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Juventus vs Man City: Champions League Preview With Natalie Pike (Ep. 478)
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The 2024/25 Champions League matchday six group stage fixture between Juventus and Manchester City takes place on Wednesday 11 December at 21:00 CET in Turin at Allianz Stadium.
Carlo Garganese is joined by Manchester City FC presenter and co-host of the nomoretippytappyfootball podcast Natalie Pike to preview the game and offer insight on Juventus’ opponents.
Natalie also talks about her work and love for Man City, her podcast and modelling career, and why City are struggling more this season.
Every Monday episode of The Italian Football Podcast + all interview episodes are free for all.
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Transcript
Introduction and Guest Welcome
00:00:03
Speaker
Welcome to the Italian Football Podcast. Hello, everybody, and welcome to another episode of the Italian Football Podcast, the official podcast of Football Italia. I'm Carla Garganese, ahead of Wednesday's big Champions League match between Juventus and Manchester City. um I'm delighted to to welcome onto the show a big Manchester City guest. She is the the the presenter of Manchester City FC, as well as a broadcaster um and presenter for for many TV and radio shows such as
00:00:36
Speaker
Talk Sport, BBC Five Live, Race Day TV, and she also co-hosts the that No Tippy Tappy Football podcast with former England manager Sam Allardyce, big Sam, also a very successful model as well. So I'm delighted to to welcome onto the show Natalie Pike. Natalie, thank you so much for for joining us. How are you doing?
Weekend Football Adventures
00:01:03
Speaker
Well, I was some introduction. Thank you so much. Yeah, no, i' um I'm I'm OK. Thank you. It was a manic busy weekend. and I was at the city men's game on Saturday at Crystal Palace and then I was working the city women's game yesterday. They played Leicester. So um there's a bit of a storm in this country at the minute as well. So it's just been it's been a busy, fun weekend.
00:01:22
Speaker
Yeah, I saw you getting blown all over the place, your your hair yeah everywhere. Yeah. have a committee Yeah. Yeah. No, it looks great. It looks great. So um yeah. So um for those of you that are listening, and we are doing this on our YouTube channel as well.
Juventus Shirt Nostalgia
00:01:40
Speaker
I've got my Juventus shirt on. I'm just going to show it to everyone. See if you can guess what year that's from. Do you have any idea, and Natalie? No, no idea. No offence, but Juventus shirts always just look black and white stripes to me.
00:01:55
Speaker
but OK, right, I'm going to give a clue to everyone. um It was a season when we actually played Manchester City. Juventus actually played Manchester City twice. but it's quite ah It's quite a while ago, so I'll just leave that out there for for everybody that but everybody that's watching.
00:02:11
Speaker
um So before we talk about Juventus vs City, um I just want to talk a little bit, introduce you to everyone. I know everybody knows you really well in the UK, of course, um and beyond, but a lot of our audiences across the globe.
Lifelong Manchester City Support and Challenges
00:02:24
Speaker
um So you are the presenter of Man City FC. ah Pretty much, I mean, I would say pretty much that the the face of Man City's media outfit. um as ah As a lifelong Man City fan, and I mean, this this must be quite much a dream job for you.
00:02:40
Speaker
Yeah it really is. So I started supporting City in 1993 and I got my first season ticket in 1998. I was 15 and I saved up all my pocket money for a year, my birthday money, my Christmas money and I got a season ticket in the 98-99 season when we were in Division 2 and the season ticket cost me £150.
00:03:02
Speaker
And I saved for a year for that. Yeah. um So I really am a lifelong Manchester City fan. So to work for the club that you have loved your whole life. it Yeah, I mean, it's very, it is very much a ah dream job. I mean, it comes with it's the only downside to it really is is that you never get to watch a game as a fan anymore. So I work every game. So like when I'm working when I'm watching the games I'm always thinking about what we're going to talk about half time or you know what am I seeing and I'm writing questions and you never just get to go and just pull you out with your friends and just you know have a blowout and just enjoy it and just sing and so I think that's that's the only very slight downside but I wouldn't change it for the world. Yeah that is part of being a journalist I'm even just
00:03:49
Speaker
preparing for the podcast, I watch games, and you know, um something comes up that I'm thinking, right, I'm going to talk about that in the pod, then you make a note of it, and you can't just sit back and and enjoy it enjoy the game.
Memorable Moments and Career Highlights
00:04:00
Speaker
ah what What do you enjoy most about your job, and ah what would what has been your favourite moment, or I say game, or maybe interview, like as a presenter at City?
