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Episode 63 - Champions League Preview, City Going Out? Villa Making Top 8?
19 Plays1 month ago
Nick is joined for the first time by another new host, Viktor, to discuss the Champions League final league day and its possible outcomes. They discuss Manchester City's fate against Club Brugge and if they can make the top 24. Will things go in Aston Villa's favour to make the top 8? And how we've found the new league phase in its inaugural year.
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Transcript
Victor Joins the Podcast Network
00:00:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Welcome back to the Global Sports Podcast Network Daily English Premier League Podcast. We've got a new man on the block today. It's Victor. Welcome to the team.
00:00:18
Viktor
Thank you, Nick. Good to meet you finally and looking ahead of everything that's going to happen with GSPN. Excited about
Victor's Journey: Macedonia to US
00:00:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
So yeah, so we're gonna be looking towards Champions League today We got a bit of a Champions League expert you told me before and winner of fantasy Champions League Tell us a bit about that. So you wouldn't get to know a bit more about you
00:00:26
Viktor
the future.
00:00:40
Viktor
Yeah, so I'm originally from Macedonia. I moved to the US maybe 15 years ago on a football scholarship. So I played in a college in Florida. Then I moved to Chicago where I graduated and I've been here ever since. About fantasy, ah I won the Fantasy Champions League on Eurosport in 2008.
00:00:58
Viktor
At the time it was still, I would say small. ah There was like 110,000 people playing compared to now you have like 2.5 million for the fantasy champions league. You have 11 and a half for the premier league. So big difference, but still 110,000. It was a big win for me.
00:01:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
i want
00:01:18
Viktor
especially knowing that as a Man United fan in the last round, it was obviously the Man United Chelsea final. And I had Lampard on my team. The other guy that was super close to me had the Wesley Brown, so he got an assist for the Ronaldo goal. And at that time I was second. So then when Lampard scored, I was kind of bittersweet because obviously I'm going first place fantasy, but then
Man City's Champions League Challenge
00:01:42
Viktor
Chelsea tied the game. I didn't want to you United and not to win the Champions League.
00:01:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
You got over the line in the end though.
00:01:48
Viktor
Yeah, and United won, so everything now perfectly.
00:01:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's that's the important part.
00:01:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, of course. so Yeah, so kicking off, we're going to touch on, I think, the most interesting part of this final Champions League ah game week, which is Man City.
00:02:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
So they're going into this sitting outside the top 24, playing Brugge at home. They have to win to qualify.
00:02:13
Viktor
Yeah.
00:02:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
And it feels like a tougher task than it should be for them, especially when you're looking at Brugge, they're unbeaten in all competitions in their last 16 games.
00:02:25
Viktor
Yeah.
00:02:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
This might not be as easy as it should be for Man City.
00:02:28
Viktor
No, it looks easy on paper, but yeah, they undefeated for 16, 17 games. And those 16 games are not just the Belgium league. It's like they did not lose against Juventus. They beat Aston Villa. They tied it, I believe Celtic and they even beat sporting Lisbon. So Yeah, it can be a tough game, especially knowing that Club Bruges also needs to stay undefeated to go through, so we'll see. I think City will find a way to win the game, but it's not going to be as easy as people think it will be.
00:03:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, just to touch on how City even got here for people who may not have paid as much attention, they obviously started off with a 0-0 draw into this when Rotary was still fit. ah like That's a good result. My team Arsenal went away to winter, lost 1-0 to a penalty, and I wasn't too annoyed, obviously.
00:03:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
for me into one of the top favorites for this tournament. And then they go they start ah their matches without Rodry, obviously posters ACL, 4-0 win versus Bratislava away, 5-0 win at home to Spryle Prag. And then it starts to turn around. They obviously lose 4-1 away at sporting. The 3-3 at fine would feel like a massive game in this run. The 2-0 away at UVA also feels pretty big because this isn't a great UVA team. And then obviously last week,
00:03:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
the 4-2 loss at PSG. Three of these games they've blown a lead in the sporting one they were won a lot, obviously 3-0 final and 2-0 last week at PSG. They've not really got anyone else to blame but themselves even with this rotary injury that's sort of ruined their season.
00:04:03
Viktor
Right.
00:04:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:04:06
Viktor
It's crazy just how they fell apart, to be honest with you. At the beginning of the season, it looked like it's just going of they're going to win everything again this year and just out of nowhere. Yeah, they're not organized.
00:04:16
Viktor
And even that loss last week, it was shocking to have the lead 0-2 that quick and then within 30 minutes to concede four goal sets. Yeah, you know definitely something is off way off for a team like that.
00:04:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, because a lot of them lot of the games they've blown away, not even just in the Champions League but in the Premier League, they've been the better team still and last week they weren't the better team.
