Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Visit activate.espn.com to learn how to access your account or sign up, then start streaming in the ESPN app. It's all of ESPN all in one place. Sign up or activate now. Welcome to the latest edition of ESPN FC. I'm Dan Thomas, joined by Shaka Hyslop and Stevie Nicholl. We are, of course, on the eve of the next round of matches of the Champions League.
We are going bracket crazy later on in the show, but we'll kick things off in the FA Cup. West Ham taking on Bradford and this is Brentford. Almost got away all day without saying that. And it would be West Ham who would win on penalties in the end. They would take on Leeds in the next round. Elsewhere, Arsenal happy, I'm sure. They'll take on Southampton. Chelsea even happier.
They play host to Port Vale. But the marquee tie, no doubt about it. Manchester City against Liverpool. For more on this, let's welcome in, shall we? Julianne Laurent joins us. We'll be hearing the Arsenal view in a moment. Mario will talk us through Chelsea. But let's start off, Nadim, with your Manchester City ways. Liverpool.
Yeah, my Manchester City ways are very much active, and as I saw that draw, I was a bit disappointed, to be honest. When I saw Port Vale was available, I thought, you know, it'd be nice for City to get them another little lay-up to get through to the next round, but unfortunately it just wasn't to be.
But I think in this, it makes for a fantastic game of football from two sides who, you know, come the end of the season, maybe that could be the only silverware that they have. So they will be going for it 100%. Obviously, with the context of the Champions League and stuff around it, yes, that is valid.
But when those two sides play, especially something on the line, it should be a fantastic game of football, which is the exact opposite of what I wanted Dan Thomas.
Hey, that's what we want most definitely as a neutral. As Nadim says, this is Liverpool's chance for a trophy this season.
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Chapter 2: What are the highlights of the FA Cup Quarterfinals draw?
Yeah, and it's not the greatest of draws. I mean... they absolutely wouldn't have wanted Manchester City away from home. So, yeah, it's made it as tough as it would have been getting somebody else. It's made it even tougher that you're playing Man City away from home, who are actually on a really good run as well.
So, yeah, it's not ideal for Liverpool and it's certainly not ideal for City either. They won't be pleased. Meanwhile, Jules, it is absolutely ideal for Arsenal, who have got some magic when it comes to the draws. Obviously, a lovely Champions League draw and now away against Southampton.
Yeah, back-to-back, I don't need him, he's laughing, I can hear him. Back-to-back, OK, away games against lower league teams, that's what they would have wanted, to draw one of those teams.
It would have been better at the Emirates, really, to have been the maximum of the best of the best, but they will take that time with Southampton, much better than when they were under the previous manager, will still. Now they're fighting to get to the play-off. in the Championship, so they would have that momentum as well.
They would play a lot of games too, like Arsenal, maybe not as many, but still a lot of games still to be played for Southampton. But as we saw against Fulham, they played really well. They deserved to go through. They could have scored more goals even, so it won't be an easy trip.
It's true. Don't pretend, Jules. Don't give us all that nonsense. Mario, Chelsea have the best draw, obviously.
some things have to come to you sometimes. I got to tell you, look, they're the bottom of the league. League one. And they already had the beautiful moment of their life, what happened to them when they faced Sunderland. And now they got another one that is coming their way. It's Chelsea. And Chelsea now, if you look at the season, this is something you have to go after.
It doesn't mean that you, okay, maybe winning it could be a big shot, but you have the opportunity to get to the final. So if you beat them, Oh, you're on a nice run.
Shaq? Yeah? Do you want to give us the West Ham spiel?
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Chapter 3: How do Manchester City and Liverpool prepare for their tough matchup?
We take it wherever we can get at this point. This just seems to be your motto in life.
Listen, you survive a penalty shootout against Brentford, given the form that Brentford are in all season. You now have a home draw against Leeds, another team down in that relegation battle, as I mentioned. You're in great form. You absolutely take it. Right, of course. From 30 for 30 podcasts...