00:04:11
Speaker
Well, I've had so many. It's been such a blessing. I mean, the fact that I get paid to ah go back to watching the club that I've supported my whole life is is you know is is unbelievable. The fact that I ah you know watch every single game as part of my job, which is something I would have been doing and was always doing before I had this job either, that's an unbelievable blessing I'm so grateful for.
00:04:32
Speaker
In terms of the biggest moments, I mean I'm really lucky either as as a fan or as I've been working, I've been at every single major Manchester City game of the last 30 years, you know, I was at the playoff final in 1999 when we got promoted from stage two Division to Division 1, you know, I've been at every time we've won an FA Cup, a League Cup, I've been there, I've been at every single Premier League that we've won, I've presented every single Premier League winner's parade that the club has had over, you know, i've I've been the presenter. Last year, the one that we had in May, I was on the bus with the players, so I've i've had you know unbelievable experiences. I ah did Erling Harlan's first ever interview when he came to the club, which was unbelievable, but I think that
00:05:13
Speaker
The thing that tops it all is the Champions League final. So we did a show pitch side from the Champions League final and we watched them lift the trophy from the side of the pitch. So i't I don't think anything will will top that.
00:05:25
Speaker
No, that was Istanbul, wasn't it? Yeah, it's umable yeah yeah yeah against Inter, my co-host Nimr, that's his team. Oh, really? OK. Is that why he's not here? ah Probably that it's not. But yeah, no, that was that was memorable, shit certainly, for all City fans. So what you said, I was going to ask you when you started supporting City, you've already told me, who who was your City Idol growing up as ah as a kid?
00:05:52
Speaker
Sean Goater, does that name mean anything to you? The goat, yeah, feed the goat. Feed the goat and he will score. So he was the best player I'd ever seen in real life yeah know up until the recent generation. I loved him and I'm blessed that I work with him all the time now, you know, and sometimes I'll get a message through from him and I'll be like, my God, if I could have told my 15-year-old self this, she never would have believed me. I have a painting of him in my downstairs toilet, which he always laughs about, and of him scoring past Fabian Barthes. Yes, my downstairs toilet, Sean Goater scoring past Fabian Barthes in a Manchester Derby is what you will see if you are ever in my toilet.
00:06:33
Speaker
Oh, well, well, was that the three? That was the three two. Was it three two or yeah go three two? I think it was. Yeah, we won. and it's So he nabbed the ball off Gary Neville on the byline, pulled it back. in but Even better. Yeah.
00:06:48
Speaker
floor OK, brilliant. Well, so yeah, so that's your that's your your history as a City fan. and I want to talk about, we'll come back to City in the preview
Podcasting Success with Sam Allardyce
00:06:59
Speaker
in a bit. um I want to talk about the Tippie Tappy or No Tippie Tappy podcast. No Tippie Tappy. Yeah, that's the key. With Sam Allardyce, Big Sam, former England manager, um which which which I think is great. And and it and like like our own podcast, the Italian football podcast, recently you won an award at the Football Content Awards at Tottenham Hotspur.
00:07:20
Speaker
um tell Tell us about the podcast, like what you know how it came about, what what's great about it and what it's and also what's it like working with Big Sam? So we started it two years ago which was the for the World Cup, I'm just getting my tournaments right. For the World Cup that was held two years ago, it was supposed to just be a short, and that was two years ago, wasn't it? 2022, yeah. Yeah, it was this time two years ago, December. God!
00:07:53
Speaker
The time merges. I was thinking, was that World Cup two years ago? Yeah, it was that World Cup. So we were doing it just for that. And it was going to be just eight episodes. And um and then it was it did really well. And Sam really enjoyed it. and And the numbers were really good. So the we carried it on after the World Cup and we we were going to do it until the end of the Premier League season. um So we did that. So it's a weekly podcast and we have a different guest on generally. It's a former player or former manager. Usually it's somebody that Sam knows.
00:08:22
Speaker
um And we do a weekly podcast where we, and it goes on YouTube as well, where we talk about our guest, sort of their career, their links with Sam, but also we talk about whatever's happening in in football at the time. And it's great because Sam is such a football man, he loves football, he loves talking about football and He's not managing at the minute. Obviously, I i know he would love to be managing at the minute, but he loves going in every week and just having a few hours to just sit with people he likes and to just talk about football. And I think that really comes through. And he's great. You know, he's just he's very dry. and He's very honest. You know, sometimes I think we edit some things out sometimes. and But yeah, no, he's just great and I really enjoy it. And it's just people sat around talking about football, which is just glorious, isn't it?