Debating City's Chelsea Performance
00:04:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
They were lucky to be 2-0 up and PSG eventually got what they deserved and turned it around.
00:04:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
But do you think the game at the weekend against Chelsea, I think Chelsea made some tactical, like they've tactically managed that game completely wrong in my opinion, going man to man.
00:04:46
Viktor
Yeah.
00:04:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
But do you think City can take confidence from that going into this game tomorrow?
00:05:00
Viktor
Yeah, definitely. definitely that was ah That was a big result for for them going forward. It seems like Foden is getting into good form again, which is a big thing for them. ah yeah I think they'll find a way to go through and then it's going to get tricky. If they find their form, even finishing 21, 22, 23, they can still cause trouble, especially because If you finish nine and 10, you play 23, 24, and then you play seven and eight.
00:05:27
Viktor
So they can still easily get through seven and eight. So and we'll see how it goes.
00:05:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that would that was something I wanted to to touch on later.
00:05:32
Viktor
but
00:05:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
week They might have accidentally given themselves a really easy knockouts run because if they come 24th, they might play one of those poor teams in the 9th, 10th sort of area.
00:05:39
Viktor
Yep.
00:05:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm looking at Lille, I'm looking at Brest. Final, obviously, they drew against, but they were 3-0 up. They have clearly clearly a better team than them and then Playing seventh or eighth.
00:05:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't I think I'm looking at some of these teams in the top eight Not all of them are great teams AC Milan That I don't quite understand how they've got there. They're not very good.
00:06:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think they they're looking a bit better under Conte Sal But they're not a good team.
00:06:10
Viktor
here
00:06:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
You'd expect city, especially how their season normally goes. They get better later into the season You're looking at this going
00:06:21
Viktor
Italian teams in general are pretty compact and organized in European competitions and I think it comes to experience as well. ah If you play against Milan in Europe, Milan is Milan still, no matter how bad they are.
00:06:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. Yeah, exactly.
00:06:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then, say they get through that game, they play likely Bast or Liverpool. But Bast or Liverpool might have just come off a game against a Real Madrid, a Bayern, a Juve, who are in that middle cluster.
00:06:48
Viktor
Yeah.
00:06:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
Something we'll get onto later about how weird that middle
City's Path to the Quarterfinals
00:06:54
Global Sports Podcast Network
playoff section is. So much can change. And it's something really difficult to predict at the moment.
00:07:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, they may have just lucked themselves into a somewhat easy stroll to the the quarterfinals of this competition despite being terrible, quite frankly.
00:07:05
Viktor
Yeah.
00:07:14
Viktor
I mean, you can turn it around pretty quick. You get that form again and then you're pretty much going forward strong. So.
00:07:23
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, especially a being able to register Marmouche, Kousin obviously. He didn't look great at the weekend, but he's a much better player than he showed at the weekend.
00:07:28
Viktor
You look very solid.
00:07:33
Viktor
I think he's going to be very solid.
00:07:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
This...
00:07:35
Viktor
They clearly got someone that they're going to take the brilliant place.
00:07:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:07:39
Viktor
And he looked very lively, to be honest with you. I did not expect that he's going to go into the lineup like that and just show his quality right away. Great for him.
00:07:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, I had had some concerns. It got cut out in the episode I did with Mikey last week with the technical problems we had. But I had some concerns about going from a Frankfurt team who are so counterattacking into this team who controls the game so much. And it felt like the perfect first game for him. It was one of the more transitional games you you'll ever see from City.
00:08:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
So it really suited him. It'll be interesting to see how that goes looking going forward, but he was so exciting and which is slightly concerning considering we play them at the weekend.
00:08:18
Viktor
Yeah.
00:08:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
I will look ahead to Aston Villa now, but first let's hear from Zencoster.
00:09:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
So looking at the top eight the those teams who will go straight into the final 16 obviously Liverpool, Barca and essentially Arsenal are already through. Arsenal would have to have five of six results go against them including a seven plus goal difference swing so we're going to consider them already through.
Champions League Top Eight Dynamics
00:09:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
Then you look at intro playing Monaco 4th vs 10th where a draw is enough for Inter and there'd have to be a goal difference swinging a bit if they lose.
00:09:21
Viktor
Yeah.
00:09:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
That's one of the only games I'm looking at where there could be a bit of a swing. I don't know if you if you see the same thing.
00:09:38
Viktor
I think everyone has every anything, something to play for, except for Liverpool, to be honest with you, because Liverpool will end up being first or second, and then you pretty much are going to be on the different like bracket compared to Barcelona. If you finish one and two, you can never play Barcelona in the... So one and two will eventually in the quarterfinal play, seven or eight. So, yeah.
