Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
A happy Monday to you all here. Check it is love. I'm Christina Alexander, usually Hercules Gomez in studio to make it business casual, but today so business. And we also welcome in our Casey Keller is going to be hanging out with us all. I was going to say all week case, but you're probably counting down to that Seahawks game. I asked you right before coming on there so you're happy today.
go hawks go hawks that's that that's the only statement we need to know right all right uh coming up we will talk about a different kind of statement josh sargent's a future with norwich city very much up in the air and we will also break down peppy's possible move there to the premier league with the big looming question is that move to fulham still on but before maybe there
There was a question as to how Pellegrino Matarazzo was going to do with Real Sociedad. Well, he had the statement on Sunday against Fútbol Club Barcelona, the team that is in first place at the moment in La Liga. So we're going to give you a little recap as to how that win went to win the final score.
That's going to count. Puts his full might behind it to give Real Sociedad the lead. They've made their changes, but no, Garcia keeps it up. There's Barcelona, they're under pressure. Oh, what a turnaround. It's taken them a minute to restore the lead. They can celebrate a famous victory for Real Sociedad.
And speaking of statements, Pellegrino Matarazzo is the first to defeat a first place team in the second half of the season. That's why I said quite the statement at this point in the season against this Barcelona. Jesse Marsh also beat a first place team against Stuttgart and David Wagner as well against Leipzig. Matarazzo spoke with our Sid Lowe.
Rino, you started the night walking into the stadium with a guard of honour from the drummers, from the Tamburrada, an extraordinary atmosphere, and then it ends with a victory over Barcelona. It's been quite a good night.
A very special night, very special night. I think this moment in time where we're in a good moment, play against Barcelona is also in a very good form. We have one of the most important days of the year for San Sebastian coming up with a tamburada on Tuesday. It was a little magic in the atmosphere. We felt it. We connected very well to each other and also to the fans.
The stadium was incredible today. And we pulled through. What a night, what a result. I'm really proud of the boys.
So you pulled through. How did you pull through? What was the key to coming away with a victory tonight?
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Chapter 2: How did Pellegrino Matarazzo lead Real Sociedad to victory over Barcelona?
I'm very much enjoying this club, the players, the team, the staff. Just good characters, great values that I can completely identify myself with. We're working very well together and the city is a beautiful city as well so it's not a bad place to be right now. You couldn't have chosen a better place really as far as the city is concerned anyway. No, no, I'm happy to be here.
I'm happy to be here.
Matarazzo, very happy to be there, and I'm sure Real Sociedad happy to have him case. What message did Matarazzo and Real Sociedad send after beating Barcelona the way they did?
Well, I think it started a couple weeks ago. I mean, when you, in your opening game, which I was fortunate enough to call against Atletico Madrid, you saw that there was a response from the players. We knew they were down low in the table. They were in, you know, technically in a relegation fight with a lot of matches left.
And what I was worried about for a coach like Matarazzo, who had no real history in Spain, who, yes, did some cool things in Germany, but it wasn't as if there was like some big Champions League performances that maybe the Spanish media and the Spanish fans knew about with him. So I was very adamant in the broadcast that he had to get off to a good start. He had to win the players over.
He had to win the fans over. He had to win the press over. And being able to host a club like Atletico Madrid, get a result, go on the road at Getafe, get a result, And then, you know, beat Barcelona at home and then throw in a cup match that you get through. I don't think you could have asked.
You couldn't have asked him before you took over this job that you were going to get four points in your first three games against Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. And so dream start. And now it really is about, you know, consolidating and making sure that they just continue to play well. Yes, they'll have hiccups 100%. But then, you know, what's that message after that?
Because so far, brilliant start.
Yeah, absolutely. But Casey just said something that's obviously very important, Shaq, to be able to continue this. But with what he's done so far, and like Casey said, getting the confidence of the players clearly, where do you see this Real Sociedad kind of developing and what's left of the season?
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Chapter 3: What are the implications of Josh Sargent training with Norwich City's second team?
