The hosts stay alive, Italy scrape through and permutations galore! | Euro 2025 #6

0:00Hi, I'm Max Rushton, the host of The Guardian Football Weekly, alongside me, Barry Glendening, my co-host. Hey, Barry. Hello. Now, although every American found us during the World Cup, for the two that didn't, what can they expect? Found us and fell in love with us, Max. They can expect three episodes each week of occasionally insightful analysis covering the Premier League, Champions League and beyond. Football Weekly is back. Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Here's a tip for you. There's a podcast out there with fans waiting to be your next customer. They tune in every week.

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1:29welcome to up front i'm Chloe Morgan and i'm Rachel O'Sullivan we're starting to get a very full quarterfinal picture now as the group stages draw to a close can you even believe we're two weeks into this tournament italy went through despite losing 3-1 to Spain last night. Spain were good in patches but are they vulnerable? Portugal are out after they lost to Belgium and the host Switzerland got through against Finland. What a result for the host nation. Today we're reviewing all of those games and then turning our attention to the small matter of England's final group game where they conceal qualification if they beat a Wales side who will certainly be up for a challenge.

2:10I already feel so so nervous.

2:15Rach, before we get stuck into this pod, I know you've managed to find some time to explore Switzerland, to make a little bit more time for visiting the culture and the essence of Switzerland. Tell us about it so I can just, I don't know, get back into, I suppose, feeling like I'm living my life through you now, in your eyes. I mean I'm not going to say I've had loads of time to do that but it was Sophie's birthday the other day and we happened to be in Tun for the Norway How dare she have a birthday in the midst of the Major International Tournament Listen you know I set the bar high in 2022 by taking her for brunch in Rotherham and you know ever since then I've just tried to beat that high every year so it's been tough because brunch in Rotherham is understandably unbelievable but you know we did well watching in Australia that nearly tipped Rotherham but I'm not sure it quite reached it and then last year we were in Santa Barbara where I took it for like pancake breakfast on the beach and then we did like a little bit of a craft brewery hopping in Santa Barbara which was a lot of fun but still not quite Rotherham brunch levels so yeah we were in Tun if you're ever in Switzerland highly recommend visiting it it is a very very picturesque town beautiful and we took one of those like cable car rides with our friends up the side of a mountain.

3:33We brought a little picnic and got to the top, like incredible views of the Alps that are covered in snow. Below was the lake, like the blue of the lake. Like, you know, when you see it in pictures, that ain't Photoshop Chloe. That is like literally the blue of the lake. I don't know how they make it so blue, but it is ridiculous. And yeah, just the most incredible, you know, gorges and valleys below us. It was amazing. You could hear the cows on the fields and the little bells ringing, you know, the little bells they were in Switzerland. Like it's a very wholesome sound. so yeah had some Prosecco up the top of a mountain little sandwiches little birthday cake spent a couple of hours up there and then we went and had some dinner in Tun before kick off and that's a benefit of the 9pm kick off there's not many benefits but one of them is that we can have dinner sometimes That's so lovely it sounds very like Sound of Music-esque Really was Did you sing with their holding hands?

4:24A little bit yeah and I did put up a photo with that song on Instagram so it did feel a bit I was talking to Rachel Brown and Finis about this and she was like that sounds so romantic and then I finished the sentence saying with our friends there was five of us and she was like yeah nice oh happy birthday Soph wishing you all the best and congratulations for having a birthday in the midst of the tournament and the chaos that's unfolding think Brazil she turns 40 at the World Cup and she wants to learn to samba so that's going to be a journey for us all I think that I'm going to capture on social media full circle from Rotherham to be fair that might be Rotherham it might be Rotherham I don't know.

5:01I'll have to really try hard. Well, from all of us up front, so if you've obviously been an absolute friend, and I mean, like, we're... Well, I'm the third wheel. Yeah, I'm the third wheel of your relationship anyway. So I probably need to send her something myself. I'll take her after when she's back. Yeah, I forgot about that one. I missed it. And I apologise for that. Right, Italy, Spain. Spain walking away with the points. 3-1 in this game. Spain made six changes to the team they've battered Belgium they were a little bit more clunky going forward and I think as we said previously they showed once again they could get well they can be got out defensively essentially I think Italy did cause them real problems I mean first opening 10 minutes um Olivier I mean the first goal at a major international tournament firing that home from close range the celebration was absolutely insane Spain fans looked completely and utterly stunned um this kind of feels like There's been two starts now for Spain that haven't gone the perfect way.