00:10:03
Viktor
I love this format, to be honest with you.
00:10:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:10:05
Viktor
My friends hate it. I absolutely love this format. And I think it's kind of like a response by UEFA because of the Super League and how they felt like something bigger is coming.
00:10:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
you
00:10:14
Viktor
So they had to find a way to kind of get something new and more exciting. And this is exactly what it is.
00:10:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think it's been really, really interesting. There's obviously a few detractors, I think, when you're looking at the city. It's just something we can come on to later. Then you look at, that's like Athletico Madrid in fifth.
00:10:32
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're playing Salzburg already out. AC Milan playing Zagreb, who are essentially out. They should be fine. Same for Leverkusen against Sparta Prague. The only game where you can see one of those top eight dropout is Atalanta, who are in seventh, playing Barca in second.
00:10:49
Viktor
Yeah, they're in trouble.
00:10:49
Global Sports Podcast Network
And this feels like it could ultimately come down to how much Barca go for it in this game. They haven't tied up second, so they can't really afford to rotate.
00:11:02
Viktor
and Exactly.
00:11:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean, obviously Atalanta are a very good side this year.
00:11:05
Viktor
Yeah.
00:11:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's in ah Bergamo. This like a hard game to call and it's ultimately the only chance Aston Villa seem to have of getting into that top 8.
00:11:18
Global Sports Podcast Network
They currently sit 9th on 13 points but if Barca can do them a favour then Villa can find a way into this top 8.
00:11:23
Viktor
Yeah.
00:11:28
Viktor
A villa has a good and goal difference, and that's the major factor going through if you want to have a good goal difference. ah So I think Aston Villa pretty much has everything in their hands.
00:11:39
Viktor
If they beat Celtic, they're going to be through, I think. There's a lot of teams on 13 points, but with the win, I'm sure they're going to go through the top eight. So yeah.
00:11:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so Villa playing Celtic at Villa Park, they obviously are a much, much nicer game than having it at Celtic Park. And obviously, like we said, Atalanta are their hope for getting into that top eight. They need to be Celtic by more than two, than Leverkusen beat Sparta. product That's the only other opportunity for them to get into this top eight.
00:12:10
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Villa have only scored 9 in the 7 games so far and Sowek are no mugs.
00:12:15
Viktor
Yeah.
00:12:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Opta's a supercomputer, I was looking earlier, they've given them a 52% chance of qualifying which is higher than they've given Atalanta, which I was pretty surprised by. it But I mean, Viddler's campaign has been so much better than they probably would have expected. Obviously, the landmark
Aston Villa's Surprising Performance
00:12:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
game was the Bayern 1-0 at home in the second game. How impressed have you been with their first Champions League campaign in, I think, like 30, 40 years?
00:12:45
Viktor
Yeah, I mean, obviously it's is still kind of, I know there have been European champions before, but this is still kind of new for most of their players playing in the Champions League. And now they got Duran. What do you think of Duran?
00:12:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
I've got oh I think he's good, but yeah it's all he's good. But is he really good? I was obviously West Ham made a bid for him last week. And my initial reaction to my mates was they should accept this straight away because it feels like one of those players who is just hitting a really strong bit of form that hasn't necessarily proven himself to be like a starting number nine.
00:13:10
Viktor
Yeah.
00:13:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
So for me, I think they want to cash in on him at the moment.
00:13:24
Viktor
they should because they clearly don't want to get rid of Watkin. So plus I'll tell you something interesting. So obviously I live in Chicago and I used to work for the fire here for the football team. So I work in premium sales sales. So I was on the field for every game that Duran played. And I remember thinking kid was 17 or 18. I'm thinking how is How is he built like this?
00:13:45
Viktor
like You could tell right away how he how he runs, but his first touch was not there. But now when I look at him, how much he improved in those two, three years, it it's crazy. So yeah, I think Villa should definitely take the money and reinvest those that money.
00:13:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:14:01
Viktor
Because I don't i don't see a future and for him when Watkins is still a Villa.
00:14:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
And.
00:14:06
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, and I was speaking about this a few months ago, I saw Villa fans actually talking about how when Watkins has competition, he seems to fall off a cliff and we've seen that this season.
00:14:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
They were saying it happened when Ings was there and firing a few years ago.
00:14:17
Viktor
yeah
00:14:20
Viktor
Yeah.
00:14:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
So I think it's the best they get by 60, 70 million, which seems to be what they were asking for. I don't know why any team play pays that unless they're insanely desperate when you're looking at other striker talent on the market.
00:14:29
Viktor
Yeah.
00:14:35
Viktor
And that's West Ham for you.
00:14:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, exactly. West hamel west Ham are constantly trying to get that number nine.
