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Barca, Bayern, Benfica and Napoli again?! Reaction to Chelsea's Champions League draw
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Hello everyone, welcome to the Daily Chelsea podcast, Chelsea are back in the Champions League after last year’s Conference League win – back in the big time, the trophy with the big ears that we’ve won twice
You’re listening to Martin and Saps and over the next 10 mins or so we’re going to reflect on the draw that’s just happened for the League Phase – do Chelsea have enough to make it all the way to Budapest?
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Transcript
00:00:12
Aryaman
Thank you.
Chelsea Returns to Champions League
00:00:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Hello everyone, welcome to the Daily Chelsea podcast. Chelsea are back in the Champions League after last year's Conference League win. Back in the big time, the trophy with the big ears that that we've won twice. You're listening to Martin and Saps. And over the next 10 minutes or so, we're going to reflect on the draw that's just happened for the league phase.
00:00:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Do Chelsea have enough to make it all the way to Budapest in May next year? Saps firstly, how happy are you to be back in Europe's premier competition?
00:00:50
Aryaman
Very, very, very happy. Very happy with it. It's going to be a first appearance in UCL since, what, 2022? 23 season. So I'm really happy to see that Champions League badge at Stamford Bridge, actually. The Champions League flags flying at Chelsea.
00:01:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:01:07
Aryaman
Honestly, it's been a while and it's happy. I'm i'm really happy to be back. Those Tuesday and Wednesday nights going to be really nice.
00:01:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes. um And what did you think actually about the
Celebrating Chelsea's UEFA Success
00:01:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
draw? At the start of the draw, before the draw even happened, Chelsea got presented with a special um award, if you like, for being the first the first team to win all of UEFA's men's trophies. That's the Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, Super Cup, Cup Winners' Cup and also the UEFA Youth League.
00:01:44
Aryaman
Yep.
00:01:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
um clear The haters will say, well, you know, the Real Madrid can never win all of them because they'll never drop down to the Conference League and and have such a bad year that they play in that competition.
00:01:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
But, I mean, every time I go to Stamford Bridge and we sing, we've won it all. It's true. We've won it all. so So what are your thoughts on just, you know, last year's Conference League win and therefore, if you like, completing the set of UEFA tournaments?
00:02:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:11
Aryaman
Yeah, no, absolutely. We won it all, so we should be proud of it. And, it it I mean, coming back to what you said, if Real Madrid gets dumped into the Europa League, you're telling me they're not going to celebrate it?
00:02:22
Aryaman
i mean, they're obviously going to celebrate and
00:02:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:24
Aryaman
It is a trophy at the end of the day.
00:02:24
Global Sports Podcast Network
Great.
00:02:26
Aryaman
So, if you're if you're in in that situation ah in the Europa League, in the Conference League, you you have to win it. ah you have ah You have an expectation.
00:02:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:02:35
Aryaman
And if you don't do that as well, then, you know, that's ah that's another big problem. But we we still did it. And, um ah yeah, it's really good to be back as well. And, we've won it all, to be really honest with you. And I'm i'm really happy with that.
00:02:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I agree.
Debate: Champions League vs. Europa League
00:02:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think ah I think it's like I know the Club World Cup was a FIFA competition, but, you know, if Paris Saint-Germain had won that in the final, they would be again celebrating um tremendously as well. So, um no, i think I think we're well within our right to be very, very proud of of of that culture of winning as well.
00:03:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Not just being in it to participate, but um being able to win, which...
00:03:12
Aryaman
Thank you.
00:03:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
um is again, you know, I'm quite pleased last year's Premier League season ended the way it did. And then therefore we got Champions League. um Part of me wouldn't, I don't think have minded, let's say getting into the Europa League, because I think we would have got further in the Europa League and potentially even won it.
00:03:33
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whereas getting the Champions League, I know it's good for finances. I know it's good for moral morale. I know it's, and we'll talk more about it, but we've born it we've been drawn against the likes of Barcelona and Bayern Munich. So there's some wonderful ties in there.
00:03:43
Aryaman
I'm
00:03:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But if we're really honest, Saps, if I certainly be honest, do I think we'll win it this year, the Champions League? Probably not. um What are your thoughts on not just the the league phase draw, but where do you see Chelsea in terms of the best, you know, if we get into the quarterfinals, where I guess one of the best eight teams in Europe, if get the semifinals, of one of the best four teams in Europe, if you like, are we in and around that that space?