6:02I appreciate, you know, in the previous game, Spain scored first, but then Belgium scored really quickly in succession afterwards. It kind of feels like it's the second game now that Spain haven't started off on the best foot, or at least a foot that kind of shows a fair degree of vulnerability. I mean, Rach, what did you make of those opening few minutes? Yeah, it could just be a case of maybe a bit of a slow start. But I think what we've seen from Spain is that what I found funny is the timings of goals. So like when Spain have conceded, it almost kind of angers the beast. How dare you? And suddenly Spain like, right, come here, we're going down there and scoring within the next kind of like within five minutes.

6:39We've been kind before. We will get another goal within five minutes. Don't you worry. So, yeah, it did feel a little bit like that again. Like Italy looked surprisingly comfortable with their game plan in the opening kind of 10, 15 minutes. It was effective. Even though that's, I can imagine, bloody hard and bloody scary having to play that kind of defensive role and counterattacking role. And they nearly scored like just before the goal. They had a header crash off the crossbar, you know. So they were creating and I think we have touched on. And it's funny because I've seen a number of replies on social media to us and comments on some of like Sophie's articles, for example, about people just can't wrap their head around why we keep talking about Spain.

7:21it's like pathetic and embarrassing and blah, blah, blah. And I'm like, what do you want us to say? Do you know what we should just do for this section? We should just go, Spain are the best. Nobody can beat them. Let's move on to the next game. And I'm sure people would really appreciate that analysis. That is why they listen to the pod. Yes, exactly. No, I do think, look, it's a normal thing to try and... We did it for years at the US, right? And we were like, how do you beat them? They're winning everything. They're so good. Why are they so good? How do we reach that level? That's Spain now.

7:50They are the benchmark for the best and everyone is trying to figure out not how to play like them, but how to beat that type of football. And every type of football has vulnerabilities. The problem is that Spain's vulnerabilities are very bloody small and they don't like to show us them very often. I think perhaps understandable that it was maybe a little bit rusty with the changes made you know they've had I guess maybe not tested as much across the groups but I do think each team has provided a different type of opposition that they've had to adapt to slightly not that they necessarily adapt their game plan but you know that they come up against and have to deal with just like every other team so yeah I think overall they looked comfortable in the game I think perhaps they could have put the game to bed a bit earlier.

8:38Being on a 2-1 score line is always dangerous and I think Italy did always look dangerous on the counter-attack. It's just that they faded as the game went on and that's the difficulty with perhaps the teams in their group, maybe less so Portugal, because they didn't really mount any sort of threat, but is that you may come up with a game plan, but do you have the squad that can sustain that game plan for 90 plus minutes? And Spain will run you ragged. You need to be so on it and so fit to be able to sustain that. And I just think that's, with Isley, good game plan, but perhaps the execution for across the 90 minutes was almost impossible.

9:12I think you've got to give them real credit there, because I was expecting a little bit the same as you, Rach. They came out all guns blazing. I thought they're going to tie themselves out. And by the second half or towards the second half of the second half, they're really going to fade away. But I think there were still those real moments of spiciness that I saw in the Italian attacking line. So there was that great chance with the, there was a ball played in behind the Spanish back line. They were obviously keeping quite a high line and Italy were kind of, I suppose, trying to counter and kind of catch them out when they pressed up so high.

9:38But then, yeah, there was that ball in behind to Piemonte. The 1v1 with the keeper puts it wide. It was like an agonising miss because it kind of felt like in that moment, the game could have kind of turned on its head and very much kind of got the wind back in the Italian sails again to kind of really reignite this and kind of take this to Spain again. again sort of more chances there was a ball played in I can't remember who played in the ball but it was like a ball in from the wing there was about eight about seven or eight Spanish players in and around the box found an Italian player and you're just like there are just lapses of judgment that I saw from Spain which were really again uncharacteristic it kind of felt like a touch of the lionesses in their first game could find a kind of found Spain in a way because there were just things the basic things I don't think Spain were doing particularly well I did think Spain in the second half definitely came out very reinvigorated obviously had a bit of a you know rocket put up them I think in in the uh in the changing room at half time because immediately obviously they kind of seemed like they were just on the front foot again and there was that belief that actually they were just going to carry this game and just kind of and put it to bed um but again I did I did really feel like Italy really took the game to Spain and I absolutely love to see it I think um yeah it does show that kind of vulnerability there that Italy that the Spain that they can they can be beaten there are points there I hate to hear that I think what's been what's interesting is in those games and I think Italy showed it is that when you do go down 2-1 and I think Guiaro's goal came at a you know just after half time and it did feel a bit like Italy were like oh because they'd managed to go into half time you know at what's the word level jeez I'm not used to saying that very often when we're talking about Spain but yeah they went to go in meant to are able to go to half time level and And I think having that goal conceded just after halftime from Guiaro.