00:14:39
Viktor
That is West Ham for you right at this moment.
00:14:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, yeah.
00:14:43
Viktor
I think he'll be he'll be great at West Ham. I think he will do great there.
00:14:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, the it's a cursed position for them. They always seem to revert to Antonio, but they don't really have a choice while Antonio's injured.
00:14:53
Viktor
gotcha Yeah.
00:14:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
We don't know if he'll even return. there' We don't really know the how how bad this injury is from his car crash. So if it makes sense, they wanted him in the summer, they should have got him.
00:15:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
It would have been far cheaper as well. And it just it makes so much sense for a team like West Ham. I saw he was linked to Arsenal in the past few days.
00:15:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
And if that's someone I want us to stay away from personally, it doesn't fix problems for us, in my opinion. But yeah, I mean.
00:15:31
Viktor
I think Duran is way better player than Antonio and he hasn't even hit his peak, but still long time ahead of him.
00:15:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
Of course, yeah.
00:15:41
Viktor
So we'll see how that goes for him. um But
Controversy in Villa's Brugge Loss
00:15:43
Viktor
I'm pretty sure he's going to be way better than Michael Antonio.
00:15:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:15:47
Viktor
And it seems like that that kid has guts.
00:15:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
so
00:15:52
Viktor
You can tell he has fire in him, something that I've never seen in Michael Antonio. So he definitely needs a player like him at West Ham.
00:16:00
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah. And ah just going back to the games Villa have had so far, I think the one game they'll look at and have regrets about and maybe a bit of sourness towards is the loss at Brueger.
00:16:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
If you remember, it was a really weird penalty they got when Emi Martinez passed it to ah Tyrone Mings.
00:16:18
Viktor
yeah
00:16:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
He thought he was just giving him the ball to take the goal kick himself, something we saw in the Arsenal vs.
00:16:23
Viktor
Yeah.
00:16:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bayern game in the knockouts last year. the referee gives a penalty this time and ultimately they lose off that. Briggle were still with a better team, but if they draw that game, they're on 14 points.
00:16:35
Viktor
Yeah. That's the thing.
00:16:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
You're looking at this situation completely different.
00:16:41
Viktor
Yeah, well, that's the thing. VIA did not show anything in that game. I watched that game as well.
00:16:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
No.
00:16:46
Viktor
It was literally nothing dangerous is coming from them. So I think most of the shots they took, it was like outside of the box. There's nothing really concrete. Yeah.
00:16:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean,
00:16:57
Viktor
But yeah, you mentioned that I didn't even realize they only scored nine goals.
00:17:01
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so 3-0 win at young boys first week. The 1-0 against Bayern at home. 2-0 Bologna at home who have had a terrible campaign when you compare it with how well they're doing in Serie A. The 1-0 loss against Broger as we just mentioned. 0-0 against Juve at home. That was a really tight game. and Pretty strong performances from both goalkeepers.
00:17:22
Global Sports Podcast Network
and then you go complete opposite with the 3-2 away in Leipzig where both keepers were really poor but some really good goals as well if you want to look at and it from that perspective and obviously the 1-0 loss at Monaco was really like that yeah which
00:17:34
Viktor
They've scored less goals than red star Belgrade, which is shocking. That's my main team. But yeah, that's actually crazy. Red star Belgrade got 12 goals.
00:17:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's so funny though, we were just talking about how good Gerand's been, how good Watkins can be, and you're looking at it going, they should have scored more. Like the only time they've scored three or more gold is young boys and then Leipzig.
00:17:56
Viktor
Yeah.
00:18:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
like um I don't think they've had a particularly easy fixture list, so I have to give them a bit of grace for that. None of these teams apart from young boys are bad teams.
Villa's Critical Match Against Celtic
00:18:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
but But you'd expect a few more goals at least, especially at home when you're never going to have a better home Champions League atmosphere than in your returning season.
00:18:26
Global Sports Podcast Network
So you...
00:18:26
Viktor
I'm a little bit surprised by Unai Emery that he hasn't tried to play both at the same time. You should try at least in one game. I don't think they've started both.
00:18:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
No, you only ever see it when he brings one of them off the bench and chasing a game.
00:18:37
Viktor
Yeah, he should give it a try at least in the Champions League.
00:18:43
Global Sports Podcast Network
We've we've seen as well how it's impacted their Premier League form their last five games I believe it is they've not after a Champions League midweek game. They've not won and I I wrote in my notes after this ah this weekend's games They play the depth on paper isn't even that bad which makes that stat really confusing to me but I guess it's just taking more out of them than even they expected. And Jacob Ramsey said in his interview after the game, this is something we have to get used to if we want to play in these competitions. And I mean, maybe that will come and punish them this ah this midweek against Celtic.
