he might score.

25:35Sid Lowe:He might not play. He might not play at all, no. Yeah. All right, we'll see. Obviously, Levante, as things stand, second bottom. Whatever happens, they're going to be second bottom going into this game because even if Oviedo win, they couldn't go above them. And Levante, who were very, very close to beating Girona last week but didn't, that result would have been huge for them. As it is, they are four points from safety at the start of the matchday. All right, so there we go. That's what's coming up on matchday 28 in La Liga EA Sports, remember. Sydney's doing Mallorca against Espanyol, if you want to hear him or Betis against Celta Vigo.

26:15Sid Lowe:And I've got four games.

26:17Phil Kitromilides:And you've got the one between those two. So you could literally just have a six-hour TSFP fest on Sunday afternoon. Don't leave home. Sit on the sofa. Get whatever food it is in that you like to watch your football with, whether it's your popcorn, your crisps, or whatever it is. And TSFP it. Yeah, good idea.

26:35Sid Lowe:And then listen to us on Monday as we talk all about it. So there we go. thanks for the support guys at patreon.com forward slash tsp there's loads of content over there so come and join us it's a good idea if you're even mildly into spanish football we'll speak on monday adios cheerio

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28:03Phil Kitromilides:Who will advance? Keep up. It's playoffs. Tune in Tuesday, March 17th at 6.30 p.m. and 9 p.m. only on ESPN and the ESPN app.