11:26And that was a real lapse of judgment from the Italian defence because Atenea del Castillo was able to kind of run and run and run and run at the Italian defence. And they just dropped off and dropped off and dropped off. And I think that was one of the frustrating things that there was more and more of as the game went on was that kind of your press is going to be ineffective if half of your players are just running backwards. and granted you're not pressing that at that point of the pitch but you just felt it further up in Spain or playing out from the back but Atenea could just run and run and run and run all the way into the box had a shot blocked and it was just like a sloppy sloppy defensively to just kind of poke it out to Guillaro and it was a lovely goal from her outside of the boot fizzed it into the net just out of reach the goalkeeper and I think yeah scoring in kind of the 49th minute is always a bit of a like pin in the balloon a little bit and I think what's really important when you're playing the likes of Spain is that you say to yourself, all we need is one counterattack.

12:22Like we can still be dangerous on the counterattack. We need to be tidy in defence, but one counterattack. And I think sometimes teams who play Spain, when Spain get ahead, they just let themselves go, oh, look, they're going to run away with it now. And it's interesting to see the mindset of teams when they go behind against Spain, whether they're going to go, one counterattack is all we need, let's work really hard for that, or fuck it, the floodgates have opened, now we're screwed. So it's like one of two ways. Well, I think it's that, like, you know, you're not going to have a large amount of the ball or you're not going to have the ball for large amounts of time on the pitch and I think you know we saw the same thing I suppose with Belgium I think I said before there was around a 25-30 % possession same thing again with Italy in this game they had 25 % of the possession but still had 13 shots obviously two shots on target one of them going in so you know there are these there are these teams that are kind of getting more comfortable out of possession capturing them capturing Spain sort of on those moments of vulnerability and also like the conversion rates are incredible like shots on target too but you're scoring if you're scoring one or two of those that's all you need so yeah it's an effective strategy and I think it's maybe something that the lionesses will be looking at should they be matching up with them in either the quarter or the semi-final I need to um can we work out what that would be because we would finish second if England finished top of the group and they get through their quarterfinal then they could meet Spain if England finished second in the group and get through the following rounds, I think they would meet Spain in the final, I think.

13:45Good Lord. Look, I think we do have to talk about, I think Spain's midfield completely dominated. I think Italy didn't have the midfield to kind of almost, they were too passive in the midfield. And they were allowing, I mean, it's allowing as an unfair word, perhaps given how good Spain's midfield are, but there was just no kind of physicality and challenges really being put in. they just kind of sliced through the midfield Aitana Bonmatis was back she started which is great to see I mean great to see from a I really like Bonmatis player well fair point of view not great to see if you were coming up against Spain to have her back and playing well and I know I waxed lyrical about Alexia Puteas last time around but she's just having some tournament like she's just she looks so confident relaxed like just quality on the ball little back heels little flicks like I didn't think she could improve but particularly after an ACL injury but it seems that she's found another level again so yeah I think she's having an unbelievable tournament which I think she deserves given them she missed 2022 at that ACL so yeah she's an absolute weapon and then Gonzalez coming on I'm gonna put Gonzalez on like the 80 I was just about to say fourth goal of the tournament um yeah like definitely in the running now for like golden boot like she's just been so spicy i think i feel like it feels like they're almost in composition to see who can be like the most heroic member of the spanish squad it's um yeah it's like frightening to see um but yeah obviously now both of them going through um to the the quarterfinals italy go through despite losing because portugal lost to belgium um do we think they could cause an upset against norway in the next round yes like i watched the norway Iceland game, Norway made like six or seven changes.

15:35You know, they didn't have Karel and Graham Hansen, Ade Hegerberg, Gura Reiton. They didn't have any of them starting. They had Turland on, Bizet started, you know, and Molnum was there. And, you know, at points they looked good, but like they just can be their own downfall at times. Like to allow Iceland back 4-3, you know, you're just kind of looking at them going, what are you doing? but I do have to shout out Gupset for Norway a youngster from plays in her football in Bergen and when I went over to Bergen for like my 36 hour trip in Bergen to see them play I remember texting Sophie and saying remember the name Signa Gupset because she's a youngster she's about 20 I think unbelievable player she came and scored two goals and had two assists that's her first goals in the Euros and she scored two and assisted two I don't think a player of that age has done that before So she's absolutely a standout player and had a great game.

16:33But yeah, Norway are just like, they don't make it easy for themselves. And I do think if Italy can put in a performance like they did against Spain with that kind of intensity at the beginning, particularly, I do think they can get at that Norway back line. And I know Spain scored three and it could have been more, but I think defensively, Italy actually did well. So that kind of set up against Norway, I think Italy could take it. I was going to say, I kind of put my money on Italy. I think they are so exciting to watch. They're so kind of, I'd say there's like an excitement around the squad.