00:19:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Selik have just lost Kyogo Furahashi then as Star Striker to Ren, but they've brought back a beloved winger in Jota. So it'll be an interesting how Selik line up themselves.
00:19:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
They're essentially guaranteed to be in the playoff spots. But this will be a really interesting game. I don't think it's guaranteed for Villa. And like we were saying, it's ultimately down to Atalanta.
00:19:49
Viktor
Why did they even sell? Yeah. Well, another thing is why do you sell Diego Carlos as a center back when you know Minxis can get injured anytime? And that's what just happened.
00:20:01
Viktor
So now you have to play over the weekend.
00:20:02
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:20:03
Viktor
They play Lucas Dean as a center back. That's another tricky situation for them.
00:20:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I don't know. Do you think they'll get into the top eight? Because at the moment I have a feeling Atalanta B Barcelona.
00:20:19
Viktor
I think they're going to make it.
00:20:21
Global Sports Podcast Network
OK.
00:20:22
Viktor
Honestly, they're going to make it.
00:20:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well, we'll.
00:20:25
Viktor
Then you have lever cruising as well, but they should get through Spark Prague pretty easily.
00:20:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
like Yeah, ah that's the thing.
00:20:30
Viktor
Yeah.
00:20:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
they should The amount of teams on 13 points, they should be a really interesting battle for top eight. It's just, I mean, it's a bit unlucky with the scheduling, with how many of these teams are playing in teams who are already i out of the competition.
00:20:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
So, it is, like we say, it is that one chance unless Levesque can't stop scoring and Villa suddenly just blitzed Celtic.
00:20:46
Viktor
Yeah.
00:20:57
Global Sports Podcast Network
and
00:20:57
Viktor
Yeah.
00:20:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean this should be so much more exciting for that chunk of teams.
00:21:07
Viktor
I think they'll find a way.
00:21:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
oh
00:21:09
Viktor
I don't see Atalanta getting anything with Barcelona, especially because it's an away game and Barcelona, they have to play knowing that Arsenal enter behind them.
00:21:21
Viktor
They can't afford to lose because that way they're going to lose a second spot and you want to be one and two, one or two.
Barcelona's Influence on Others
00:21:27
Viktor
so and I was looking at schedule they don't have anything like really tough in the next few games so it's like they're not gonna yeah they play Alaves on Sunday they have Valencia on Thursday plenty of time to rest so yeah they're gonna play a stronger team but everything is is in their hands seems like yeah
00:21:29
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well we'll see.
00:21:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Well we'll see in. yeah Yeah, so we'll see we'll see and and talk about it in tomorrow's podcast about how this ends up. It will be really interesting to watch, especially on on the Gold Show. And it's time to hear about the Global Sports club Podcast Network.
Strategic Moves: Stuttgart vs PSG
00:22:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
Thank you from Louis for those podcasts. i've read ah One final thing I wanted to touch on before we discuss how we feel the the Champions League format's been. Stuttgart vs PSG, 24th vs 22nd. Stuttgart have a two point gap and are relying on City and Zagreb not to win, but a draw is enough for both teams.
00:23:09
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I was looking at this and the first thing that came to mind was the disgrace of Gijon I think it's pronounced in the 1982 World Cup when a 1-0 win for West Germany versus Austria was enough for both to qualify. And I'm wondering if we see a very, very weird game of football when neither team is openly bothered about scoring.
00:23:33
Viktor
Yeah, I mean, they can do that and calculate, but I think after that win for PSG last week, their confidence sky high. So I think they're going to win Stutt against Stuttgart, especially. I don't reach Stuttgart this season. I watched the red star Belgrade game that they lost 5-1. And I'm thinking, how is this team even in the champions like this year? And somehow they're on three wins now. So still in it.
00:23:58
Global Sports Podcast Network
A very weird team, they've got cause some really good players and really exciting players, but they haven't and found any consistency in the Champions League this year. I don't know, I just feel like you might get this weird draw scenario where they both just go, fine, we' we'll settle for the draw.
00:24:16
Viktor
Yeah. Yeah.
00:24:19
Global Sports Podcast Network
And then I'm looking at who might fall out with C most likely winning against Briga. And it feels like it's probably sporting or Ben Fica for me, because sporting has fallen off a cliff since getting rid of Amorim.
00:24:30
Viktor
yeah
00:24:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
And I mean, saying this after being C would been mental over sitting in the top eight. They're at home to Bologna.
00:24:41
Viktor
Well, Bologna is out, but I don't think they're going to play for sure.
00:24:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
It'll be a vwee.
00:24:45
Viktor
Cause you still get money out for a win. Good money, especially for a team like Bologna.