They did it as a team, and they seemed to understand every phase of the game in that regard and what was needed of each other. Now, you don't normally get that three, four games into a managerial tenure. So Matarazzo somehow has performed magic with his Sociedad team and gotten results.
And once you get this game, certainly in terms of the players and being welcomed by the players, it's pretty simple. You win games, you get results. We're buying in. And as of right now, given the results that he's had, everybody's on board. Not just within the dressing room, but he spoke about the city and everything that's happening there and clearly a connection with the city.
As a fan base, you can't believe what's been happening. And it's an incredible... The other thing that kind of struck me is how soft-spoken he is, yet somehow madness to say... All the right things every single time. It ticks so many boxes. Listen, we're four games in. We may be getting ahead of ourselves, but it's as good a start as you could have hoped for.
Yeah, to see such a level-headed coach in such a critical situation as Real Sociedad found themselves in before Matarazzo came in. And they're kind of still there, right? Still a lot of work to do. But Casey, speaking of duality, doing the work. Matarazzo is doing it so far with Real Sociedad. We talked about his history at the Bundesliga level.
Is he one of the more underrated American coaches, you think?
Oh, yeah, 100%. No question about it. And, you know, I think what he did in the Bundesliga kind of surprised me that he didn't maybe get another opportunity at a bigger club in Germany. But, you know, and this kind of came out of left field for me. I didn't expect, you know, Matarazzo to be in Spain.
But, you know, the one thing, and Chuck alluded to it, the one thing I really liked, because when I called that first game against Atletico, you were like, okay, we know... kind of how he likes his team to set up. Aggressive, high press.
And you thought, OK, someone like Oyelzebol, who isn't necessarily the youngest player, I don't know at this stage of career he's going to lead the line pressing high and things like this. So what I really loved hearing from Pellegrino was basically, we need to figure out how we play. We need to figure out how the opponent plays.
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Chapter 4: How does Matarazzo's coaching style differ from previous managers?
I need to know what strengths and weaknesses my players have and set them up against the strengths and weaknesses of the opponent. How many times have we talked about a manager that is so stubborn of, I'm playing this way regardless if my players can play it or the team I'm playing against wants us to play exactly like that.
So I love what he was saying about just making sure that they do what they need to do to get results.
Yeah, absolutely. Do you agree that he's maybe one of the more underrated coaches?
Yes, I think without question. And absolutely, floating under the radar, as Casey said, with his time in Germany, again, not blowing the park out of the water, kind of giving him Champions League runs, etc., but has put together an incredible body of work that he can lean on. This result, early in Spain, I know, just kind of elevates a lot of
what he has done before his style um dare i say his philosophy again we're getting too far ahead of ourselves we're only four games in but you get the result with a team like sociedad against a team like barcelona that makes everybody set up a notice
Yeah, and we know, obviously, the ask, the only ask, and I put that in quotation marks, is to avoid relegation case. But what would be a successful season for Matarazzo and with what he has right now in the locker room for Sociedad?
Yeah, I mean, where he took over to now, it's a situation of can you get to the end of the season in a comfortable mid-table position and not be looking over your shoulder? which would, when he took over, I'm pretty sure they were just saying, just keep us up. And if it's by one point or 10, we don't care.
So this is where it gets maybe a little tricky, is you've got off to such a great start, so now the expectation is, is even greater. But like Shaka said over and over again, it's four games. Some things have really worked out. Don't get ahead of yourself. There's a reason why they were down near the bottom of the table, but he's pulled the right lever so far.
Yeah, they're not sounding any sort of bell, right?
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Chapter 5: How might Ricardo Pepi's injury affect his World Cup chances?
You're sitting comfortably in ninth table. But then you look up at Betis in, what, fifth or sixth in that.
Chapter 6: How are Premier League clubs responding to Ricardo Pepi's injury?