17:05There's this like passion and energy that you see in the Italian players. And like, even when they score, like their celebrations just seem like even on like another level of like any other clubs. I know it sounds... It starts with the anthem, right? Unbelievable anthem. There's just like hype around them. Yeah, I don't know if you saw my photos online, but I know at the end of every anthem, they all like lean back and like shout the last word and kind of lean forward as a group. So I knew that they were going to do that. And I got this great shot of them all. And the poor ball kids stood in front of them were a bit like, why are they all screaming at me?

17:37I do hope someone kind of warned them beforehand. But it's almost like they use the anthem to fire them up before kickoff. And that carries onto the pitch. 100%. We saw the same thing, I think, similarly with Jamaica around the World Cup. The fans, the atmosphere, the hype around the tournament, even the kits for them, it was a big thing. But there are some countries, I suppose, that just bring this level of energy that's just like really lovely. But I think, yeah, to your point, Rachel, on the Norway game, I mean, I don't feel like there's that consistency there with Norway that I have that trust that they're going to put that game to bed, even though despite the talent they have.

18:09It's like one of those, they could, but will they? They could, but I don't think they will, yeah. And I see a hunger in the Italian squad that I don't necessarily see with the Norwegians. So I think, yeah, putting my money in, putting my sandpole, whatever it is on the line, I'd say Italy. I did think it was interesting when Molnum scored, she cupped her ears. And I just thought that was quite a telling... Silence in the haters. Yeah, but like your team are still not playing well. So I just always find that like, I mean, for me, if I was a player, I just would never, I mean, I respect all the players who have these such cool celebrations, especially as a photographer.

18:45And Turland and Gupset did some sort of celebration right in front of me. I had no idea what I meant. And someone leaned across to me and went, you're kind of a, with your journalistic head on, what is that celebration? And I was like, couldn't tell you. But I'm really glad they did it in front of me. but yeah I just would never like have the balls to do it if I was a player because I'd be like I'm probably going to score and on goal next so I'm just going to stay quiet and be like okay good it's a risky move it is definitely a risky move um all right so Portugal Belgium the second um game in this group both of those teams dropping out of the Euros it's I hate this stage where you have teams that drop out I just I don't like it I want everyone to like stay in until the end which is obviously impossible.

19:24Portugal's dissonation. Just do a big game where everyone plays everyone. Yeah, just take each other in. Yeah, you could have like half a Belgium squad, half a Portugal squad, half a Wales squad. You could just like fix it up and everyone could be lovely. We should put together a squad of the players, of the teams that have gone out because there are definitely some players in some of these teams that have really impressed and I actually think like when you look back at maybe previous tournaments you've had games where you're like that team has just not turned up. They've had a shit tournament and I actually think in some of these tournaments I really feel for the teams because like you know Poland really played well against Germany Denmark really played well against Germany you could say Belgium like I know it was 6-2 but that first half really challenged Spain like they've all had like maybe Portugal maybe the last 10 minutes against in their last game perhaps but like that's where it's been really interesting is that quite a few of the teams that have gone out Finland like they've had such a good tournament that actually you chose the standards now because the teams that are going out they're not just all walking away with no points nil point you know they're actually putting challenges across and we said that beforehand we said like some of these groups are really hard to call because who's coming in second you know and I think that shows the standard and a lot of teams won't be disappointing that they've gone out like they can't hold their heads high and say actually we've put in good performances here and there and there's lots to build on Definitely I think if you're going to put together a squad of like out of players that have now dropped out you'd be looking at I'd start with harder yes is it Taluba I think her name is I really thought Taluba had a good tournament for Belgium she impressed when I saw her play some of the Finns like some of the Finns have had unbelievable tournaments so yeah I really feel like you could put together a decent squad maybe we should do like some sort of plate game where we just make two teams between the group stages and the quarter finals we have two teams made up of the teams that have gone out we pick some players and we do like some sort of like plate competition and then we can keep them around and get to see them play again because I'm really sad that I don't get to see some of these players play again because we don't get to see them very often which is why I'm so delighted Switzerland went through I'll get on to that Mate I mean the women's game is all for a new format I mean look what happened with the World 7s that went down I don't have a million pounds I'm afraid yeah it's the same vibe but yeah Portugal's distance hopes of qualifying never materialise is not helpful to go down after three minutes.

21:50That obviously felt like a small nail being tapped into the coffin of the hopes and dreams being buried. This was captain Tessa Willer's 94th goal for Belgium. She made her debut in 2011 and she's played in all of Belgium's European Championships 2017, 2022 and of course this year. Rach, what did you make of this game? I know you couldn't be at this game. You can't be in two places at once. Not when they're at the same time. Yeah, and also you're frolicking in the mountains. You've got to have some time to yourself too. Well, I was in the Wankdorf Stadium, don't forget. Stop saying that. It felt cagey.

