Revista de la Liga with Graham Hunter

HolaThis is my look ahead to this week's Champions League last-16 tie between Manchester City and Real Madrid.Enjoy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

HolaHere's my take on the La Liga season just finished, including reflections on Valencia, Sevilla, Granada and Espanyol.EnjoyGraham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

In 2008, Rio Ferdinand’s Champions League dream came true on a rainy night in Moscow.The final against Chelsea was a game Rio was terrified to lose. He had to take a penalty in the shootout, an experience he says you simply cannot prepare yourself for. But his mum just loved it when he walked up to lift the big trophy.Rio once raged at Sir Alex Ferguson from the pitch. The manager was so angered that he would have sold him had he not apologised. Fergie was a genius, a man with an incredible personal touch. Pep Guardiola was the only guy who could have filled his shoes. United had beaten Barcelona in the ’08 semi, but Pep's team were a different beast in the 2009 and 2011 finals. Rio felt embarrassed after those games and said that Barca ripped the soul from that United team. Although they were up against the greatest side of all time, Rio knows they could and should have done better. Fergie should have set them up differently, more compactly, more counter-attacking.Thanks Rio.GrahamSubscribe to Between the Lines: The Stories Behind Great Sports Writing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

We promised you a special 100th guest … so who better than Rio Ferdinand, a man with a Champions League, six Premier Leagues and 81 England caps under his belt. Rio was a centre-half so elegant that he could have played in midfield. Damn it, he could have played up front if he wanted.He left Leeds to join Manchester United because he had a burning desire to win. He got his hands on the league title in his first season at Old Trafford but that merely fuelled the addiction. He wanted European glory. He wanted the Champions League.At Leeds Rio had come close, scoring a sublime header in a quarter-final against Deportivo. But the Valencia of Juan Sánchez and John Carew taught them a lesson in the semi. At Man United they ripped Juventus to shreds but a year later Real Madrid narrowly put them out in a ding-dong 6-5 aggregate win, when Raúl stretched him like never before.This is a brilliant 100th Big Interview.GrahamSubscribe to Between the Lines: The Stories Behind Great Sports Writing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

HolaHere's part two, as myself and producers Martin and Neil reflect back on some of the 99 guests we've had on the show over the past five years.Look out for 100th guest, Rio Ferdinand, tomorrow. EnjoyG Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

HolaHere's myself, and producers Martin and Neil reflecting back on some of the 99 guests we've had on the show over the past five years. Listen up for some crazy behind-the-scenes tales of our adventures on the road and revealing insights into some of our guests.Look out for 100th guest, Rio Ferdinand, later this week. EnjoyG Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

There were mixed European fortunes for Dietmar Hamann at Bayern Munich: a famous triumph in Barcelona followed by a UEFA Cup final win over Bordeaux, but also a tough lesson from an Ajax side which Dietmar describes as one of the best ever.After head coach Otto Rehhagel was undermined by certain players, Giovanni Trapattoni was soon back and Dietmar won his second German title. Trapp also issued the most famous outburst in German football history. Newcastle then came calling, and life in England sparked a love affair with that other beautiful game: cricket. There was an FA Cup Final defeat to the mighty Manchester United but Dietmar’s Tyneside days set him up for a move to Liverpool, where greatness beckoned.EnjoyGraham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

Dietmar Hamann is one of the beautiful game’s most engaging characters; sheer class as a guy just as he had been sheer class as a player. Before his breakthrough, he was a marauding offensive midfielder, but after he caught Bayern Munich’s eye he was given the holding role, a position he made it his own.Head coaches Franz Beckenbauer and then Giovanni Trapattoni were massive influences at Bayern. ‘Der Kaiser’ had an aura about him when he walked into a room and took a relaxed approach. ‘Il Trapp’ was different: an emotional man and a hard taskmaster, but still loved by his players.Dietmar describes what it was like to come off the bench to score his first senior goal in a 5-0 victory over Nuremberg as The Bavarians homed in on their first Bundesliga crown in four years.EnjoyGraham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

Welcome to the World Cup final of 2010.As our mini-series concludes, let's go back to the build-up to Spain v Holland: both Franz Beckenbauer and Paul the Octopus predicted a Spain win, but nobody foresaw the nature of their victory.There has never been a dirtier World Cup final - there could easily have been more than the one red card we saw. And Holland could easily have left with the trophy and the glory, were it not for an eternal moment - perhaps the most memorable from my journalistic career - between Arjen Robben and Iker Casillas.And that's before we even get to Iniesta. Or, for that matter, Gerard Pique, who almost got me into serious trouble in the immediate aftermath of this unforgettable game.I hope you have enjoyed this series. If you'd like to find out about the book I wrote on Spain's three successive trophy wins from 2008 to 2012, in hardback, paperback and audiobook (read by me), then you can do that here: Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

It's the final four, socios.For Germany, it's World Cup semi-final number 11. For Spain, number one.It's a rematch of the 2008 European Championships final. And it's a repeat of the same scoreline. Spain outplay their most dangerous opponent of the tournament but they need a singular goal to reach the final.Here's the back story to Carles Puyol's majestic leap; where I rank it in the pantheon of World Cup headers; and how the evening ended with Puyi face-to-face with the Queen of Spain, wearing only a towel (Puyol, not Queenie).  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe