Chapter 1: What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
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Real Madrid, of course, with a 3-0 lead going into the tie at the Etihad. Great open 20 minutes, both teams with chances. But the moment the game really changed, we see Bernardo Silva sent off for a deliberate handball on the goal line. City reduced to 10 men. Real Madrid with the penalty. Vinicius Junior would convert that. We'd see Haaland score just before the break to make it 1-1.
Vinicius Junior, though, put the game beyond any doubt really late on. 2-1. We'd see Real Madrid advance then to the next round of the Champions League. So more on this. Let's welcome in, shall we, Frank Leboeuf. First off... Nice haircut, by the way. Thank you very much. That's what got my... piqued my interest at the start of the show. Good, good. I saw me pointing over at you.
But, you know, I'm not... Real Madrid are the better team over two legs. You may have watched the game, the full 90 at home. You may not. If you've just watched the highlights there, I think my opinion that those highlights, maybe for obvious reason, are very Manchester City-centric because Real Madrid had a lot of other chances, particularly in the first half.
I know we're showing wave of wave of Man City possibly getting two or three goals in the first half, but not just that Valverde chance. You said...
Real Madrid could have had 2-3 maybe 4 in the first half as well and the second half so this scoreline could have been crazy but it also could have been a lot worse for Man City they got what they deserved over two legs absolutely nothing they blew it in the Bernabeu he blew it with his team selection it was always going to be a tough last tonight they huffed and puffed but they weren't clinical enough Courtois played well Lennon played well
But again, Real Madrid could have had themselves four or five tonight in Manchester. And that was always going to be the case because City were having to push forward.
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Chapter 2: What led to Real Madrid eliminating Manchester City from the Champions League?
But if you put the whole thing in context, Manchester City, this juggernaut that's been, certainly in English football, has been given a lesson over two legs, five goals to one, by a Real Madrid side that have struggled for 90% of the season, certainly domestically. And I think that puts in perspective where Pep Guardiola's City are at the moment.
They're not a great side and Real Madrid showed that. Pep Guardiola said ahead of this game, Real Madrid had three shots on target and scored three at the Bernabeu. So that gives us hope going into this game. And that's the difference, though. If you're not clinical enough in front of goal, you're out.
And that's exactly... We talk about Manchester City's defence a lot, but they've only managed one goal against a makeshift Real Madrid defence over 180 minutes. And while they had multiple opportunities that looked like half chances, that the final pass wasn't quite there, that the final touch wasn't quite there, it's a lot of ifs and buts.
It's a lot of moral victories if you are Manchester City, and that's just not going to be good enough against Real Madrid, even this version of Real Madrid. Now, Craig is talking about the chances that Real Madrid had. Vinny scored two goals tonight, should have had, not could have had, should have had five. 100% chances, 100% opportunity.
So to sort of simplify this conversation, if you're Pep Guardiola and say, well look, we had a really good start to the game in Madrid, and we're not able to capitalize then. And we had a really good start of the game here, we couldn't quite capitalize tonight either, and so that's the difference. No, it isn't. It isn't.
That is seeing it from your perspective and from the perspective of what makes your team look better, which I assume is part of the job of a manager. But the truth is, when you consider, on the balance of 180 minutes, part of what makes you a good team, an elite team, is being able to finish your chances. Real Madrid did that. And whatever chance...
Manchester City had tonight, all of that disappeared the moment that Bernardo Silva gives you one of this, the chicken wing, red card, goal, good night. Everybody knew it, we knew it, but more importantly, Erling Haaland, and Craig mentioned it in the highlight, Erling Haaland, with the body language, is telling you, I don't really believe that we're in this.
If they don't believe, then why should we believe? Truth is, Real Madrid were better over 180 minutes. He scored in 41 minutes, Ellen Haaland. He scuffed it into the net and then he went... Maybe he forgot. At that point, they needed three goals. And they had probably five or six minutes in the first half and a full second half to play. And yet here he was going... It's over.
It's almost like his body language in those moments. It was over. Look, Real Madrid, the full-backs... Trent Alexander, we keep hearing about City's wide player, Semenya was benched, Doku with his pace. We keep hearing about this.
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Chapter 3: How did Pep Guardiola's decisions impact Manchester City's performance?