00:09:12
Speaker
Yeah, it is. I've interviewed Big Sam before, quite a few years ago, at a soccer aid. He was the manager, I think, thinking back quite a while ago. yeah he was so and hes Yeah, I enjoyed the interview. I think he's, I mean, I think that I always say with with any football show and with a podcast that you need two things really for it to be a success. You need that knowledge and insight, of course
Career Transition from Modeling to Presenting
00:09:38
Speaker
you do. But you also need the other side. You need a bit of, it needs to be entertaining as well. You need a bit of personality from the the host or the amigos and you need a bit of bit of banter, a bit of chemistry between them. And i think I think you guys do that that really well. So so i think I think you guys have you know have done great. So well well done on that. And I would just say to everybody listening through
00:10:02
Speaker
so At the end of the show, i I'll ask you where you where people can follow you and everything, think but I would definitely say to everyone that's listening to to to check out the the No Tippy Tappy football podcast. Thank you. Me too. I second you. Yeah, I said it for you. yeah Right, so just going a little bit further back, um the noughties, I hate that term, you were one of the UK's top models, most famously for FHM. What did you enjoy most about that time working as ah as a model with the lads mags and is there anything that maybe you didn't like about that time?
00:10:41
Speaker
Yeah, it's funny, you know, because that's like 20 years ago now when I did that. And I think looking back, we are so blessed that camera phones didn't exist and that we just we had such a good time in the moment we experienced and everything that we did back then without social media and without camera phones, because ah and I don't like that. That would have been a lot back then.
00:11:04
Speaker
um But I loved the you know the experiences that I had. And I traveled around the world. And I went to incredible places and met such a variety of people. And you to be 21 years old and to be on the cover of the biggest men's magazine in the in the world was you know was just such an incredible experience that I'm so you know'm so grateful I had that experience. I think you know because I got into modeling through winning a competition.
00:11:31
Speaker
I don't think modelling was ever something I ever aspired to do. and and not like um I think like most of us, I'm quite an insecure person really and to be in a position where you're in a job where you are completely and 100% judged by your looks, I think that that over the years that's quite hard to deal with and by the time that I left modelling, so I modelled for about six or seven years and I was in a position where I was having to phone my agent weekly and tell them what my weight was i went that i just it just that It just wasn't for me. like that just really i just ah wasn't i didn't know I wasn't a confident enough person to be able to deal with having to you know worry about that sort of thing. They're really strict.
00:12:16
Speaker
yeah yeah yeah they're really i mean it's funny it's not so much in the men's magazines because actually men's magazines of the noughties were very accepting of curves and of larger women and and some of the most successful models if you think back they were big women like in comparison to the sort of standard like stick thin woman that was in fashion. So I think the lads magazine was really, lads magazines were actually really great at that. But when I kind of stopped doing the lads magazines and moved more into like the commercial modeling world, that's where they were, they were really, really strict. So I, yeah, yeah I left and in my sort of late 20s, I got a normal nine to five job. And I worked in fundraising and corporate fundraising for a variety of charities. And I did that for like the next 10 years before I sort of went into this presenting thing full time.
00:13:09
Speaker
Yeah, that's, that's quite a journey for sure. Who are you? I mean, I used to buy FHM as a, as a teenager, like, going back ages. I probably, yeah, I probably had you in probably had a post review. Be careful with my words there. You were, I mean,
00:13:25
Speaker
Who are your big rivals? Who are your big rivals back then? Was there a rivalry? Because I remember ah remember Jordan versus JB Marsh. I don't know whether that's what what you you were you've been compared to them. I don't know. But I remember them two. It was always, are you team Jordan? Are you team JB Marsh? mean, they did incredible with that marketing, didn't they? No, we didn't. So we were, because because of we took because I won the FHM High Street Honeys, there was a group of four or five of us that won it over sort of different years. So we were a little group together. We never really had any, eat we were the girls next door. So we never had really, we didn't buy into that rivalry. Like I've never, I've always just been, I think, a champion of women, you know, always a champion of women.
