Champions League boom + Garry Cook on Manchesterism
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What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
The athletic FC.
Welcome to the Athletic FC podcast with me, Kate Mason. So the Champions League is back and several blockbuster fixtures have already gone in the books. Today we'll be getting into whether the new format is just the Super League in plain sight and what the future holds for Europe's elite competition. It's Thursday on the Athletic FC, so I'm joined by the big hitters. As ever in studio, it's former England goalkeeper Rob Green.
Afternoon.
Hello. And on screen we have our senior news and investigations reporter Matt Slater.
Hello.
Hello. With a lovely backdrop as ever. In New York, we have Sports Journalist of the Year, Adam Crofton.
Hello. It's like the BBC during the World Cup, isn't it? You c you've got this gorgeous kind of green screen and you can see New York behind me. Yeah, exactly. Actually, it's just curtains.
A couple of weeks ago, around the draw, you were critical of the lack of jeopardy of the big matchups in the Champions League. We've already seen Real Madrid against Inter, Napoli versus Arsenal, Liverpool versus Atletico Madrid. But are they starting to get a bit diluted given that they're coming round all the time?
Uh I don't know. I I always like the first week of the Champions League because I think most people don't watch, you know, every league across Europe. So you're kind of excited to see who's a bit different, who's come in. You know, this week I was very much looking forward to seeing Real Madrid for the first time under Mourinho back in the Champions League and You know, and kind of Aston Villa back in the Champions League. So uh th there were storylines to it, and obviously Irayola first game for Liverpool in the competition. It just I I just think since that first year where we were kind of deceived, I think a little bit into thinking in the last couple of weeks, oh, a couple of the really big clubs might not make it.
And then you kind of think once you've got seven, eight games, they just are going to make it when twenty four teams qualify. So I think it's it's kind of good as a showpiece. I just struggle with it a bit when it gets to like like the fourth, fifth, sixth week. And I feel like there's quite a lot of games that you can probably just you know, you you might catch a bit of them, but if you've not seen them, it's kind of okay. And I don't know if that's a good place for a competition to be in.
Yeah, were you hyped Rob You were on Real Madrid Inter? Are you feeling the normal Champions League buzz? It was
a really intriguing game and one that was inter were the better side. But it did feel and these big games feel like now what th the games that they've gone for, the ones that they want in the group stage, that every week there is two games that you know at least where they're gonna be box office. Those games don't particularly matter so much. whether team A beats team B or whether it's a draw or not, those those ones are the ones where you feel like The guys are going to shake hands and they say, see you later in March. See you in April. Because you know you're pretty much going to get roundabouts to it in the end by hook or by crook as one of the bigger clubs. So those games don't really feel like they've got the jeopardy.
The games also, you're looking at Barcelona winning five-one, at PSG's looking winning six-one. Those are still going to come around. So I think all in all, the bigger clubs So they they they kinda pretty much know they're gonna get their thereabouts by the end. So It's it's how they wanted it. It's that this is this is what they wanted and and this is how it's panning out to be.
Yeah, to Rob's point, Matt, Liverpool against Real Madrid at Anfield is not allowed to happen this season because we've seen it happen the last two. But that's fine. That can be played in Madrid. So it's interesting they're trying to finesse that point. We've seen these big games so often in this stage now.
Yeah, I thought that was interesting that they brought that little wrinkle in.
How is the new Champions League format affecting competition and jeopardy?
It's it is the third year and I suppose if you think about it, just by luck of the draw.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
What is the main topic discussed in this episode?
0:01–3:54
2
How is the new Champions League format affecting competition and jeopardy?
3:54–9:29
3
Why do experts compare the current Champions League to a hidden Super League?
9:29–9:56
4
How have the recent Champions League fixtures highlighted the dominance of big clubs?
9:56–29:36
5
What are the commercial and sponsorship impacts of the revamped Champions League?
29:36–44:35
Speakers
4 identifiedMore from The Athletic FC Podcast
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