Matchday 34 Preview

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1:33Hello everyone and welcome to this week's preview podcast. Sid is off celebrating something and he's not working this weekend, which is literally unheard of. I'm not sure it's ever happened before in 25 years, but he is not going to a game. He's not watching any games. He is make a big party this weekend. So it's me and Al. We haven't been invited to the party, by the way. No, and Sid, he hasn't been coping very well. let's be honest with the prospect of having a weekend off has he because it never happens he basically he's not really capable of it like he can't do it like he's been he's basically been dreading this weekend a weekend that involves him as you say having fun with his nearest and dearest and he's basically been talking about it like oh oh yeah it's a bit of a nightmare I just got to do it I guess yeah oh yeah it's quite funny thoughts and prayers with Sydney as he enjoys a weekend off with his closest friends and family.

2:26And you and me are here, Al, to talk about match day 34 in La Liga eSports. Kitro, does this mean, yeah, we had match day 33, then match day 32. Now it's 34. We're back on track, which is great. Do I get to do predictions, Kitro? Do I get to do my first ever predictions? Yeah, I would think we could both do them. and we've had so sid's done them thump has done them with you know varying degrees of success so you think you think we combine forces we join our brain power together i mean i've thought about this like literally not at all no prep okay um good it'd be quite funny if we got like if we got like eight or nine out of ten wouldn't it because seeing a sid's record let's be honest sid's the man who i think knows more about spanish football than anybody else on the planet like maybe yeah maybe yeah my prediction game has been way off I mean yeah not great way off I mean because Spanish football is so beautifully unpredictable Kitcho that's why we love it so much isn't it yeah I think that's um a very good way of putting it uh before we get to the predictions before that I know how are you I can see you there wearing your Ryo shirt with a big grin on your face your voice is holding up yeah I thought it was going to be ropey last night it was pretty um It's pretty croaky by the end of the game.

3:39Tell us everything. Tell us all about it. Very magical night in Vallecas. It was a, obviously, the Conference League semi-final first leg against Strasbourg. First time Raya have ever been in a European semi-final. Fans gathered at six o 'clock. There were thousands and thousands of fans there. 6.30, some of the players got there. And they were driving up in their cars to the stadium, just surrounded by fans, like banging the windows, going, come on. and then the manager brought them all out and sort of made them sort of stand there. Well, not made them, but, you know, said, like, we're going to go there with the fans and they were standing there with the fans outside the game before.

4:16It was just a really magical atmosphere and, like, people who I've spoken to who have been to a lot of games over the years said that this was right up there. Pretty special because it wasn't just about the game last night. It was kind of like a celebration of the journey. That's why it was such a sort of joyful and momentous and historically euphoric event. People were just like, we are here and we are Rio and we have been down and we have been out and we are tiny and we're poor and we are a shambles. But we are here and this is to be completely celebrated. And it was, it was a wonderful celebration.

4:53The game itself, Rio absolutely dominated. Certainly if you look at the stats, 24 shots and Strasbourg did not have a shot on target. Didn't have a shot on target the whole game. I thought they were massively underwhelming. That said, I think they were basically playing to stay in this game and then take it back home and win it in the second leg. Because in the quarterfinals, they lost 2-0 away to Mainz and then won 4-0 at home. So I think they were playing to stay in the game, which they did. Raya should have had a bigger lead. Florian Lejeune missed an absolute sitter with a header and Pedro Diaz was thrilled.

5:27Yeah, I saw you and Sid sharing some messages about this last night and you were lamenting. Yeah, I can't repeat what I said about Pedro Villas. But yeah, he decided to pass when he was through on goals. Like, what are you doing, bro? But anyway, it was good. It was great. It was magical. It could have been just slightly more magical with a two or three goal lead. But there we go. That is a night that we will never ever forget. I mean, it sounds like it was genuinely quite emotional, right? Yeah, 100%. It was totally emotional. It was a culmination of everything. Like I said, it was about the journey.