00:04:14
Aryaman
Personally, i think yeah i think we should make it to the semis. ah
00:04:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
Okay.
00:04:19
Aryaman
Yeah, I think so. and ah Coming back to the seasons that we've won it, when we started out those those seasons back then, there was no expectation of winning it, was there? 2012-2021, there was no expectation to win it.
00:04:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Mm-hmm.
00:04:34
Aryaman
and There isn't any this time as well. so I just want to go as as far as possible, just get out of these ah these these group phases and knockout phases. And then it's going to be fun. But I think we can make it maybe Maybe not win it.
00:04:46
Aryaman
maybe But maybe get to the final. Maybe semi-final. um um
00:04:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:04:50
Aryaman
I'm really positive about that.
00:04:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Good. We like the optimism.
Chelsea's Unpredictability and Strengths
00:04:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I do have to say, you know, um football isn't a paper sport. So if, ah you know, on paper, we probably aren't as good as, you know, the Liverpools, the Manchester Citys, the Real Madrids.
00:05:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
um the Barcelona's, which would all already make us, you know, not one of the the the top five in Europe. But there's something there is something about Chelsea in a cup competition that can just dig out that, you know, extra 10% that you need. And again, I was hearing a few fans say it over the last couple of days, Chelsea is probably the one unknown.
00:05:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
for rival fans that, you know, when they play us, they actually don't know what they're going to get. Whereas I think a lot of other clubs now are a bit more known. You know, Manchester City, we know their style. Arsenal, we know their style. Liverpool, we know their style generally.
00:05:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Chelsea, I think, is the one big unknown, which could be a blessing and a curse because maybe maybe we don't know ourselves.
00:05:45
Aryaman
Yeah.
00:05:51
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But that unknown and that unpredictability, you know, before it was a bit more predictable. It was almost was almost Cole Palmer FC.
00:06:00
Aryaman
Yep.
00:06:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
um
00:06:00
Aryaman
Yep.
00:06:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
whereas now we are a little bit more unpredictable. You know, Stavall could um could to turn up some magic. It could be Pedro Neto. It could be João Pedro. So um hopefully that but unpredictability and and that sort of unknown...
00:06:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
um about the team and even Enzo Mresca is still relatively unknown as a manager um hopefully that can that can pay off from working out working our favour a short break and then straight afterwards we will talk more about the draw for the league phase that Chelsea have been handed
00:07:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back to the Daily Chelsea podcast.
League Phase Draw and Key Fixtures
00:07:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're listening to Martin and Saps' reaction to Chelsea's league phase draw for this upcoming season's Champions League 25-26 season.
00:07:21
Aryaman
Yeah.
00:07:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
um So, Saps, the draw happened. Chelsea were in pot one and now it's this automated button press which Zlatan Ibrahimović did the other day.
00:07:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Of course, now it's now it's this league phase. We play eight teams, not or have eight matches rather than six matches.
00:07:47
Aryaman
yeah
00:07:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Just to to run through the list, Barcelona, and actually I'll run through the list in order that we play them. Barcelona at home, Bayern Munich away, Benfica at home, Atalanta away, Ajax at home, Napoli away, Paphos at home, and then we end with...
00:08:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
Karabag away. And for listeners background, Paphos is Cypriot and Karabag is Azerbaijani.
00:08:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Again, I'm going to ask the obvious question, but what stands out amongst them?
00:08:28
Aryaman
Oh, Bayern, Barça, Napoli, sounds like we're talking about 2012 again.
00:08:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yes. Yeah.
00:08:36
Aryaman
Yeah.
00:08:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, agree. the um As soon as I saw Barca, Bayern, Benfica, Napoli, um wonderful memories, absolutely wonderful memories, um particularly the Napoli game, I think was the turning point um in 2012, where listeners will remember we were heavily beaten in that and that first leg.
00:08:44
Aryaman
Yeah.
00:08:48
Aryaman
Yeah.
00:09:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
in our 2012 Champions League, but um turned it around in the second leg. And I will never forget that Branislav Ivanovic wheeling away in delight at his his winner in the second leg an extra time.