00:24:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I'm
00:24:49
Viktor
So they, they're not going to rest players. They're going to play their stronger team, strongest team. So yeah.
00:24:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
Bologna need to prove themselves as well a bit. I was saying before the last upgrade, they're not as bad as this Champions League campaign has shown them to be. So Bologna has something to prove and then the other team I'm looking at who could drop out surprisingly is Benfica, a waiter Juventus.
00:25:05
Viktor
Yeah.
00:25:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Juventus need to need a win to try and get out of that. group where they could be playing Real Madrid and Bayern I don't think that's who they'll end up playing because Real Madrid and Bayern have pretty easy games but you want to finish as high up as possible just in the chance you play a worse team even with the weirdness happening with PSG and Man City down at the bottom there but yeah
00:25:31
Viktor
Yeah.
00:25:36
Viktor
Yeah. Well, you do want to finish 9 to 16, so that way you play the second leg at home. So they're 17 now. They have something to play for. So I think Bemfica is going to be out, to be honest with you.
00:25:48
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah I mean, if they if they drop out that game last week against Barca.
00:25:51
Viktor
I feel like sporting get something. Yeah, yeah, that was and was shocking.
00:25:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:25:59
Viktor
That was shocking. It could have gone the other way so easily, especially if the VR just turned around and said, that's a PK on the other end.
00:26:07
Global Sports Podcast Network
yep
00:26:11
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, I think.
00:26:11
Viktor
So many interesting. And they all play at the same time tomorrow. So this is going to be just, guys and do do you in England have like a gold zone or wherever there's a goal?
00:26:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean,
00:26:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, we've we've got a goal show on TNT, which I think will I think that'll be my main my main screen even with Arsenal playing because we should be fine.
00:26:22
Viktor
Okay.
00:26:28
Viktor
Yeah.
00:26:31
Viktor
Yeah, I'm for sure going to be on the Colossal show. That's what we have in the US.
00:26:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, so I mean, I think that leads us perfectly on to how have you found this
New Champions League Format Discussion
00:26:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
format? You said earlier your your friends don't love it, but you've been loving it so far.
00:26:47
Viktor
I absolutely love it. you You play, I mean, eight different teams. It's not like before you play like literally just three teams. And it gets boring up to around four, especially for the big for the big teams, if you already clinched the playoff. So yeah this is way better, I think. It's more exciting. And they're going to realize tomorrow how exciting it is once you get to the last game. and yeah
00:27:12
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think speaking from an Arsenal perspective, last year we came back into the competition and we got a group where PSV were the hardest team we played. I think it was PSV, Sevilla and the final team escaped me right now. But it was like, oh, well, we've just spent years in the Europa League and it feels like we just got a Europa League group again.
00:27:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
And now we've played PSG, we've played Inter, we've played Monaco. You're playing the higher profile teams and I mean, I think also getting these reps against these harder teams going into the knockouts is so important because when we then got into the knockouts last year Porto I mean the way they set up was really difficult for how Arsenal play but then buying that that first leg especially Like the start of the first leg. It looked like we were a better team going into that game we were the favorites because of the two teams form and ultimately it felt like the
00:28:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
playing a big team which we hadn't done in so long was ultimately the biggest problem. We didn't have that knockout football experience or play playing a team of Bayern's caliber and it gives you more reps against those big teams in this format. So I think that's been a massive bonus of it.
00:28:34
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, we've got to play into who I've been interested in us playing just because of the styles of play.
00:28:40
Viktor
Yep.
00:28:40
Global Sports Podcast Network
I'm with you. I think it's been really exciting. There are a couple drawbacks, but it's so much more exciting than a group stage, which is done after four games. so
00:28:49
Viktor
Yeah. If I made a decision how the draw should be, I would have made a slight difference. So let's say if you finish first, then in the last 16, you get the lowest seeded team. So let's say if you have 9 and 23 playing, then if 23 wins and that's the lowest, then number one gets that team rather than doing the other combinations.
00:29:13
Viktor
yeah would that's That's the format here in the NFL and American football.
00:29:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah.
00:29:17
Viktor
And I think that's a good format to have, especially for knockout, because you don't want to, if you finish first and obviously you played eight games, you won all games, you want to be in charge and you want to play the lowest possible team going through from the playoffs.
00:29:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I was looking.
00:29:31
Viktor
but Even like this, even like this, it's super interesting.
00:29:35
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I was looking at how the bracket works and i like this is so much more complicated than it needs to be. like I'm fine with the top eight not having to play extra games. I think thats that's something to strive for amongst those teams and makes this final game week more interesting. And I think we'll see that in future years. Ultimately, this is the first year it's not always going to be like this.