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Blackouts and other terms apply. Tomorrow sees the start of the next round of the Champions League. So we're going to do a bracket live over on the touchscreen with Xhaka and Stevie. What could possibly go wrong with this? I think we're going to try and do this together. They said, do you want to record it? What could possibly go wrong? OK, Stevie, we'll start with you.
Round of 16, PSG against Chelsea. I believe the hardest ones are called. Yeah, but I'm just going to go with PSG. The experience that they've got, yeah. Okay, PSG will then face, obviously, Galatasaray or Liverpool. Yeah, listen, Liverpool aren't exactly flying, but they're going to beat Galatasaray. We'll just put it in there, Liverpool. Okay, Real Madrid against Manchester City.
I'm going to go Manchester City. Definitely when you take a look at Real Madrid's form. Atalanta by Munich. I'm going to just put Bayern in. Yeah, we've done that. Get in there. Can you just touch the top right, please, Stevie? Are you in a hurry, Dan? Well, this is going to take a really long time. Newcastle, Barcelona. Barcelona. OK, we'll press on Barcelona and then we'll do it that way.
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Chapter 4: What predictions are made for Arsenal's upcoming FA Cup match?
OK. Meanwhile, the other end of things. Oh, let's go this way. There we go. Perfect. PSG or Liverpool? Yeah, we've got to go PSG. You can press it. Yeah. Big call. Manchester City, Bayern. Right. I'm going to go Bayern Munich. OK. All right. No real surprises. OK. To the semi-finals we go. PSG or Bayern? I'm going to go with Bayern Munich. OK. Lovely. This is exciting. Good. Yeah. Bayern. Yeah.
Against? Arsenal. OK, there we go. It'll be Arsenal against Bayern Munich in the final of the Champions League, according to Steve Nicol. Yep. And the winner will be... Bayern Munich! Hooray! Hello, Munich. Steve says Bayern Munich to win it. Right then, do you want to do that all again? Who wouldn't? Let's do it with Xhaka. Watch it there, Steve. Go on, Xhaka. PSG.
Xhaka will do all the professional. I'm going to go Liverpool again.
Yep.
City. Yes. I think I'm pretty much the same as Steve in that regard. This side of the bracket, Barcelona. Oh, Shaq, where's the loyalty? Atleti supporting an Arsenal. Yeah, OK. And now where do I press? Just press anywhere. Just try it and see what happens. There we go. I'll go PSG over Liverpool. Yep. I'll go Bayern Munich over Manchester City. OK. So to the far... the other side. This side?
Yeah. There you go. I will go Barca over Atleti.
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Chapter 5: How do Chelsea fans feel about their FA Cup draw against Port Vale?
I'll go Arsenal over Sporting. OK. And then... Yep. I will go Bayern Munich, Arsenal, OK, and Bayern.
Yep. I go by Munich to win a tour. So the same as Stevie? He had Bodo Glimt. OK, right, good. Thank you very much. Hope the sports, Emi, people are watching. There we are. Look at that. Classic stuff. Now we're going to do it with everybody else who's on the show. Let's start off, shall we, with Jules. Let's take a look at Jules' bracket overall.
He has got a final between Manchester City and Arsenal. I suppose a couple of big talking points considering your ways, Jules. First off, PSG to get knocked out by Chelsea.
Yeah, I think the big difference here, and you could give it 50-50, 51-49, 52-48, whatever you want. I think the second leg at Stamford Bridge is significant.
And also the fact that the physicality that this Chelsea team has, especially in midfield, is everything that is lacking right now at PSG and why PSG are so far behind where they were last season, for example, is the injuries that they've had and the fact that Hakimi or Dembele are nowhere near the level as they were last season.
At this stage, it's more that they don't have the intensity, they don't have the energy that they showed last season, that they played with.
And for this team to play in this kind of football, the Luis Enrique style, if you don't have that intensity, that energy, your press is not as efficient, your counter-pressing is not as efficient, your rotation with the ball are not as efficient and not as clinical. And then you'll suffer, especially against a very physical team like Chelsea. That's why I've got Chelsea to go through.
apart from Spurs who are rubbish as we know, I've got all the other English teams apart from Newcastle against Barcelona, but the other four to go through and to go far because I think Liverpool as well will do really well. So I think Arsenal and City is a good shot.