00:14:05
Speaker
and you know to now if I you know if I think somebody's doing great and and the woman that will always go my god you look amazing oh my god you're doing so great so no we we would never like that but obviously the high street honeys were were such a big brand back then such a ah big thing back then it's it's crazy when you mention it to people these days and they don't remember it because obviously 20 years ago it was everything Yeah, it was. It certainly was. um Okay, well, let's talk about the game then. Oh, do we have to? Oh, really? Oh, we have to. Can we talk about Jordan and Jodie first? Yeah, yeah.
00:14:38
Speaker
Listen, you've got nothing to worry about. Let me tell you that now, the way that you've been saying to you, have you seen us? Well, at least you can get a team out. I mean, you've been as good, could barely,
Manchester City Form and Champions League Preview
00:14:47
Speaker
can barely get, we have to get some players off the street. I think and the way that things are going. Um, but, um, yeah, so, so man city, your team traveled to, to win on Wednesday champions league match day six.
00:15:00
Speaker
um Both teams have to be a bit careful here because both teams have got eight points, should be okay to qualify. Ten points is... Yeah, but we're good at qualifying that awful playoff stage with neither of us needs that.
00:15:13
Speaker
Oh, right, okay. Well, those are first world problems, you see. You've had to take the taking qualification already. But yeah, I think both teams should be fine. But um the first question, like I said, the question everyone's asking in Italy is, you know, Man City have been so dominant for so many years, and but this season has been a a struggle by your high standards. Last eight games, if I've got this right, 1-1 drawn to last six. Why do you think that that City have been struggling more this season?
00:15:42
Speaker
Yeah, I think um it's so it's a really difficult, but also kind of really simple question as well. I mean, if you think, like you say, you've won the Premier League for the last four years in a row, which has never been done before, and there's a reason it's never been done. There's a reason, you know, the high-flying Manchester Uniteds of the 90s didn't do it, and because it's so unbelievably difficult to maintain that extraordinary high level of everything, you know, of of and your your recruitment.
00:16:10
Speaker
of your you know of your training, of your medical team, of your you know of your your mentality to to maintain four years of that constant winning mentality. I mean, it's so unbelievably difficult. So to expect a team to do that for five years and then to be shocked that a team can't do that for five years, you know I find that a little bit crazy. But in terms of Citi, for me, what it is is Lots of small issues that individually, in another year, wouldn't have caused a problem, wouldn't have you wouldn't wouldn't have caused a scratch. But when there's so many of these little issues, they're now piling up into big issues. So for some examples, like, obviously, losing Rodry is an obvious one.
00:16:55
Speaker
and But in past years, we would have survived because we had other players that were still at their peak and still fit. I mean, we we brought in Kovacic last year. He was brilliant. Well, he's injured as well. So we lost Rodri and then we lost his cover.
00:17:11
Speaker
um We brought back Ilkay Gundawan, who obviously is a club legend, an unbelievable captain that we had in the treble year, but he's not the player that he was two years ago. He's still the great player, but he's not the player he was two years ago. and Phil Foden, who obviously was the PFA player of the year last year, the best player in the league last year. Whatever has happened to him over the summer, this season isn't easy he's been faced with illnesses, so he's got bronchitis at the minute. Apparently he had a stomach problem at the start of the season.
00:17:41
Speaker
like that is just you know it's just the the luck that starts to pile up and then I do think as well you know that we've you know we we we're getting to the end of a cycle of you know of players I mean Kyle Walker's been taking a lot of stick online from City fans which I think is really unjust given what that man has achieved for the club but I also think it's okay to say that he's not the Kyle Walker of three or four years ago and I think that's obvious because we we're all aging and but if he's playing in a back four that is consistent because obviously Akay Diaz, Stones, and Kanji they've all been out at some point this season. um In fact for the Manchester Derby next week we've got three fit defenders like so it's just all the little problems for me that have
00:18:26
Speaker
ah accumulated at the same time. yeah But it's not always me. We're not asking him for any sympathy or anything. Maybe we were lucky, you know, in the year of the treble where we didn't have a lot. Well, we had Kevin De Bruyne out that year, but where we didn't have as many injuries. Kevin De Bruyne, you know, he's been out. He said, we just come back.
00:18:43
Speaker
yeah it's just yeah i mean that no i think i think it makes sense i think it makes sense and people do take for granted the success as well it was the same with Juventus, Juventus won nine titles in a row going back in the previous decade and and now Juventus haven't won a title since 2020 um which is and then they definitely won't win the title this year either so you know it's what is well they're the champion city are still the champions so you know yeah it's uh it's not that bad but um Do you think that City can still recover and and and go on and win this Premier League or maybe the Champions League? do Do you think there's still that possibility this season? Yeah, I mean it's still mathematically possible it's that City can win both.