And I would have a slight doubt. difference of analyzing the two games, especially the first one, because City had chances. They would have scored. It would have been a different game, especially with the Real Madrid kind of mood. And maybe there would have been a different scenario. But it's true. If you don't
If you're not able to score the chances that you have, you can expect, you know, some returns and bad stuff from the opponent. It's what happened to Real Madrid because they have the strength, they have the talent for that, and they showed that during the two games. And that's only fair that they're going through because of the lack of efficiency from Manchester City.
And, of course, because of the lack of good defenders that they don't have anymore for quite a while now. So it's only a fair result. But I would have loved to see a different scenario again if Manchester City would have scored early in the first leg. Bayern Munich next round. What? Yeah, that should be fun. I mean, Bayern are not as daft and crazy and they're more organised.
They're not perfect, but they're more organised. They have... arguably better informed players going forward. Necessarily more clinical. With Kane to come back, he's had some injury. Michael Alisi has been brilliant. Luis Diaz, Serge Gnabry, Musialis fit again. Leonard Carroll, the list goes on. They're not going to be as open.
And I said before the two legs with Manchester City and Real Madrid, it's all going to boil down to what can the defensive display City put up over the two legs. And we got the answer. Not good enough. I think it's a completely different kettle of fish, Real Madrid against... I mean, it's going to be a super game. Absolutely. An attacking game.
And you can't rule Real Madrid out because of the way they played. Now, if you'd have said to me before the City game, a couple of weeks ago or a week ago, I would have said, no, I see Real Madrid going out because the way we watch them play in La Liga every week. But I'm sort of betwixt and between. Have they really upped their game because it's the Champions League night and they shirt on?
Or is a big part of that that this City side are a shambles when they don't have the ball, when they have the ball, they're a shambles because when they cough it up, they get opened up so easily. But I don't think Bayern will. And Vincent Kompany's team are a lot smarter than Man City. So, yeah, that's going to be a great game. But if I was Real Madrid, I'd be buoyed about this.
It's just this momentum to get to the end of the season. Yes. Not just in the Champions League, but in La Liga. Well, they are tailing behind Barcelona, obviously, but just try and build that momentum. With MbappƩ back on the pitch again tonight, Vinicius doing what he does best, scoring goals, winding the crowd up, always looking a threat. So, yeah, they were much, much better.
But I can't help but feeling that City sort of laid these two games on a plate for them and Real Madrid just went, we're going to absolutely take that. And to that point... about Manchester City before we spin it forward to Bayern Munich. I don't know if I'm the only one. I imagine that I'm not. That feels like we were expecting so much more out of these two games.
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Chapter 4: What were the critical moments during the Manchester City vs Real Madrid match?
And not from Real Madrid's perspective. They did what they had to do and what was presented in front of them and took advantage of that. I thought there was very mature performance from Real Madrid over the two legs, particularly tonight, taking advantage of the things that were in front of them, not giving anything away in the back.
But as it pertains to Manchester City, they really came up short and never met the level of importance of the occasion. And when have we said that from Pep Guardiola teams? I think we started saying it last year and the struggles that they had had. And we continue to say that this season. And in all honesty, we focus on the body language of Erling Haaland, and rightfully so.
Pep Guardiola doesn't look like the sort of guy who's fully interested and engaged in what's going on with Manchester City. There's a lot of sort of like sarcasm and the way that he takes the press conferences. He's kind of disinterested and kind of sniping back at the media. When things were flying, he was engaging. He was thoughtful with his answers. Now he's just like...
And that in itself tells me, I'm merely speculating here, but it doesn't look to me like a guy who's fully engaged for the long term with Manchester City. Could be his last game in charge of City in the Champions League. The Champions League? I would think so. I think he's been superseded by Arsenal at the moment. His team are vulnerable. They don't have the same...
clinical nature about them they don't dominate although they had dominated a fair chunk of this game certainly until they went down to 10 men and even after that they still had a lot of the ball but they don't really have that energy anymore I agree he doesn't really seem to he seems very casual in the sidelines as if he's you know he's accepted that and listen I understand that a bit like Klopp at Liverpool you know it
It's difficult to keep going year in, year out, to have that success and to have that drive. So I understand it. And I think he probably realises it's coming to the time to step away. But you look at his bench today, his squad is huge. And then you look at what he wanted and what he got in January. He got his wide attacking player to add to all the other ones he's got.