6:00It was just a celebration that we are here. You know, we're here. We shouldn't be here. We'll probably never be here again. It like, obviously, you know, really does matter. But at the same time, this is almost like, you know, this is a prize getting here is and being able to celebrate this was, I say almost good enough. It's not now. We want to make the final. You know, we're so close. We want to make the final. So let's see. Let's see if Isi Palazón takes us to Leipzig. I think, you know, it would be nice. So, yeah, all right, enough about that. But it was pretty special and magical. Let's get to the predictions and look ahead to what's coming up in La Liga this weekend.

6:36Obviously, the title could well be wrapped up this weekend, but also the main point of interest... Well, it's not the main point of interest, it's the relegation battle. Obviously, the title, I guess, is the most important thing, and Barcelona could be champions this weekend, and we'll get to that in a moment. but the relegation battle involves so many teams. There's something riding on every game this weekend. So it is a very important weekend. How many teams do you think are in the relegation battle, Kitch? Are we talking 10? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's ridiculous, but it makes for an exciting end to the season.

7:14I guess in maybe the next two or three games, there might be a couple that sort of mathematically pull away. That's the idea. And so it might not be quite as tight, but I think we're going to go, I think we're going to head into the final two rounds of the season with still a good six or seven teams involved. Anyway. Yeah, right now it's 10 because Rayo in 11th place on 39 points. Yeah. Right the way down. So, yeah, so right now it's literally the entire bottom half of the table. Yes, it's potentially in trouble. Totally. So we kick off on Friday night with Girona against Mallorca. It's the Girona side who are 15th against the Mallorca side who are 17th.

7:52Mallorca, one point above the relegation zone. Girona are four points above the relegation zone. The sensations, Al, the feelings with Girona is that they've actually been playing quite well, but the results haven't necessarily accompanied them. Yeah, I was going to say, it feels like, before I check the table, Girona have almost played their way out of trouble. But like you say, you look at it, they're right in there. I guess because they gave themselves almost too much to do in the first half of the season. They've been sort of fighting back pretty much from day one. So no, as you say, they are right in the mire.

8:27As for Mallorca, I mean, how many buttons of Martin Di Michele's shirt do we think are going to be unbuttoned for this one? Is he going to go sort of three buttons, four buttons? I think, you know, it's an evening game. So it possibly won't be that long. Yeah, but I'm up in Catalonia. I'm not too far from Girona. And it's quite humid. and there's no sort of chill at night. So I'd say he can... Two or three buttons for Girona against Mallorca. Obviously, we had this discussion on one of the bonus podcasts. I think it might have been the Q &A pod about when was the last time that a top scorer in La Liga was actually relegated and Vedat Murici is not far away from being the top scorer at all.

9:09He's only three goals behind. We couldn't find one, could we? We couldn't. I think one of our patrons eventually found one from the 1950s, but Sid was struggling to find one, but maybe it hasn't. Certainly in the modern era. Yeah, all I could find was, there were some examples of players who had been Pachichi one season and then been relegated a season or two before or after, like Salva Vallesta and people like that, but no, nothing. Okay, so come on then. Giroud, what are we thinking? Giroud, no win. Yeah? Okay, show you're working. Why? Convince me. Because I think they have actually been playing quite well despite not getting the results.

9:54I like a lot of their players. I think Joel Roca might start tonight, who is a really exciting player who we've mentioned in the newsletter as well, one to watch. I like Kunahi. Let's see who plays up front, whether it's Echeverry. maybe we might get Stuani with a rare start because Van Aert is out for the rest of the season. I don't know. I like them. And I think, you know, Mallorca can't just be relying on Murici to score every game. And I'm going for a draw and a home win. OK, let's go with a home win. If it is a draw, I will send you a little message later on just to remind you of this conversation.

10:29Look forward to it. Get ready for that smugness. But OK, home win. So, Villarreal against Levante is the first game on Saturday. Villarreal looking to try and finish the season as high as possible. They're currently in third place. They'll probably end the season in third place, let's be honest. They're nine points behind a second place Real Madrid and five points above fourth place Atletico. It's a weird end to the season for Villarreal as well. It must be one of the weirdest seasons ever. Because, yeah, nailed on for third place. and yet it feels kind of awful. I don't know, listening to the radio last night, something we've talked about that Marcelino's not going to carry on at Villarreal, the European campaign was a disaster.