00:19:26
Speaker
and do I think I just I just don't know at the minute I mean we would be it's happened before but we would first of all need Liverpool to have an almighty collapse um and you know we've got Arsenal and Chelsea that are that are above us in the league and that are looking good as you know specifically Chelsea are looking really good they're really going under the radar at the minute so we'd need those teams to collapse but those teams have collapsed in the past you know so that could happen and at the minute it just doesn't feel like City are in a place to go into a consistent run that we have done in the past of like 14-15 wins in a row, not saying that we can't do it because obviously we you know we can, we we could do it, we could do it, do I think we are? No, I don't think we're going to win the Premier League but given the timescale of the Champions League
00:20:12
Speaker
the knockout stages of the Champions League not kicking in until was it February, March? Yeah exactly. Well we could well and truly have sorted ourselves out by then so I mean for me City could definitely win the Champions League this year.
00:20:25
Speaker
Yeah, I agree. A lot changes as well between December and March, February, ah February, March. it it may It always does. So, you know, get your players back. We we actually, we had Marco Matarazzi on the pod a few weeks ago and we asked him who we thought would win the Champions League. And and he, I can't remember who the other team was. He said he were one of the two teams anyway. So he he's still, yeah.
00:20:50
Speaker
He actually thinks that being further behind in the Premier League might actually help Citi because, you know, they can focus more on the Champions League later. Maybe, yeah maybe. We'll see, we'll
Erling Haaland's Impact
00:21:02
Speaker
see. and Erling Harland, I want to talk about him because he's going to be probably the biggest threat to Juventus on Wednesday and he was very close to signing for Juventus as a teenager. There's a famous picture of him and his dad at Juventus Stadium and when he's about 17 and they were in negotiations. It didn't end up happening and then he ended up going to
00:21:22
Speaker
Austria, Salzburg and then, yeah, from there. Loads of clubs let him slip, didn't they? Loads of clubs have got this story. Yeah, I think him and his dad went on a tour around everywhere. I mean, people I spoke to told me that he was very close to you, but anyway, he's that city now and he's a gold machine. I mean, he's probably the biggest gold machine in the world. I mean, for me, the two best number nines in the world are probably him and Kane.
00:21:50
Speaker
I think Kane's probably maybe a little bit more complete but I think if you want a gold machine monster you go for you go for Harlan. I mean first of all because we joke about this on the pod all the time but can you confirm that he is actually human and he's not some monster built in a lab?
00:22:06
Speaker
No, sorry, I can't, I can't confirm that. I've stood by him, obviously I say i did his first interview and I've i've ahve had the pleasure of working with him many times and he's just a giant, he's giant, like eat like he's in a room and everybody else is just miniature compared to him. So sadly, no, I can't confirm that.
00:22:25
Speaker
the yeah that's That's what I've always thought. I want to see i wanted to see proof that he's actually was actually human. But what played out? I mean, it's it's unbelievable. like Yeah. i am I interviewed his dad a few times and I said to his dad, because I have a seven year old son, I said to his dad, well what did you do with him as a kid? Like what could I do? What can I learn from him? What did you do with him that I could do with my son? And he said that he used to drink milk every night and obviously that he still drinks milk now. You still see pictures of him. So I went back home and I and i told my son, my son drinks milk every single night now. So maybe we'll, and and my son's quite tall as well. So maybe, maybe that's the key. yeah Future city, city striker then in about 20,
00:23:12
Speaker
Where we we are we? 2035 maybe? Yeah, because of the milk. Yeah, because of the milk. Well, we've always told us kids, drink your milk to make your bones strong, right, aren't we? so so could be yeah it's So it's true, it's true. you' got yes he's great you know He's phenomenal, he's been an absolute blessing and I'm so glad that he that he chose us and that you know we were so lucky that we have the history with his dad and and it I think There's rumors going around that so you're trying to make him sign ah an extension, sign a longer contract, obviously, which would be wonderful. He seems to be really, really at home in Manchester. you know he His girlfriend is pregnant and you know he seems to Manchester really seems to be at a home for him. So I hope he stays with us for a long time. I think it's a really interesting season for him as well because he is not getting the supply that he has done in the previous two years. I mean, in that season when
00:24:02
Speaker
he a broke all the records in the Trevor winning season. I mean, I can't remember how many assists he got from Kevin Duboisina alone. I think it was about 11 or 12 goals combined for the two, you know, the assists from Duboisina to Harland. This year he's not getting the same level of service, but he's still the top scorer or one of the top scorers in the league. So I think this year we're we're really seeing a different learning Harland on Saturday for the Crystal Palace game. His work rate was incredible. You know, we're really seeing him give a lot more to the team, which is probably because he has to as well.