And he got his centre-half that could have went to most clubs in Europe and Mark Gay. And what did he do to him tonight? He left him on the bench. And I said to you last week, I know he's got the cup final in the weekend. So maybe he was thinking a little bit about that. But does that mean he chucked this game tonight by leaving a couple of these players? It's Tuesday, isn't it? Well, I know.
But I understood Kusinov playing because of his pace. Because they were going to leave themselves open. And boy, he is quick. So I kind of got that. you know, when they're attacking, the ball's going over the top, that boy's kind of Kyle Walker quick. But you've signed Gay and Semenyo, and you've got your biggest game of the season, and they're on the bench.
And Ruben Diaz hasn't exactly been brilliant as the other centre-half, has he? He hasn't been playing particularly well for quite some time now, so the team selections are strange, and it goes back to something I said to you a week or two ago. You can sit with a bit of paper... every Man City big game and write down six different City teams and not get the right one. Too many changes, too often.
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Chapter 5: What criticisms were aimed at Chelsea's display against PSG?
You have to scare the opponent and show them that you're at home and it's going to be that way and not the other way.
it's been the other way from the first second so i would have said you know guys we didn't do it but what would have been my um my performance as well you know you can talk if you've been there if you've been good but if you've been bad you shut up and you take your shower and you go back home i'm intrigued here oh oh oh oh yes when you go into the barbers yes What is the converse?
What do you ask for? What do you mean? What do you ask? I just said I wanted a, like a... No, but seriously, because you've came out and it's like, what do you ask for?
Chapter 6: How did PSG's performance compare to Chelsea's in their match?
I wanted a fade up to a one to the top and then short on the top. That's all I said. Did you say to the guy or the woman? Craig, let's not do hair. Well, no, no, I'm comfortable with it because I'm older than you. Right. But you have a hell of a V at the front now. I know. I know. It's there. It's OK, but I'm comfortable with it. No. You need to try and grow it out.
You need to try and grow it out. You shouldn't be comfortable with it. You've got to try. But I'm happy with it. I'm very happy. But I'm not happy. Look at me. It looks like a parrot. You know, it looks like a parrot. Craig, can you beam through what I beam through? You don't care about hair. You don't care about hair. Are you sending me things like that?
Are you setting me up for HR at this point? You see life from a different perspective. Exactly. Building 13 or wherever it is over there. Don't pretend you don't know. I've just come out. I've just had a life-saving liver transplant. Oh, the stress, the pain, and I'm getting abused about my haircut. Was there somebody in your parking spot today? Yes, I guess. You really have. Report!
You've got to grow a pair. Because people keep parking in your spot. Well, I park in it when you're not here. But I know you're off. Do you want me to hunt down 3,000 employees to find out which one? No, it's the same one. No, it's different. That car's been in there more than once. It was the Kia, wasn't it, today? The Kia. Go out and rip the windscreen wipers off. And key scratch the car.
All right. All right. HR, here we go. No. No. Building 13 again. I'll do it for you. So you shouldn't be parking in. Two things. Two things. People shouldn't be parking in your spot and talking about your hair. There you go. Right, let's get back to soccer. Right, let's go. Enzo Fernandes said to ESPN Argentina... No, you have to leave some...
No, no, you have to leave some instruction, you know, on the window. Right. You know, like Liam Brice Senor, you know. Yes, yes. Get out of here, you know. Otherwise, you're going to struggle. There's no respect. A piece of paper, you know. Right. That's what you have to do. ESPN Argentina did an interview with Enzo Fernandes after the game. After the game, right.
And they said, are you going to stay at Chelsea? Yes. He said, I don't know. There are eight games left and the FA Cup. There's the World Cup and then we'll see. Yeah, what? And what? That leads to this question. What do you guys make of Enzo Fernandes refusing to guarantee he's going to stay at Chelsea in the future? Well, well, that's, that's, that's Joyce. Like every, every player.
That's a come and get me plea though, isn't it? That's not, I'm staying, I'm committed to Chelsea, I look forward to battling next season to win the Champions League. Why would certain players, and I'm not, listen, I think some of the things he, good player, but you know, he's a bit of a crybaby on the field. But if you look at it from a serious player's perspective,
The club's hiring and firing managers, then they bring in this young guy who is very inexperienced and there's already talk about him being under some sort of pressure from the boardroom. His rhetoric's not helping, his recent results are not helping. So maybe he has aspirations about going to play in Spain or somewhere else. I haven't got an issue with that.
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