11:12It feels like behind the scenes, things have kind of broken down between the coaching staff and the squad. It's quite a messy end. So on paper, domestically at least, is a very good season. It's weird. I mean, in their history, they finished second once, third once and fourth twice. Like this is a historically good season, one of their best ever seasons. And yet Marcelino is almost certainly leaving at the end of it. So, yeah, it is a little bit strange. Up against this Levante side who are second bottom, but are still very much in the battle to avoid relegation. If they win, they will go out of the relegation zone, potentially, depending on what Mallorca have done the night before.

11:53they're wondering whether or not to pay the clausula de miedo the fear clause for Carl Etter to be able to play I think they paid it in the first game I'm pretty sure they paid it in the first game for him and then he barely played it's 300 000 euros I think you've really got to think this through carefully because that's it's quite a lot of money just yeah he hasn't even really been playing recently. They've got old Charlie Espey up front. So yeah, it feels like they probably won't pay it. Viral home win. There we go. Viral home wins. Yeah. Despite everything we've just said. Home win. Okay. Okay.

12:34I can deal with that. Valencia against Atletico Madrid's under-19s. Because obviously Atletico Madrid are not going to feel their strongest line-up in this game. They're not going to feel their second strongest line-up in this game. There's going to be a lot of kids on the bench. I would suggest that almost every player that featured against Arsenal in mid-week will not play. You and Sid suggested at least 10 changes, right? At least, like, maybe you leave O 'Black in goal or something like that, but otherwise... Maybe you leave O 'Black in goal. Maybe, yeah, Lenormand didn't start the game, so maybe he starts.

13:10Lenglet will start. Old Julio Diaz will be left-back. Like, Ponyar will be right back. Vargas and Mendoza are in midfield. Yeah. Almada. Yeah. Molina, Baena. Someone, you know. Okay. So it's not going to be... So what we're saying is, home win? Valencia home win. Yeah, it has to be. Well, I mean, you know, that team went to Sevilla a couple of weeks ago, you know, almost literally that team that I told you, and lost, like competed pretty well, but lost. and I think you know Atleti are 10 points clear in fourth place like they're 10 points clear of Betis and anyway fifth place we think is going to get Champions League I was going to say it's been a good week here so Ryo doing their bit for Spanish football with the coefficient and the German teams by contrast yeah not doing so well yeah good stuff thank you Ryo so basically Atletico Madrid are guaranteed Champions League football there is honestly absolutely no need for them to take any kind of risk or even try very much in this game.

14:10And they're up against the Valencia side who do monumentally need the points. They've also got a relatively good home record. They've won three of their last four matches at home, Valencia. So I think we'll go for a home win here. There we go. Yeah, I agree. Yeah, good. We're on the same page there. This episode is brought to you by State Farm. You know those friends who support your preference for podcasts over music on road trips? That's the energy State Farm brings to insurance. With over 19 ,000 local agents, they help you find the coverage that fits your needs. So you can spend less time worrying about insurance and more time enjoying the ride.

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15:43After that, we've got Alaves against Athletic Club, an Athletic Club side who are, I wouldn't say, I don't know if it's free fall is the right word, but they, you know, one win in their last six, three consecutive defeats. They're just limping to the end of a season with Ernesto Valverde going. it's just a very sort of, it's actually quite sad that his tenure and he's possibly the best manager in their history is ending like this. Yeah, it really is. It's not the way that a club legend should be going out, but you don't always get to choose the way that these things. I don't think really it will have, do you think it has any impact on how he's perceived, like in Bilbao and what his, I don't think it really does.

16:27I don't think so. I don't think so. I don't think so. But yes, we'll see up against the Alaves side, who, as we said a few weeks ago, we know it's all about the hashtag always watch Alaves. They concede loads. They score loads. There's loads of late goals as well. They have been picking up points, just one defeat in their last six and two wins in their last five. I kind of fancy Alaves here. Yeah, I did. I mean, you say always watch Alaves. I did watch Alaves. the other week at the Bernabeu I was really quite impressed with him and I've got to say Kiki Santos Flores I was sat in the presser afterwards listening to him quite a long post-match press conference he was sort of taking all questions any questions happy to talk about Alaves, Real Madrid you know some coaches I don't want to talk about their own team and their own performance he was just like I'm happy to chat about whatever I find him incredibly sort of incredibly sort of a good listen and quite sort of charming and just convincing I think if I was a player I'd look at him and his sort of dreamy eyes and I'd be like, yes, I believe in you.