00:09:09
Aryaman
Yeah. yeah
00:09:16
Global Sports Podcast Network
um But of course, they're very, very different teams now. um We start with Barcelona and with Bayern. So actually, two it's two pretty tough games to ah start.
00:09:31
Aryaman
Yeah, it is going to be tough. It's always going to be tough when you go to the likes of, you know, Barca, Real, Bayern. But if we get a good result out, if we get two draws out in the first two games, that sets up really nicely for the rest of the games.
00:09:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:09:47
Aryaman
And that that is that would potentially be our ticket to the knockout stage, you know. And I think we can make it easily again, coming back to what I said, I think we can make it to the quarters, semis.
00:09:58
Aryaman
I believe it.
00:10:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, it's ah and again, this league phase is not the most proven, it's very difficult to to know. But generally, you sort of need, I guess, of the eight matches, probably about five wins.
00:10:13
Aryaman
Yes.
00:10:13
Global Sports Podcast Network
um Are you confident we have five wins in there?
00:10:19
Aryaman
um A couple of draws. i don't know, maybe a defeat somewhere here or there too.
00:10:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:10:26
Aryaman
Maybe the Bayern, the Bartha game. may Might be a defeat coming there, but I think we can make it. Yeah, five wins is doable in this group.
Strategies and Comparisons with Other Clubs
00:10:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. it's If I look at them again, and again, it's it's almost a shame, actually, that it's... um the the the difficulty is front-loaded because if Barcelona and Bayern, which are our first two match days in this league phase, if they are losses, let's say, if we assume the worst, um you'd hope morale can pick up pretty quickly.
00:10:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Whereas we end actually with Pafos and Carabag.
00:10:57
Aryaman
No. yeah
00:10:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
So if we assume Pafos and Carabag are two wins... think we can assume Ajax at home probably is a win as well. So that's three wins. But then the other five matches, which is Napoli away, which is never easy.
00:11:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's Atalanta away, which again is never easy.
00:11:10
Aryaman
no
00:11:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
um It's Benfica at home, which, um yeah, it's quite doable.
00:11:18
Aryaman
Quite doable, yeah.
00:11:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then it's the Barca and the Bayern to start. So you never know. it's And that I guess that is the the point of them them making it into a league phase is it goes right until the very end.
00:11:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
So hopefully, as you say, we have some... um morale boosting or performance enhancing draws or or sneak a win against Barca or Bayern and then we can be a bit more confident going into the remaining match days knowing that we end in particular with Pafos and Carabag which no disrespect to Pafos or Carabag you would expect very easy comfortable wins in the final minute or so Saps your reaction on sort of maybe the the other team's
00:11:41
Aryaman
Yeah.
00:12:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
Draws, did you have a view on, you know, I actually thought Chelsea had quite a hard draw, but if I go to the other English teams, you know, Man City of sort of um Napoli, Monaco, Villarreal, Dortmund, Leverkusen, Madrid...
00:12:13
Aryaman
Mm-hmm.
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bodo Glynn and Galatasaray. So I guess for Man City, you could say the really tough ones there were sort of Real Madrid. um Liverpool, i've got Atletico Madrid, Real Madrid as well.
00:12:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Inter Milan, Galatasaray, Eintracht, Frankfurt. So it's not easy for anyone. But where did you, on your sort of hopes before the draw, were you happy with how Chelsea got the draw? Do you think we have it harder versus some of our peers? Yeah.
00:12:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
pi
00:12:49
Aryaman
Yeah, know a our group might be a little bit harder, but that just makes it fun, I think so.
00:12:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:12:55
Aryaman
And if we can defeat maybe Bayern or maybe get a draw out of Barca, which is quite do doable ah to be really honest with you, then it sets up really nicely for the ne for the rest
00:12:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
Optimism for the Season and Conclusion
00:13:06
Aryaman
of the games.
00:13:06
Aryaman
And coming on to, say, Real Madrid, we always have a charm against Real Madrid. We always do something or the other. So I think i think i I feel really good about the season, like I said.
00:13:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:13:19
Aryaman
And um yeah, I think I'm just waiting for the first game now and hopefully we get a win.
00:13:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it all starts in the Champions League on the 16th to 18th of September. So not far away now for that home match against Barcelona. um Saps, thank you very much. Thank you all for listening. You've been listening to the Daily Chelsea podcast on the Global Sports Podcast Network.
00:13:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thanks for being with us and goodbye.