Discussing potential outsiders in the Champions League, Manchester City's tactics, adaptability in manager evaluation, characteristics of a classic Ancelotti Real Madrid team, Real Madrid's win against Leipzig, analyzing Arsenal's style of play for knockout football
An outsider has a good chance of winning the Champions League this year due to a drop-off in form from major European clubs.
Despite being favorites, Manchester City could face a challenge from an outsider due to the open nature of the competition.
Deep dives
Champions League Round Table Discussion
In this podcast episode, the hosts discuss the return of the Champions League for the knockout stage and analyze what they learned from the recent matches. They highlight the potential for an outsider to win the competition this year due to a drop-off in form from some major European clubs. The panel also discusses the impact of the Swiss model on future competitions and the weakened big European clubs due to player exodus. They examine the group stages and how certain teams, like Milan and the hipster group D teams, can adapt their tactics to succeed in the knockout rounds. Additionally, they share insights on the compelling matches and mismatches in the round of 16 ties.
Manchester City's Performance in the Champions League
The podcast delves into Manchester City's performance in their Champions League return. They discuss City's focus on possession and control, as well as their adaptability in terms of tactical approach. The panel highlights Jack Grealish's role in slowing down the play, Phil Foden's impressive form, and Kevin De Bruyne's remarkable comeback from injury. They analyze City's efficiency in utilizing width, their ability to exploit space, and their overall control in the game. Despite City being the overwhelming favorites in the competition, the panel maintains that an outsider could still pose a challenge due to the competition's open nature this year.
Bayern Munich's Mini-Crisis
The podcast discusses Bayern Munich's recent struggles and their loss to Lazio in the Champions League. They analyze Bayern's lack of cohesion and their return to a more familiar system after experimenting with a wing-back formation. The panel highlights the absence of key players like Robert Lewandowski and the challenges they face in adapting to different opponents' high pressing. They also discuss the impact of injuries, the potential benefits of proven adaptability, and the importance of maintaining balance while chasing multiple titles. Despite their recent defeats, the panel acknowledges Bayern's strong defensive record and their reputation as a formidable team.
PSG's Performance and Alarming Trend
The podcast examines Paris Saint-Germain's victory over Real Sociedad and raises concerns about their record in high-pressure situations. They discuss PSG's controlled buildup play, the efficiency of their attacking players like Kylian Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi, and the remarkable form of Kevin De Bruyne. The panel also questions PSG's adaptability against high-pressing teams and attributes their success in this game to individual moments of brilliance. They express doubts about PSG's ability to handle the pressure in the Champions League and highlight vulnerabilities caused by a lack of a consistent goal scorer. Despite their potential, the panel believes PSG still has a lot to prove in the competition.
In this episode, The Athletic’s Michael Cox, Mark Carey and Liam Tharme join Ali Maxwell to give an overview of the runners and riders as the Champions League enters the last 16.
Will anyone be able to stop Manchester City from retaining their crown?
Should Bayern Munich be amongst the favourites considering their recent blunders in the Bundesliga?
And is a dark horse going to ride to glory in this year’s competition?