00:24:32
Speaker
Yeah, for sure, for sure. and If I could ask you about this Juventus team, um I don't know how much Serie A you watch or how much Juventus you watch, but I mean, Juventus, like City, are are struggling at the moment. but Two wins in ten. So many draws. Juventus have drawn 11 of their 20 games this season. What? Everybody's calling them draw Ventus. That's what, or pareggentus, which pareggio means draw in Italian. I mean, tons of injuries as well. Yeah.
00:25:00
Speaker
last week, Juventus could only feel two outfield players on their bench. Like it's... Oh, we had that on Saturday. Saturday. We had we had Jack Grealish and Jeremy Dokku and everybody, two goalkeepers and all the kids. Oh, wow. Same for us. Yeah. Yeah. it's is It's really bad. It's really, really bad. and I mean, what are your thoughts on on this Juventus team kind of going into this game? Are you confident? Are you scared? Are you hopeful? Like,
00:25:26
Speaker
Well, I think, Juventus, because of your history and your stature as a club, you have an air about you that always, especially at home, will always make anybody feel nervous. and So, obviously, travelling to you comes with a sense of nerves, regardless of what you're saying. and I have only been keeping an eye on you, Venice, in terms of the Champions League. Obviously, you had that draw against Villa, which makes a lot more sense now. You've told me that that's all you do. is is draw. But the table, the Champions League table just looks crazy. Obviously, you have the same points as us at the minute. Real Madrid are sitting to two less points than us. ah It sounds like we've got very similar problems this year with the amount of injuries that we're facing. For me, this is a must-win game for City. um We don't want to be in the playoffs. We don't have the enemy. I know you would be saying you would take it, but by the sounds of it, you don't have the players to deal with it either. So it's a must-win game for me. You know, we've all we've got and
00:26:21
Speaker
and it's Paris Saint-Germain still to play as well, you know, we've got we've got to pick the points up. So regardless of what you're saying about the injuries and your run at the minute, I'm really, really worried to to for us to go over to you this week. That's that's that's fair enough. I'll get your prediction in a in a second. I just want to ask you one other question. Which Juventus player, past or or present, which you would you love or would have loved to see play for City?
Andrea Pirlo Admiration
00:26:48
Speaker
When I think of Juventus, I think of PLO,
00:26:50
Speaker
and I mean, maybe maybe for footballing and non-footballing reasons as well. um What position, where was he? Was he a number 10 or was he further back when he was with you guys? With Juventus, he was like a deep lion, sentiment fielder, but like a playmaker and sentiment fielder. He started his career as a 10, actually, but then he went, Ancelotti took him further back and then the rest of the season. To be honest with you, I'd be interested in studying him right now, whatever his fitness levels are. Yeah, I think Juventus could do with him right now as well. Okay, I would say, if I could just say which city player I would love to be, you've made, David Silva, I've bought him.
00:27:33
Speaker
I adored that player. He was just a ah little... We were blessed to watch him. He was unbelievable. And and then you've got Bernardo Silva who was like a bit of a kind of regen of David Silva as well. A cheekier version of David Silva is Bernardo. Yeah, he is. Yeah. um Prediction time then, what's what's what's the score going to be then? Oh my gosh, genuinely not a clue.
00:27:55
Speaker
We have to win as far as I'm concerned we have to win we have to come and give you a game which could, which could really go in your favor because we are we were very defensively shaky at the minute again coming to the we've not I don't think we started the same back for into games.
00:28:10
Speaker
um you know we've Akangi's out, Akay's out, Stone's is out, you know who our back four is going to be when you play us um and it is a little bit shaky at the minute, you know Vardial's having a tough season, we mentioned Kyle Walker as well, I mean Ruben Diaz is phenomenal, he's your biggest problem there, and Rico Lewis is in a wonderful player that plays with all his heart, obviously he was sent off at the weekend so that might be on his mind,
00:28:31
Speaker
So defense we we have got to come and win, which I think that could play into your hands as well. and But i've got we've got to win this, I've got to go for a victory and it's gonna it'll be a tight one. I'm going to say 2-1. Yeah, I think if someone does win it, it will be by one go. I agree with you there.