17:33I'm with you. Is this, yeah, a fourth home win out of four so far, Kittre? I think it might be. Maybe. You're definitely bringing a sort of more homoerotic energy to the pod than Sid. More than you? Well, yeah, I think so. I mean, to be honest, I do agree with everything you've said about Martin de Michelis. I'm just, I mean, I'm speaking, there's nothing like controversial there. No, there is absolutely not. I like it. More of that, actually. I might give Sid a little toque de atención. Come on, let's talk a little bit more about handsome managers. Yeah, forget things. Yeah. Forget a sort of deeply rooted analysis based on years of Spanish football watching and writing.

18:16And just let's be a little bit more silly. Lucas Boyer probably isn't available for this game. He might be available for the last couple of games. I'm going to go draw I'm going to go draw 1-1 Yeah okay Yeah I'm going to go 1-1 I felt like everything that you said It did Made me think home win It did and then I remembered Lucas Boyer isn't available Although he hasn't necessarily been That key to Alaves in recent weeks But yeah I'm going to go home win Maybe the nerves will get No no no draw draw draw You sure? I wanted home win Draw okay fine draw Draw's alright At El Sadar it's Osasuna against Barcelona obviously Barcelona if they win and Real Madrid don't Barcelona will be champions in theory this is one of the trickiest away matches of the season Osasuna are in ninth and they're actually one of the teams who are just above the threshold of looking over their shoulder and are now looking above their shoulder to potentially try and get into the conference league and finish looking above their shoulders how do you look above your shoulder to sort of you're not like yeah yeah okay

19:28I'm a bit worried for Osasuna because they don't have Victor Muñoz, obviously, who is an extremely talented and dangerous player for them. They still do have Ante Budimir, obviously, but Barcelona missing a load of players, actually, not least Laminya Mal and Rafinha. Jules Koundé is actually suspended for this one as well. I mean, I say Rafinha is potentially available, but he won't start, I don't think. I mean, he's been training this week. He's not going to start this game. He might be available to come off the bench. And remember last season, this was, I think this was Hansi Flick's first defeat in La Liga.

20:06He sort of rotated quite a lot and went to El Sardar and I think they lost 4-2. It is a hashtag tough place to go on a cold Tuesday night. But I still think Barcelona get it done. What do you reckon? Yeah, I think so too. I think so too. I think Barca win. So that would take them to 88 points. And like you say, Real Madrid currently on 74. So if Real Madrid win every game between now and the end of the season, that takes them up to 89 points. Will they do that, Real Madrid? We'll come on to that. But yeah, I think Barca win, yes. That was pretty straightforward. Then on Sunday, by the way, what am I commenting?

20:43I'm commenting Viera Levante and Ossesuna Barcelona as well. So double fun for me on Saturday. Then on Sunday, Celta Vigo against Elche. Celta with this sort of ludicrously bad home record. Like, I still can't get over the fact that Celta have got the fewest points at home in La Liga all season. No team has got fewer points. Like, they've got 17 points. Oviedo have got 18 points at home. It's true Oviedo have played one more game. But still, four wins from 16 games for a team that's pushing for Europe is just bizarre that Celta have got this bad record. They're up against an Elche side who, up until recently, had not won away from home, but they won their last away game to get their first away win of the season.

21:31One win, four draws and 11 defeats on the road for Elche. So if that doesn't scream, draw at Palaidos, I don't know what does. OK, so you're hearing a scream of draw, but you're being tempted by... No, no, I'm listening to the scream. I'm going to go draw there as well. Okay, cool. Yeah, me too. So, great. Getafe against Rayo. Rayo will obviously rotate massively after last night's exertions and a trip to Strasbourg coming up next Thursday. Getafe. I think we can, broadly speaking, sort of second-guess their game plan for this one. They are sixth. They're still sixth. Getafe is a remarkable season.

