Revista de la Liga with Graham Hunter

Spain v Paraguay. Quarter-finals.Spain's top two goalkeepers, Iker Casillas and Pepe Reina, conspire to keep out Oscar Cardozo's penalty - and that's just the start of one of the craziest five minutes in World Cup history - two more penalties, another not given and after all that the score is still 0-0. With the clock ticking down, and their quarter-final curse looming, Spain turn to the tournament's top scorer once more. 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 matchday in South Africa 2010, so it's time to see what Spain were up to.It's the round of 16 and it's Portugal: that means Ronaldo. He was the world's most expensive footballer and had just finished his first season in the white of Madrid. Behind him, was one of the meanest defences in world football.Spain had to innovate to stifle Ronaldo and break down the defensive barrier that stood between them and a quarter-final spot. Here's how they did it. BUY Spain: The Inside Story of La Roja's Historic Treble in paperback, ebook or audiobook (read by Graham) 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 the sweltering heat of Orlando Pat Bonner misjudged a net-bound shot during Ireland’s knock-out defeat to the Netherlands at USA ’94. Getting over setbacks like that, and indeed the whole psychology of goalkeeping, has obsessed him ever since he hung up his gloves. He has been a top-level coach, he has developed goalkeeping courses and he has been a consultant to the major footballing bodies.In this brilliant lock-down Big Interview, he is incredibly insightful on the nature of modern goalkeeping, especially on how the No1 has now become a player in his own right. It is little wonder Pat is such a sought-after broadcast analyst. He is also one of the true gents of the beautiful game.Thanks for breaking the lock-down monotony, Pat.Graham 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 win or bust in the final group game. Spain must Defeat Chile or go home. This was packed full of incident: a whirlwind start by Chile; two beautiful goals from Iniesta and Villa; a red card that should never have been; and the most bitter memory of the World Cup for my taste, as Chile offered Spain a murky deal, which they eventually accepted. Before that, nerves were shredded and I had to use all my wiles to get Spain's talismanic superfan past stadium security. 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

Pat Bonner was made in Donegal: his values, resilience and work ethic were instilled in him by his family and his community, while playing Gaelic football toughened him up for a glittering soccer career.He was Celtic’s stalwart No1 for years, winning nine major honours at the club, and he earned 80 caps for the Republic of Ireland. His penalty save in a shootout in Genoa against Romania - exactly 30 years ago this week - earned his national side a place in the quarter-finals of Italia ’90. Just weeks before, Pat had failed to save a single kick in the shootout against my beloved Aberdeen in the Scottish Cup final. But he analysed and strategised and gave his country one of their biggest parties ever. Everyone in the world was a little bit Irish that night.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

As the Spanish press lose their minds in the wake of an opening defeat against Switzerland, Vicente Del Bosque sends his under-fire players on safari. This is just one of the ways in which the European champions are treated as adults and now, in crisis mode, it pays off. They find a collective solution and move into Game Two, against Honduras, as one. Elsewhere, England, France and Italy are not so resilient. 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're off and running with our World Cup 2010 recap. Here's what I saw and heard while tracking Spain for the first few days of their tournament, up to and including their first match against Switzerland.Why getting the right training camp counts.How to tame a dangerous Puyol in the wild. The Ali-Frazier nature of the series of matches between Vicente Del Bosque and Ottmer Hitzfeld, the two coaches, when they were in charge of Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.And, of course, the game. A weird one, at the end of which Spain would know they had to make history if they were to add a world title to their European one.All of this and a dance through the other games in the first round: Rob Green costs England Maicon scores a belter for BrazilTshabalala starts the party.Want to read the whole story of how Spain on in 2008, 2010 and 2012? Find out about the book here:   https://backpagepress.co.uk/books/spain/  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 a new mini series on the Big Interview feed, retreading Spain's journey to their only World Cup title, 10 years ago.In this first episode, before the tournament begins, we'll look at the player who will eventually give the 2010 World Cup in South Africa it's signature moment, Andrés Iniesta.As the countdown to the finals intensifies, Iniesta is broken: physically, mentally and spritually. The extent of his depression and his despair at the death of a close friend and his own physical frailty was unclear back in 2010. What we know now is that the man who will win the World Cup for Spain could very easily have been left at home. 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

When Brendan Rodgers took the Celtic job he was advised to jettison Scott Brown. Instead, Brendan invited him to his London home where they chatted about what behaviour he expected from a captain, and also how he could incorporate ‘Broonie’ in a different role. Despite the relatively advanced stage in his career, Scott transformed his attitude and style of play, and coach and skipper lifted trophy after trophy in Glasgow.When Brendan took over at Leicester, he again forged a crucial relationship with the incumbent captain, Wes Morgan, and there’s great stuff about Leicester and England talents James Maddison and Ben Chilwell. Brendan also reflects on why Philippe Coutinho was adored at Liverpool but failed to hit the ground running at Barcelona.Finally, there’s a moving testament on how Brendan considers himself duty-bound to help preserve the legacy and vision of beloved Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died in such tragic circumstances in 2018. 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

Brendan Rodgers possesses one of the sharpest analytical minds in football, but more than that he is a purist, a devotee of the beautiful game– as demonstrated by the verve with which his high-flying Leicester side plays. As a rookie coach, Brendan had the foresight to regularly visit Spain to soak up the methods employed there – not least because the Spanish had a way of incorporating players of a shorter stature, something the Northern Irishman could relate to!Brendan tells us about working with true greats: Samuel Eto’o was the ultimate winner, Luis Suárez was the ultimate team player. 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