00:28:49
Speaker
um I mean, I think that Marta was asked, Thiago Marta, Juventus manager was asked about City's struggles and he said, there's never a good time to play City. I mean, I think it is a good time to play City. It is a good time to play, yeah. It is a good time, but it's also a good time to play against Juventus. And I look at, you mentioned your back line, I look at Juventus' back line. They've just lost, they've got another injury, Cambiaso, they've done some medical tests today as we record, so that hasn't come out how bad it is. I'm assuming he's going to be out. He's been Juventus' best player this season.
00:29:19
Speaker
um So Juventus' defence, Danilo, former City player, is probably going to play left back because Juventus don't have a left back, it can be essays out, the right back is going to be a youth player who's come up and um so I'm worried about the defence and then there's again there's so many injuries all around the other areas of the pitch as well so I'm not very hopeful but really you know even at home does that not playing your favour it should do but the problem is though that because Juventus have been so decimated they've been playing the same players over and over again and as a result the players that are playing
00:29:56
Speaker
are they're not fresh enough and and and they're they're a bit flat and we've seen that in the last few games. So yeah, is um um I'm hoping for a draw. I know that's really negative. I mean, I'll tell you what I am, I'm hoping for what we call an it Italian abiscotto, which means biscuit in Italian, but in football in terms, that means basically two teams played for play for a draw. So they basically nod and wink before the game and say, right, we'll play for a draw. So I'm hoping for that. i'm hoping pair We have an opinion of Italian football, you know, now. We really do.
00:30:27
Speaker
Well, yeah, I mean, Pep and Moza, I don't know, they they were together at Barcelona, I think. Maybe end of Pep's time, maybe Moza just joined, maybe, and as players. So I'm hoping they'll say, look, we're on eight points, you know, not until... I don't know. I mean, you're set you're you're demanding a win, so I don't know. is We need a win.
00:30:47
Speaker
Maybe Pep will turn it down. But I'd say what Juventus do have it in their favour is a good record against City. Juventus have played in City six times in their history. Juventus three wins, two draws, and just one City win, which came 48 years ago. What? Yes, 48 years ago. A one-nil win. The goal was scored by... you probably would have worked I think he would have worked with him, actually.
00:31:15
Speaker
um Any ideas? Striker. What year is that? in the That would be 1976. seventy six that tim but seventy six okay so was so That was just after our prime era. That was just after the Colin Bell, Mike Somerby. So who was who was in the middle of the... set Oh, I don't know. Striker. He worked with city Under Mancini. There you go. There's a big, big coin. You worked for City Under Mancini? Yeah. Not a player, obviously. Not a player. Really? Used to play for Man United as well. Brian Kidd? Yeah, Brian Kidd. No way! Brian Kidd scored. Brian Kidd scored the winner in the only time City have beaten Juventus. Brilliant. OK, we should invite him as a guest for a good look. Yeah, you should, shouldn't you? That would be a good one for your show before the game.
00:32:12
Speaker
um Yeah, and the last time we played against each other was 2015-16 group stage. Juventus won both games, actually. so yeah hopeful good Hopefully good omen for you, man. Yeah, you're not making me feel good. Right, um just to finish off, um as a bit of fun, we we play ah a rapid fire game with with all our guests.
00:32:33
Speaker
like I'll ask you a bunch of really quick buy questions. You only need to give me ah a one
Rapid-Fire Questions Fun
00:32:38
Speaker
word answer. You can expand if you if you really want to, but one word answer is fine. And we'll just roll through them really, really quickly. Okay. So to start with pasta or pizza. Right. I've actually got them here. So I'm going to hold them up to the camera. This is, this is, this is from my family's cake shop. So can only.
00:33:01
Speaker
Can we see that? Yes. Yes. There we go. If you can see that. So cannoli or... Cholie Adela. Oh, what is that? That's a very traditional famous Neapolitan pastry.
00:33:21
Speaker
Oh, that. I love a pastry. You could go for Swinidola. Yes. OK. Yes. They'll love you. They'll love you in in Naples for that. Yes. All right. So in cities, Rome or Venice? Oh, I've been to both. and Rome.