22:15I'm looking at it. Yeah, incredible. Yeah, level on points. Do you know how many players they've got suspended for this game? How many? They've got three players suspended for this game. Jene, Mario Martín and Saeed Romero are all suspended. I sort of presume that Getafe have got three players suspended for almost every game. I mean, that seems to me about par. Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean, there's at least one or two every game. Three is just above average, I would say. Three starters as well, probably. But the plan won't change too much from Getafe. It's going to be absolutely awful and it's going to be 1-0 to Getafe.

22:51Did you see the lovely recognition for José Bordelaz this week? He was recognised by the city of Getafe officially as an adopted son of Getafe. No greater honour can be bestowed on a man, I would say. I don't know what sort of special privileges come with that. If you can sort of, you know, drive a flock of sheep down, you know, the main road. I'm not sure, but it's something that we can all, you know, aspire to, I guess. Yes. Congratulations. So few of us will achieve. To Jose Borrelas for that. And other things as well. Real Betis against Real Oviedo. I'm commentating this as well. We said home win, didn't we?

23:33We did, we did, we did. Okay, cool. And I've got a feeling we're going to say home win again here. We were talking on the Q &A as well. Someone asked us about the record number of draws in a season, and it's 18 by Deportivo La Coruña in the 2015-16 season when they were coached by Victor Sanchez del Amo. Betis are, well, I'm not saying on course for that. They could beat it if they draw their last five games because they're on 14. That ain't going to happen, though, because they're at home to Oviedo who are all but mathematically relegated. Seven points from safety and the last game against Elche really, really, really hurt them and they were beaten 2-1.

24:14And I think with that result goes all hopes of survival. So, Betis. Yes. Oviedo's hopes have been extinguished so many times this season. And then a little flame has just sort of... I think even if they win, there's no flame. That's the thing.

24:34An Espanol against Real Madrid on Sunday. I'm going to be there. It's a very curious situation. You're going to be there. Because Sid's having a special weekend away. Oh, yes. I'm doing this game, yeah. Yeah. If Espanyol win and Barcelona have won, then Espanyol hand the title to Barca, which they will not be too delighted about. Problem is for Espanyol, they have not won a game of football in nearly six months. So not in La Liga anyway. So they desperately need to win a game of football. They're only five points above the relegation zone. They've been dragged into this relegation battle when it looked like they weren't going to be.

25:12And they need a win. Suggestions that the coach has sort of lost the dressing room, I think. That was what I was reading about this week, having Manolo, a guy who I think we've had a lot of time for on the pod and still went and talked to him and been quite impressed with him and what they did in the first half of the season. But yeah, suggestions that things are not well there. But I don't know, you know, I feel like... Do you know where else things aren't very well? At Real Madrid. yeah yeah talk about talking of talking of dressing room divisions yes and yeah a number of number of injuries for Real Madrid you know sort of a convenient time for some players who might want to take it easy ahead of the World Cup yes Thilene Barpe won't be available for this one no he's there was a pause between those two statements you noticed he's he's unavailable.

26:09Yeah, and obviously Emilitao's out, Rodrigo Goez is out and Adeguiler is out too. Thibaut Courtois is making his return from injury, but we'll see whether or not he features. There is actually really no reason for me to think Real Madrid win this game, apart from the fact that Espanyol have been bad. Can I propose a draw? Are you going to propose a draw? Is that your proposal for this game? Maybe. Alex has put forward a draw proposal and maybe a kind of Espanol go-ahead Real Madrid, Nick a goal back late-ish kind of you know with a Gonzalo Garcia off the bench, Heller kind of scenario I don't know.

26:51Okay, I think Gonzalo Garcia might start, there's not too many other options but let's see yeah maybe, okay Arbeloa doesn't fancy him that much, didn't he go back to Real Madrid Castillo? Well I'm not sure if it's Arbeloa or if it's just been decided that he is not the future. And so he is to be banished. I know, it was Thiago Pitacci who went back to Castilla. There we go. Yes, banished back to Castilla. We're going for a draw at the RCBT Stadium. Did we discuss on the pod, Kicho, did we discuss how long the pause was in Alvaro Abolo's press conference when he was asked about why it was that all of the academy players had disappeared from the first team pitcher in the last few weeks?