22:26And Belgium, I think it's always interesting to see how a team plays when they're already out. And I think we saw that with Norway-Iceland. Iceland played quite well against Norway, even though they were already out. So it did feel like Belgium turned up and said, we don't want to just go down without a fight. We want to make this really difficult for Portugal. And I think they did. Scoring in the third minute, suddenly that mountain for Portugal looked about as high as the one I got went up and I needed a cable car. So like I'm delighted for Tessa Bollart. Like there's that's that's the thing as well in these tournaments as players are like they just deserve a good tournament.

23:00And sometimes it's difficult when perhaps their team isn't quite as high up the rankings perhaps or as developed as some of the others. So delighted she got a goal. And that's always been their weapon for Belgium is solidly defensive and being effective in the counter-attack. but yeah I think Portugal will be frustrated at halftime because they did have chances not even at halftime but at the end they had really good chances before and after the halftime break and it just could have been a different story it could have buoyed them I still think they needed quite a few goals I believe and obviously Italy lost but they needed quite a few goals for it to happen so it was a big ask but I think when you're coming into a game like that and you can see it in the first three minutes you're like you just feel like I mean, it ain't going to happen.

23:46I think it's that disappointment, isn't it? Like you go into the game with hope. Obviously, like you said, there was a big mountain to climb. It looked, you know, fairly unlikely that it was going to happen for them. But at the same time, like I think they did put in a bit of a shift. But I mean, there was definitely the wind was taken out of them a little bit by that third goal. I mean, you had Portugal's Anacopeta had two great chances to equalise either side of half time. I definitely think Portugal were better in the second half, but just couldn't find that opening, which I think was killer.

24:12Had they, again, had, you know, we've seen those goals just before half-time. We've seen those goals happen literally on the stroke of the second half whistle being them. So I think, like, again, the timing of the goals, if they'd have had another goal, maybe in quick succession or just before half-time or just after half-time, I think it could have turned the game on its head. They still had a lot to do. But at the same time, that didn't come until so late in the day. Like, it just, it wasn't, it was never going to be. Like they did have a better second half, but Belgium still had two goals ruled out through offside from Tisiak and Taloba.

24:45So, you know, it could have been worse. It just felt like it wasn't going to happen for them. Do you know that kind of way? And I don't know whether this is all of those things like, do you find out what is happening in the other game? Does it kind of G you on or does it make you think, OK, there's not a hope? Like in the first half, like Portugal had a 1.3 xG and Belgium had like a 0.37 and Belgium were still leading. And even by the end of it, Portugal were on 2.35 xG to Belgium's 1.98. They had 20 shots to Belgium's 13, seven shots on target to Belgium's four. You know, if you're not kind of capitalizing on that, it just, I don't know, it just felt like one of those days for them.

25:26It just, the longer the game went on, it's not going to happen. I mean now they've found to reach the knockout rounds of a major tournament they've been at three euros and one world cup in the last eight years it kind of just feels like that curse there's a bit of a kind of like a boogeyman or they need to make changes like I mean Neto's been there for a long time you know I thought and I know the the Spain game was a difficult one for them um given the tragic passing of uh Jota on the same day and that was difficult but I did just feel tactically it was naive you know and sometimes I do question the tactics and they're so hit and miss like they've conceded so many goals in their last kind of six, seven games which should be a concern and you look at what they did against England in the one game and they beat Belgium and then they go and ship like a ton of goals and it's just that complete lack of consistency so yeah I do wonder if perhaps a change is needed for Portugal They just need a bit of a rework a bit of a refresh a revamp and to kind of a little bit like what France did I suppose a kind of like a a changing of the guard and a freshen up.

26:29Coming up after this, England and Wales finally face off. I am nervous. And England could then face the winner of Sweden versus Germany.

26:49Hi, I'm Max Rushton, the host of The Guardian Football Weekly. Alongside me, Barry Glendening, my co-host. Hey, Barry. Hello. Cool. Now, although every American found us during the World Cup, for the two that didn't, what can they expect? Found us and fell in love with us, Max. They can expect three episodes each week of occasionally insightful analysis covering the Premier League, Champions League and beyond. Football Weekly is back. Watch on YouTube or listen wherever you get your podcasts. Do you keep hearing podcast ads like this one, for example, but always wonder how you actually get involved with them for your own brand or organization?