You wrote about Conference League plays as eight points to make up to get into Europe in any measure. Listen. Right now, I guess you beat Barcelona, you can dream. But eight points is a lot to make up. Eight points is a lot to make up. If you can even threaten that, I think this is... Staying up is a success. Yes.
Not being in a relegation dogfight in May, having to play your football in May in some comfort, that's a success. Dare you dream of getting into even the Europa Conference League? Right now, I guess you can, but... I think eight points is just a little bit too much to make up, but you can dream.
Yeah. Dare to dream.
Dare to dream. Sociedad.
On a day like today, that's actually the perfect message. But we want to remind you about the La Liga schedule. Coming up this weekend, of course, all matches available on ESPN plus and we want to highlight what's coming up at Letico in Madrid facing my York. I want to specifically highlight my Erica with our special show coming up on Thursday.
We will tell you a little bit more about that before we're going to listen to Steve Kerr. Yes, Golden State head coach Steve Kerr compare a little bit of basketball with Real Sociedad's tactics.
Is there a tactical and or technical crossover? Can you watch a football match, for example, and see things that you think I could apply to basketball and vice versa?
The one thing that I see very clearly is three-man groups. That's the main similarity. I read about the games after the fact, and I'll read about formations. I have a hard time recognizing the formation while I'm watching, but what I recognize is The play in triangles, small triangles of three guys. One guy passes to the other. The other guy's cutting, making a run exactly the same as basketball.
That's because you learned the Phil Jackson triangle. That's right. That's right. And that's the similarity to me. But I can't claim to be, you know, an expert on the game, but I really enjoy watching.
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Chapter 7: What does the victory against Barcelona signify for Real Sociedad's season?
But we know they don't talk like that. And so, you know, it makes it that little bit more questioning. And because of that, I and look. I think we're all 99.999% sure that Pochettino will not be there after the World Cup. So, worry about your future. Don't worry about the national team. And if you play well, that will fall into place.
Yeah, because if Ricardo Pepe is healthy, we will more likely than not see him on the roster for that World Cup coming up. But it'll be interesting. This is a good question.
on this show for a reason all right we want to remind you of another show coming back tomorrow first one in 2026 and we are doing it in style as always with our ali krieger jeff kazoof and our special extra special guest i have to throw that in there u.s women's national team coach emma hayes joins the show so excited for that tomorrow at 8 30 p.m eastern on espn plus
All right, let's take it to some MLS and Liga MX news because Germán Bertrami could well be on his way out of the Liga MX as Inter Miami have their eye on signing the striker. Sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday, Bertrami's release clause from Rayados de Monterrey is valued at $15 million. Tato Noriega, the team's president, has also confirmed the...
Both clubs have been negotiating as of late, and Bertarame has expressed his desire to leave. With that and more, we bring in our Lizzy Becerano. All that information, Lizzy, I was able to get from your article on ESPN.com. More details if you guys want to hop on there and read Lizzy's work. But for now, you can listen to Lizzy. What's the latest with this Bertarame situation?
You know, it's really interesting. As everything's developing, it's been very quick. So we reported that on Friday, stating that sources confirmed that there was interest and that InterMiami had made an official offer. There was negotiations going on about 20%.
12 to 16 hours after that story was reported, Tata Noriega, obviously the Rayado sporting director, came out and said, this is accurate, this is real, all parties are interested. Then the next morning, Jorge Mas, Inter-Miami co-owner, confirmed the negotiations, the interest, the offer, and said a key part in those quotes, which is 24 to 48 hours are going to be crucial for this.
Now, that period is well on its way. We're about 40 hours out from when he first said that. So the situation continues to develop. But it's quick. Now, Germán Bertrami right now is with the Mexican national team. And when he made his way out at the airport, he was asked, of course, and said, I can't say anything about this situation.
What we can report on ESPN, however, is that sources are saying the move is probable. Not only possible, but probable. And Tato Noriega, as he mentioned, two cameras said, we're already looking for a replacement. So between our sourcing, Jorge Mas, Tato Noriega, and Bertram's interest in actually making the move, Inter Miami fans should get excited.
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