Champions League review & how Leverkusen won the Bundesliga
Apr 18, 2024
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Football experts Michael Cox, Mark Carey, and Liam Tharme review the Champions League quarterfinals, focusing on Bayern vs. Arsenal and Real Madrid against Manchester City. They also discuss Leverkusen winning the Bundesliga and the exciting performances of Alex Grimaldo and Florian Verts in the league.
Bayer Leverkusen's possession-based style and disciplined play led to Bundesliga success.
Deep dives
Champions League's Quarters and A League Title
Real Madrid's win over Manchester City in penalties highlighted Real's poor performance. City's pressing was good but their attacking lacked variety. City relied heavily on crosses and set pieces, failing to vary their approach. Jude Bellingham's positioning and role for Dortmund and potential for England were topics of discussion.
Bayern's Win Over Arsenal
Arsenal struggled against a compact Bayern defense and lacked effectiveness in attack. Bayern's defense held strong and limited Arsenal's key players' impact.
PSG's Victory Over Barcelona
PSG benefited from a red card changing the game against Barcelona. Barcelona showed initial promise but struggled after the red card. Bellingham's freedom in an advanced role was emphasized for successful play.
Bayer Leverkusen's Bundesliga Title
Bayer Leverkusen achieved success through a possession-based style under Javi Alonso. Their ability to progress through the pitch effectively and maintain possession with purpose set them apart. The team demonstrated discipline, innovation in attack, and a staunch defense.
Key Players in Bayer Leverkusen
Jeremy Frimpong and Alex Grimaldo excelled as wing-backs with impressive goal contributions. Florian Wirtz showcased exceptional intelligence and creativity, making him a standout player in the team.
Achieving an Unbeaten Season
Bayer Leverkusen's potential unbeaten season in the Bundesliga would be a remarkable achievement, joining the ranks of teams like Arsenal's Invincibles. The discussion of unbeaten seasons in various leagues highlights the rarity and significance of such accomplishments.
In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to reflect on the Champions League quarter finals; which concluded this week.
First up, Bayern Munich let their experience show by knocking out Arsenal 3-2 on aggregate at the Allianz Arena.
We then head to Manchester as reigning European champions Manchester City failed to retain their crown as they were knocked out on penalties by the perennial Kings of Europe Real Madrid.
We also assess Paris St Germain progressing against a poorly disciplined Barcelona as well as discussing Borussia Dortmund doubling the German contingent in the semifinals with their win over Atletico Madrid.
And it’s in Germany we remain for the rest of the episode to reflect on the incredible achievement of the Bundesliga’s new champions, Bayer Leverkusen.