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27:56All right, before we talk about the inevitable squeaky bum time that's happening on Sunday, Rach, we've got to give a massive, massive shout out to host Switzerland who are through to the next round. A 92nd minute equaliser. Riola Shemeli said them through. The game was incredibly cagey. Finland took the lead thanks to a 79th minute penalty from Natalia Kuka. I mean, Rach. Oh my God. as in for the hosts as well like this sea of red this amazing fan base who's followed them throughout the tournament there have been some sort of shaky moments from them for the past three games but they've pulled this one out of the bag and this is exactly what we wanted to see we wanted to see the hosts progressing it's good for the tournament it's good for the buzz around it's good for the excitement but my god they made it very difficult for themselves i mean what were your thoughts on this game we there in the fan zones and things afterwards no so i was at the Norway Iceland game but this one was on the radio so I was able to listen to it while I was watching the Norway Iceland game which is incredibly confusing because your brain basically tells you what's being said in your ear is what's happening on the pitch and then you're like that doesn't match up I don't understand there's not a corner what are you talking about and then I'm like you're listening to a different game stressful bloody hell and oh my god when Finland scored I was like because I did feel Switzerland had edged it and I think you know the substitutes they brought on they looked fresher they were really going for it and obviously this sea of red behind them.

29:21And when Finland got that penalty, it was such a rash, like just such a kind of clunky, clumsy challenge. And I think I thought like, if this is what it's going to come down to, Caligaris kind of just being clumsy. I was just like, is this what's going to put Switzerland out? They're going to be absolutely gutted. What a way to go. Honestly, but like the bravery of the way that they played. And I know they're like, obviously, moments from going out, they need to play like that. But in my head, to be that kind of composed in the way that you're attacking and confident and brave in the way that you're attacking for that Chimeli goal.

30:00Beautiful bit of football to get it up there, you know, a nice little bit of passing over on the right side. And a lovely ball from Reuteler, who's, I think, so far been one of my standout players of the tournament. and if they'd gone out would absolutely be in our makeup team and she's been a real like she's blown me away and that was her third player of the match award in three games she's won it every time Switzerland have played she's been incredible incredible ball from her for Jameli to just tap home and just like Jameli came on at like the 81st minute or something I'm sure I'm going to be corrected in the comments about pronunciation guys if you do correct us in the comments about pronunciation Could you tell us how to pronounce it rather than just telling us we're pronouncing it wrong?

30:42Because that's not constructive criticism. That's just criticism. So if I'm pronouncing it wrong and I'm really trying, please tell me. Just tell me how to pronounce it. I've learned that we pronounce Pina wrong. That was told to us in the comments, but of course not included on the actual way of pronouncing it. So I've gone away and had a dig around and I've found out. Anyway, yeah, I just loved that passage of play. it was just such a confident, brave, like decisive move for a team that were what, 90 seconds from going out of a home euros. And I just really, there was no, they weren't shit in the bed.

31:14Do you know that kind of way there was a real bravery about it? And I really kind of admired that. It was like they threw the kitchen sink in those last few minutes, but they threw it in such a planned and concise way. It was like really, it was like an Ikea sink, you know, everything just fell into place as they threw it. It was like one of the most composed kitchen Singed Thrones I've ever seen in quite a long time but yeah I think you've got to give them credit like in those moments you know that your moments your moments from going out you know that you're the host and there's so much pressure riding on your shoulders you want to progress into this tournament you want to show the fan base what you know women's football could be in the space you want to grow the fan base and there's all these moments that are going on in your head but at the same time you've got to remember not to panic and that just to trust the process so the mentality that it takes to find that confidence and calmness in those final few moments I you know credit credit to them 100 % I do want to I want to credit Finland too I think they've surprised a lot of people they've had a really good tournament young team relatively new manager who's I just felt like they're quietly going about their business and have improved and have a real style of play that the players are really committed to and have definitely yeah impressed me in the games that I've seen them play I thought they were really good against Norway as well but this game just kind of had a bit of momentum shift in it you know I think Switzerland and started well, Finland came back into it and it kind of felt a bit like a pendulum of, you know, pressure.

32:30And it was a stressy game. But there's a number of players, I think, for Switzerland that have impressed this tournament. Peng, my God, Chelsea have got themselves a worldie of a goalkeeper. She's had such a good tournament. Benny, Schurten-Liebe as well has been superb. But yeah, for me, Reuteler has just been, wow, incredible. And I think she plays for Frankfurt, perhaps. So I imagine there'll be plenty of clubs very interested in her. I think Finland are one of those teams that I feel really, really just sad about their exit from the competition. I feel like this is one of those tournaments that kind of felt like a little bit more of like a breakout one for them.