00:33:37
Speaker
right yeah the history yes okay favorite style of football tippy tappy pet ball or no tippy tappy sam aladize ball oh god i'm sorry sam it's gotta be pep Guardiola's tippy jammie football big sam is not going to be happy with you no right city can sign either peak messy or peak Ronaldo or messy who's he said messy very very quick while we Very quick, very quick with that one. Yeah. Okay. Favourite Italian football or ever? You've probably already given that to me. Oh, PLO. Yeah. I was waiting for the option. Yeah. Favourite Netflix or TV series?
00:34:23
Speaker
Oh, and I'm rewatching Peaky Blinders at the minute. I went back to the start. I'm in the middle of series four now and that's just phenomenal. But I've got eclectic tastes. So like I'll watch Peaky Blinders one day and the next day I'll watch like Emily in Paris. So like I've got a variety. Yeah. Yeah. I love i love Peaky Blinders as well.
00:34:42
Speaker
Brilliant. um Actually, in Juventus' last Champions League game against Aston Villa, because it was played in Birmingham, the the crew that were were covering it for Italian TV, it was three former Juventus players, Fernando Llorente, Claudia Marchezio and, well, i'm actually not a former Juventus player, Gianfranco Zola.
00:35:00
Speaker
and they were all dressed as peaky blinders. Oh my god, I saw the meme. Everyone's taking a pic out of them for what they're wearing. Did you see the meme that someone said I think they're all wearing each other's coats? Yes, yeah yeah yeah we were we were speaking about this on the podcast yesterday, yeah actually. like They were saying that um Marquesio had like this big Matrix style coat on, was like wearing Lorente, who's like a giant, like six foot five. And and then Zola was like wearing Marquesio's and Lorente was like all, yeah, brilliant. Penultimate question, you're having a dinner party, you can invite five guests, dead or alive. Who do you invite? Pep Guardiola, Marilyn Monroe,
00:35:50
Speaker
My son, my son would have to come because he'd want to know what was going on. Sam Allardyce. OK. And Beyonce. And Beyonce for the music. Why not? Yeah, that's a good party. That's a good party for sure. OK, final one. This is the most important one of all. This is make or break in the interview. Pineapple on pizza. Food heaven or food hell? Is this a debate?
00:36:19
Speaker
This is a debate, is it? I mean, very clearly it is food hell. Oh, well done. Well done. Is that right? Yes. That is that is most definitely the the correct answer. If you say food heaven, you'll you'd never be allowed in Italy, ever. that yeah It's weird. Yeah, it's just a weird, weird thing. Yeah. To be fair, most of our guests do say food, food, food hell. But we have had, a we have had two or three.
00:36:45
Speaker
so I had a food hail when I went to Venice, I went to a little cafe and ordered what I thought was a margarita pizza and chips and it was chips on the pizza. No way. When cooked into the pizza. No way, they did that in Venice. Oh my god. I mean it was a tourist cafe but still I was like... Who were the owners? Were they Italian or were they... Probably not.
00:37:11
Speaker
That's mad, that's mad. Okay, right, let's leave it at that. Thank you, thank you, Natalie, so much for coming onto the show. I know you're really busy and really appreciate your time and you you you were fantastic. So ah big thanks. Thank you so much for inviting me. Thank you. Best of luck with your season and and your injuries.
00:37:27
Speaker
Yes, I'll say the same to you, best of luck for the season, not not Wednesday but best of luck for give us that wing thank you for the Before we let you go, just just good if you can just tell everyone where they can find you and your work and also if you have anything big coming up like if you want to promote it then the floor is yours. Well I'm on Instagram and TikTok and Natalie Pyke presenter I think on them and I'm trying to get on TikTok. I'm doing all right. I'm posting more and more on TikTok. And then No TV's Happy Football. That is a YouTube. You can listen anywhere you get a podcast. And we are also on Instagram and TikTok with clips of the show, but me also trying to get Sam doing viral TikTok nonsense. Oh, really? OK. That would be great. Yes. Sam, can I do a TikTok? And he's he's always up for it. He goes, right.
00:38:18
Speaker
Yeah, yeah, I can't picture him, but that would be good. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. OK, well, um yeah, so but that's that's everything. Please do give it. Give that a follow. Give the the podcast, especially a follow. It's fantastic. Thank you, everyone, for for listening and for watching. and We will be back later in the week, definitely for our post Champions League show on Thursday. We might have something else for you. We'll see how it goes. But until next time, cha-cha.