00:29:59
Global Sports Podcast Network
so i think that's an interesting thing to have teams play for but the ninth place 23rd or 24th like you don't need to make it that complicated just ninth verse 24th 10th verse 23rd and they play first
00:30:06
Viktor
Yeah. Yeah. ye That's what I was thinking at the beginning.
00:30:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
i They play first they play second in terms of like a middle cluster they've completely overcooked that aspect of it, but I mean The seeding is gonna be really interesting as well.
00:30:23
Viktor
Yeah. Yeah.
00:30:28
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't really know what to expect and I think I think some people have more of a problem with that than the league phase actually because you get almost these manufactured easy runs and you don't get this, oh we're getting Real Madrid vs Man City in the round of 16 with a quarter finals.
00:30:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
These are the two favorites for the top competition and one of them is gone already. And all those sides of the brackets, like we've had in the last two years, where one of one half of the bracket is completely loaded with all the good teams and the other is like last year where we had PSG, we had a bad Barcelona team, we had some Italian teams.
00:30:51
Viktor
Yeah.
00:31:08
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think that's an area where more people have a problem with it.
00:31:13
Viktor
Yeah, I mean, it's too many draws, to be honest with you. So you have one on Friday now for the for the playoffs. Then you have another one where you're going to have like ah the final shape for the bracket. And then you have another one for the quarters and semis who's going to play the second leg at home. So you can definitely simplify that.
00:31:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah and i wouldn't be surprised if they make adjustments going into this i'll be interested to see as well if they allow teams next year to register their january signings because i was i mean i was familiar with this format but before this year because of football manager and in that they allowed you to register your players so i just assumed that was how it would be for this but we've seen it with city they've not been allowed to register register their players and i don't know how i feel about that because
00:32:04
Global Sports Podcast Network
you you should be able to give yourself that chance in the final two games with the with the signings you can make in January but at the same time should you just have to fight it out especially if you I mean maybe it's because it's the big team it gets more focus but I think that will be interesting to see if they change that in the future as well
00:32:10
Viktor
Yeah.
00:32:25
Viktor
I think there will, there will be always something new, I think with Wafer.
00:32:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
What are you looking forward to most in in the games tomorrow? is it For me, it's that middle cluster of who might Arsenal draw? Who could we be playing? Because I know i mean Liverpool and Barca fans at the moment, they must be looking at it going,
00:32:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
Like why why do we have to play potentially buy and roam and druid uve? I like
Man City's Playoff Prospects
00:32:53
Global Sports Podcast Network
I said earlier. I don't think it will end up being those teams but You finish first potentially they're going to win eight from eight games Just to get the hardest one of the hardest possible draws For me that that's the most interesting part of this because Like like I was saying, I don't think there'll be much change in the top eight or too much drama with city Is that the most interesting part for you?
00:33:04
Viktor
Right.
00:33:17
Viktor
I think the game that I'm going to watch tomorrow is Aston Villa on my tablet, and then I'll have to go lasso show on the on my TV so that way I can keep an eye on every other game. But Villa is the most important, most interesting game for me, to be honest with you, because I want them to go through, but I also know there's so much more into it.
00:33:37
Viktor
so Who do you think is going to win the Champions League this year?
00:33:38
Global Sports Podcast Network
yeah
00:33:41
Viktor
Obviously, as an Arsenal fan, try not to be biased.
00:33:46
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it's really hard to look past Liverpool at the moment, isn't it?
00:33:49
Viktor
Yeah.
00:33:50
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, it feels quite easy to say Liverpool and Barster, but they've looked the best. like The problem with Barster is we've seen how easily they can be punished, especially in La Liga.
00:34:03
Viktor
yeah
00:34:05
Global Sports Podcast Network
They've had really bad runs, especially before the winter break or super cup break. So I'm looking at Liverpool. I feel like there's not been enough talk about Inter, I don't think they're as good as they were last year necessarily, but the way they play, the strikers they have.
00:34:20
Viktor
You can never rule them out. Italians. Yeah.
00:34:25
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think they're a really interesting team. And like we were saying earlier, if City have accidentally given themselves a somewhat easy run, They can't be ignored.
00:34:37
Global Sports Podcast Network
Rodry's not going to come back, but if they can find a way, especially if they're going to find a way to play more transitionally, I think it was just a one-off game personally, but we'll have to see as ah the months progress.
00:34:52
Global Sports Podcast Network
I don't think you can you can never look past them from an Arsenal perspective.
00:34:56
Viktor
I'll put them in top three, to be honest with you. If City makes it somehow through, they're going to be an issue for other teams. Here's the thing about Liverpool, what worries me, all these contract situations, the deeper you get into the end of the season, if they're not resolved, you can always go wrong.