33:06Like people really understood like how good they can be. Yes, they've not progressed, but there was so much potential and talent there. So I think it's kind of put a little bit of a marker on everyone's minds that they're, you know, ones to watch for the future. Rach, let's get stuck in. tomorrow it's D-Day for Lionesses fans and Wales fans alike. The Lionesses will go through if they win this match. Wales need to win by at least four goals. Georgia Stanway has been speaking about their opponents ahead of the game. She said credit to Wales for obviously being here and obviously that achievement that's an achievement in itself and it'll probably be cool because we know a lot of the girls as well and it'll be nice to have that moment as close rivals.

33:47It's the first time obviously these teams have ever matched in a major in a Euros obviously because Wales have never been a part of a Euros but it's one of those like really monumental moments that matter so much for both teams you've got the kind of the the pride and the kind of country rivalry involved in it the fans are going to be amazing it's it's just going to be a bit of a what I hope is going to be a battle for the ages I definitely hope it falls in our favor but I feel like it's going to be a real test and a real spicy game to watch. I mean, what are your thoughts going into this? What are you expecting?

34:22I think it's going to be really interesting. I think it might be a bit of a cagey affair. I think England will be better at putting the emotion aside. You know, I think they're going to try not to focus on the fact that it's a home nation, that there's a derby, that it's a rivalry. And they're going to just try and focus on the fact that they need to win out of this game. And if they win this game, they're through and it's in their hands and they don't need to think about anything else. So, yeah, I think the Welch won't need any help getting up for this game. I think their fans as well will play a huge part and they will have a very big set of noisy fans and I think they'll probably be the loudest in the stadium, which I think will massively help the Welch.

35:04I think for Wales it's just about keeping that emotion in check and using it the right way and using it as fuel rather than overwhelming the occasion. definitely I think I mean there's going to be a confidence from England I suppose going into the game after how cool and composed the Netherlands game went after the you know the first France game which obviously didn't go to plan and then maybe potentially a little bit of confidence that Wales can take from from their matchup with France I mean that first half for Wales was absolutely unbelievable they took the game to them I thought Kerry Holland despite obviously the penalty situation Jess Fitzlock looked incredible it just there are going to be definitely challenges and tests that the the Wales team pose and I think there is that kind of the ego attached to this game for for Wales as well um so yeah I mean in terms of the sort of setup then are we expecting anything different from the Lionesses or do we think actually it's going to be let's roll out the game found for the Netherlands it was so effective everyone did their jobs everyone was on point and I think the formation really worked I think when you look at sort of Lauren James stepping into that um higher up role Ella Toon coming in um yet do we still think Serena's going to go with a very similar format because there was some success found there?

36:10I don't know if it's going to be the exact same as for the Netherlands game because this is a completely different setup. They need to be creative in the top. They'll need that LJ creativity to help break down the Welsh team. So I wouldn't be surprised. Look, it was quite a creative team that went out anyway against the Netherlands. So I wouldn't be surprised if it was the same one, but they won't be kind of looking at the Netherlands game and going, this team did well there. Let's put the same team out for Wales. They'd be saying, what's going to work for Wales? I think what's difficult for Wales is that this isn't just a simple don't lose and you might go through or just win the game and you might go through.

36:44The fact that they need four goals makes it difficult because, you know, I think a lot of people are expecting them to be very defensive against England, which is understandable, but it's a difficult challenge to be very defensive and score four goals. you know one of those you have to focus on one of those really because if you're trying to go all out and score four goals you're going to be open at the back and concede so that makes it quite an intriguing you know if you take the emotion out of it that in itself makes it intriguing right because what do you do do you go hell for leather in the opening 20 minutes it's not like it's one or two goals you need to to get ahead and England are a dangerous team if you're open at the back so yeah it makes for an intriguing and then you just layer on top of that the the emotion and the history and the the derby and everything else that goes with it and it's it's going to be yeah it's going to be interesting I think like you said Rose you can't sustain a prolonged period of attack for 90 minutes like your legs will tire and I don't care whether you're Spain or whether you're Wales it like you just can't sustain it I think you have absolutely got to go hell for leather there's no point coming I start in this game in a place of being super defensive because you've got four goals to score and you don't have like four goals in 90 minutes is a is a tall order for any team and I just think there has to be an element of risk you have to be pushing up you have to be aggressive like you have to I think allow yourself to be vulnerable in those moments but at the same time like you said you can't be silly you don't want this to be a you know you keep on pushing up and England keep on you know playing in behind and it all ends up being a you know a 7-0 or something silly like that but I think like I don't know I think be brave be vulnerable take risks because 4-0 I mean it's now or never essentially so So I would always advocate for going at it.