OK, all right then. Mario, let's take a look at yours, shall we? Do you have Chelsea yet? You've got PSG beating Chelsea, Mario, but you love Chelsea.
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Chapter 6: What are the implications of the Champions League Round of 16 matchups?
Eze. Eze, crisp and clean as you like. That looked to me like a man that was possessed. What a finish. Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit, 100%. And it is Arsenal who progress. Welcome to the Stoke Racecourse. Wrexham against illustrious opposition in Chelsea. Long ball over the top, can he get there? And Smith has dispatched it beautifully.
Garnaccio is on it, and Garnaccio sees his shot off the line, but then back in off the goalkeeper. Repelled, the follow-up shot, takes a deflection and in! Wrexham in front again! Neto helping it on, Achenpon can get there and scores!
A second equaliser for Chelsea. Referees whistle signals, extra time here. Good cross from Massoud, goal! Oh!
Chapter 7: How do the hosts analyze the strengths of PSG and Chelsea?
Garnaccio stealing in to put it away.
Chelsea have their first lead of the night. Yeah, he's offside.
Confirmed. No equalizer. I think the chant was...
And so for the fifth time this season, Newcastle United take on Manchester City, this time for a place in the last eight of the FA Cup. And Arne spreads it through to Harvey Barnes. The flag is down at the moment. Harvey Barnes puts it in the net. Doku did brilliantly. And Savinho puts it over the line, it's 1-1. Savinho, nice ball, whipped across, Mahmoud, Manchester City lead.
Mathias Nunes, Omar Mahmoud, brilliant goal.
Manchester City have three, and they have one foot in the quarter-finals.
I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. What were you sorry for? For how good we are playing.
And Pep Guardiola's Manchester City book their place in the FA Cup quarter-final. Welcome to Craven Cottage, Fulham of the Premier League and Southampton from the Championship. Opportunity here for Southampton at the very end and they appeal for a penalty and they've got one in the 90th minute. And Southampton have a chance to win this time. It's Ross Stewart, sheer power.
It is Southampton who march through to the quarter-finals of the FA Cup. Welcome to Vale Park for this Emirates FA Cup fifth-round tie between Ligue 1 strugglers Port Vale and Sunderland. Wayne didn't get it first time, he did second! It's that man again in this competition. And it's a chapter written in Port Vale FA Cup folklore.
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Chapter 8: What are the opinions on the potential of Arsenal and Bayern Munich in the Champions League?
This was Mario's reaction to that miss as he was watching it.
You guys always get me.
Which one was it? Which one was it? Just the disgust, the attempt of the Panenka. Speaking of FA Cup, Arsenal, of course, away against Southampton in the quarter-finals, which leads us to the first question. Why do Arsenal keep getting so lucky in cup draws, Jules?
I think it's the first time in a very long time that they get lucky and that's just the way it goes for you. Usually we've seen Manchester City being very lucky in recent years, especially in domestic cups. Not so much this season, especially with that quarter-final draw against Liverpool, although they'll be at home, but still it's the worst one they could have probably got. So I don't know.
I don't think they're... Arsenal are particularly lucky with their draw. I mean, this season they are, but in previous seasons they haven't been. So, you know, things have ended up, really.
I can't believe you got a plaque made that you won our fantasy Premier League league. It's not me! I told you last time.
What is wrong with you two? Because you mentioned... I mean, I don't like to mention it, but as you're mentioning it... Yes? I couldn't even see you in those rankings. I don't know where you were. You must have been really low of all those participants.
And let's see, where is Jules? Oh, yeah, not even the top 20, Jules, it seems to be saying. Who made it? So there you are. No, I think I am. I think I am top 20 already. Who made it? Say again? Him. He. He ordered it from Amazon. It's like those trophies you can just get for yourself. It's sad. That's not true. Steve, it's producer Mike who made this bag of trophies for you.
So you can follow Jules, of course, for tips on the fantasy, but you can also follow Jules on Newcastle train journeys, which Jules did this weekend. How long does it take, then, to take the train from Newcastle to London, Jules, and why didn't you drive?
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