00:35:16
Viktor
if If there is something in the media saying Salah is trying to go to Saudi Arabia or something for the money, and obviously he wants to be in a Muslim country, he said that before, and then Trent something else comes out, and then out of nowhere, the atmosphere in the locker room is not the same anymore. So that can like can cause trouble for Liverpool, even in the Premier League.
00:35:36
Viktor
ah
00:35:36
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, that's that's what I've been looking at all season. Like if they don't, like you say, if they don't get these sorted,
Liverpool's Contract Concerns
00:35:42
Global Sports Podcast Network
it sours the camp.
00:35:42
Viktor
It has to be sorted as soon as possible, yeah.
00:35:44
Global Sports Podcast Network
And yeah, I know that the FSG is selling a minority stake in the Pittsburgh Penguins. It's a bit of a tangent who are my ice hockey team.
00:35:55
Global Sports Podcast Network
It's like it feels like they're selling a stake to try and afford these three contracts at the moment. But I mean, yeah, a Liverpool, your favorite still, though, despite that?
00:36:07
Viktor
No, not anymore. ah To be honest with you, I would put Madrid still there and even Bayern. so
00:36:15
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, Madrid's such a weird one.
00:36:19
Viktor
I would rule out Barcelona because I think Barcelona just will find a way to mess up when it matters this season.
00:36:20
Global Sports Podcast Network
It it feels like they've worked it out now, though.
00:36:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
Yeah, I think I think the system will will ultimately cost them eventually. I think it's it like if if they play an athletic commentary than the knockouts, I feel like they could get punished.
00:36:40
Viktor
i I love it.
00:36:47
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, looking at Arsenal selfishly, if we did anything this window, I'd have a bit more faith.
00:36:48
Viktor
Who else would we have?
00:36:56
Viktor
yeah
00:36:56
Global Sports Podcast Network
I think the fact that we're straight into round 16 and by then we should have Sakabak gives an ounce of hope to Arsenal, but it's ultimately going to be down to what happens in these final few days of the the window for me in terms of Arsenal.
00:37:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
get to court as in it or it ah ultimately depends who we play in whether Haverts can actually have confidence in scoring that that period of of the season so but yeah i think Liverpool, Real Madrid who have figured it out and city and probably into feel like the top four at the moment yeah
00:37:37
Viktor
Arsenal, I think has one issue, the number nine. If you get a bigger number nine, that's going to score for you 25, 30 goals. This Arsenal team is golden. So that's one issue. I don't know why they're not going more aggressively towards getting someone like Jocaris, but I think there's something in the background that we don't know what it is. Maybe Jocaris is.
00:38:01
Viktor
getting ready for United or sporting, asking for too much money. They don't want to get rid of him right now. They want to end the season. I don't know what it is, but yeah, Arsenal needs a number nine. Even Arsenal would be great, I think, for Arsenal.
00:38:14
Viktor
They need that type of forward.
00:38:14
Global Sports Podcast Network
Osmond is such a fascinating one. I don't know if we've got time to discuss it, but the fact he's in Turkey, there's got to be something else to it that teams haven't latched onto him because his profile is perfect for Arsenal.
00:38:17
Viktor
Yeah.
00:38:26
Viktor
Yeah. Yeah.
00:38:31
Global Sports Podcast Network
There's got to be a reason and that we just aren't publicly aware to.
00:38:34
Viktor
There's a lot of money in Turkey though. There's a lot of money in Turkey.
00:38:41
Global Sports Podcast Network
there's more money in the Premier League arguably like yeah I mean that's gonna be no
00:38:47
Viktor
Yeah, I never understood that transfer, how he ended up from, it was like destined to go to a really big club and then ended up going to Turkey at this time of his career, which is still prime right now.
00:39:03
Global Sports Podcast Network
I mean, I think that will essentially wrap us up. we've We've got our favorites for the Champions League this season. where Will Villa find a way to tonight to get into that top eight?
00:39:17
Global Sports Podcast Network
Could City not quite get over the line? I think that would be so much fun for everyone except City fans.
00:39:27
Viktor
yeah
00:39:27
Global Sports Podcast Network
But Victor, thank you for joining me.
00:39:28
Viktor
shop and
00:39:30
Global Sports Podcast Network
For your first ah podcast with the daily Premier League podcast. I hope you hope it's been good for you
00:39:36
Viktor
Yeah, better than I expected. Thank you for your time. I appreciate it and then I'm sure we'll do plenty more.
00:39:45
Global Sports Podcast Network
and join us again tomorrow for a review of the Champions League will have more knowledge of what these possible matchups could be and It's follow subscribe to the podcast and we'll see you again tomorrow
00:40:00
Viktor
See you guys soon.