38:27I expect England to put out a strong team. I don't expect them to do what, say, France did and make like seven changes. I think Wiegmann will know and England will know you cannot underestimate this Welsh team and it would be silly to do that. And they've shown in the first halves of both games that they can put up a challenge. So, yeah, I wouldn't expect too much rotation unless it's beneficial to the game plan. I just don't see your kind of resting players or underestimating at all. No, 100%. And, you know, I think we learned a lot from that France game. Like, don't underestimate Wales. They can definitely cause a lot of damage if you do.

39:04Yeah, I just feel so nervous and so excited at the same time. I mean, yeah, I think I'm going to go and watch the game up in London. Really, really excited to kind of just have other fans around me and to kind of feel the atmosphere. It wasn't one of those ones that I wanted to watch at home. I was like, I've got to be in and amongst it and like feel the, just the tension and everything's going to happen tomorrow. I'll be ticking off the final team and the final ground tomorrow. So we've seen every ground bar St. Galland and we've seen every team bar Wales. So I'll get to tick those off tomorrow as well.

39:35Oh, definitely let us know what your favourite stadium has been. Sion so far. Sion so far. Okay. Unreal. real all right Rach another relentless couple of games for us so Poland versus Denmark and Sweden versus Germany tonight Sweden currently top the group and Germany are second both of them are through so their game will decide who goes through top that team will likely play England should the lionesses go through in second place I mean bit of a rock and a hard place for this one to be fair what are we kind of expecting? I expect Denmark will be desperate for points in this major tournament and I think Pajor will be desperate for a first major tournament goal so despite it being a dead rubber I think it could be quite interesting I'm at the Sweden-Germany game tonight here in Zurich that's going to be a really interesting affair whether they top the group or whether they come second impacts who you get in the quarterfinals so yeah I think Sweden will be keen to try and get one over on the Germans in terms of mentality going into the quarterfinals, confidence boost it will give you.

40:42Germany will be keen to stamp a mark because while they've looked good, they looked a bit wobbly at times against Poland and they looked a bit wobbly against Denmark. So they'll want to have a confidence-inducing performance, but Sweden, obviously, a difficult team to have that against. So I think it will make for an interesting match. Maybe we'll get our first draw. Who knows? who does the second place team play against potentially who's that um i'm trying to work out who's in what group so this first place team would potentially play they would play whoever came first in the in group d so it's it's potentially should it be france or england or france or the netherlands or whatever way it works sweet okay cool all right so not easy this is the thing like you know we all talked about permutations and is it better to come first or second and at this bloody level it's just not like it's just hard it's going to be unless you're Norway and Italy with respect I think Norway is probably the safe the best quarterfinal you could potentially get although they'll probably now turn around and just absolutely turn up and blow everyone away so there's still a scary prospect do you know what I mean there's no kind of quarterfinal where you're like ah yeah be grand but there's definitely a quarterfinal where you go shit not Spain oh god I mean yeah Switzerland have Spain right can we just quickly talk about that Switzerland get Spain in their quarterfinal And I know people are thinking, oh, if only, if only they got, you know, if only.

42:03Do you know what, though? Like, you've made it out of the groups for the first time in a home nations. You've made history. And now you get to play the world champions. Like, that's incredible. And yes, it's going to be absolutely near impossible. Spain with a 99 % chance of winning it. But, like, for the nation, what a stage, what a platform. Like, it's going to be some unbelievable quality football. It's going to be a massive challenge for the Swiss. they'll be so up for it but they've already made history so part of me is like how cool to now go and play the best team in the world like do you know what I mean I'm sure they would have preferred to have done that a bit later in the tournament but I think that's going to be a very cool match and hopefully not too high a score Oh 100 % but I've got to say if I was a Swiss fan I'd be absolutely raging in the same way that I suppose if like I don't know England had Spain France and the Netherlands in the group you'd be raging that you didn't have a group that made that you probably have a better chance of progressing yeah At the youth levels, they always seem to draw Spain in the group stages for whatever reason.

43:03So I can understand people being like, not Spain again. Yeah. Oh, well, I think it's going to be such a good, I mean, another sea of red. It'll be like Swiss red fans, Spain red fans. It's just going to, I just think everyone, it almost looks like everyone's supporting each other, which is really lovely. Right. Join us again on Monday as we look over England versus Wales and France against the Netherlands. it is either going to be one of the best pods of my life or one of the most horrifying as we dissect what didn't happen uh we'll then be back on tuesday for a full roundup of the group stages before those course finals start rolling through remember make sure you hit subscribe so that you never miss an episode throughout the euros thank you so much rage and enjoy your last um stadium trip i really hope that really um i feel i hope well i mean i've got your current one i've got quarterfinals semi-finals and a final to go but it means I'll be ticking off all of the stadiums at Euro 2025 which is cool.

43:58Great, congratulations and yeah, happy birthday again to you soon

44:09Upfront is a Stack production and part of the Acast Creator Network www.fema .org

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