The Daily Football Briefing

After all the criticism over the summer, Chelsea are having a lovely time right now. Sure, Barrow are a League Two side (top of League Two though…) but a 5-0 win will boost the confidence of all concerned. They go through to the next round along with Man City, Aston Villa and Leicester. Real Madrid spent 85 minutes making their critics eat their words and then switched off, allowing Alaves to come from three goals down to pushing hard for the most unlikely of equalisers. Carlo Ancelotti looked distinctly unamused. And finally, Blackpool beat Huddersfield 3-0. We didn’t have room for it in the show, but wanted to pay tribute to Steve Bruce somewhere. That’s three wins from three for the former Newcastle boss.Need something to read? Matt Slater and Paddy Boyland have broken down the Everton takeover news with a very accessible explainer article that gives you the information you need so that you can pass it off as your own in the pub. I do this all the time, it’s perfectly reasonable behaviour. Presenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Simon Johnson and Sam LeeProducer: Abi Paterson

It is the bleakest of news for Manchester City fans. Rodri, the man who holds their shape together, the man they really miss when he’s out, could be gone for the whole season with a knee injury. Sam Lee is here to tell us just how bad this could be for City. And how good it could be for everyone else…City aren’t the only elite team to have been rocked by injury news. Barcelona’s Marc Ter Stegen is out for the rest of the season too. Pol Ballus is here with more. A deal has been agreed for the sale of Everton, but is this good news or bad news? The new owners aren’t exactly doing very well over at Roma. Matt Slater tells us what he thinks about it all. Need something to read? Gregg Evans and James Pearce have written a really interesting and balanced piece about the lack of atmosphere at Anfield, something I always noticed if I was covering a Saturday 3pm kick off there. I should say I’ve been there for night games and it was always amazing, but it’s a fine piece.Presenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Sam Lee, Pol Ballus, Matt SlaterProducer: Abi Paterson

You’ll be hearing and reading about City 2-2 Arsenal for some time this week. 20 players were camped in City’s final third for all of the second half, Arsenal were a stones throw from victory - well Stones’ head in the end. We have your full round up from the rest of the Premier League, get your pen out, there’s loads of stats for you to take note.In Europe Milan defeated Inter for the first time in seven matches, James Horncastle has the details. Bayern continue to score a truck load of goals. As do Real Madrid and Barcelona but Ter Stegen’s knee needs checking outNeed something to read? Players are heading to Brazil - here’s why https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5779640/2024/09/22/brazil-signings-payet-bolasie-depay-lewis/ And a tribute to Toto Schillaci https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5781645/2024/09/21/toto-schillaci-tribute-italy/ Email me with your thoughts it’s apaterson@theathletic.comHost: Abi PatersonWith: James Horncastle, Sam Lee, Adrian Clarke

There was once a time when Arsenal fans didn’t like David Raya. Didn’t like that he’d taken the number one jersey. Didn’t think he was one of the top goalkeepers. Well, Thursday night’s double save against Atalanta has surely by now changed everyone’s mind. Amy Lawrence was watching Arsenal come away with a hard earned point in Bergamo.In the night’s other matches, Barcelona conspired to beat themselves, although Monaco helped as well. Leipzig lost in the last minute to Atletico Madrid. Bayer Leverkusen were purring in Rotterdam. But the story of the night goes to Brest, winners in their first ever European game.Elsewhere we hear that all is not well with the Fifa Club World Cup. And we look ahead to what’s set to be a thrilling season in the WSL. Need something to read? Arsenal’s mad methods is seriously odd https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5766723/2024/09/19/arteta-arsenalmethodology-balvers/  As is Adam Crafton’s detail on the FIFA Club World Cup TV crisis https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5779549/2024/09/19/fifa-club-world-cup-broadcast-rights/ Email me with your thoughts it’s apaterson@theathletic.comHost: Abi PatersonWith: Amy Lawrence, Seb Stafford Bloor, Megan FeringaProducer: Steve Hankey

It wasn’t quite as rip roaring a night in the Champions League as we had on Tuesday but still plenty to ponder after night two. Such as, how Inter were able to quell Man City. Why PSG REALLY needed a win against Girona. And why we all need to go to Celtic Park for a Champions League match. Spurs were very nearly the headline as they needed an extremely late comeback to beat, um, Coventry in the League Cup. It was a mixed evening for Arsenal and Man City in the Women’s Champions League.Plus we remember Italia 90 cult hero Salvatore Schillaci. Listen to Golazzo on Apple or Spotify Send me an email, it’s apaterson@theathletic.com Host: Abi PatersonWith: Michael Cox, Jack Pitt Brooke, Pete Rutzler, Charlotte HarpurProducer: Steve Hankey

Was it goals you wanted? Well, you’ve come to the right place. The Champions League had plenty of them last night. We have your full round up from the day’s action including Liverpool’s win over Milan, Real Madrid’s sketchy result against Stuttgart and Villa’s start to life in the biggest league of them all. Elsewhere, players are starting to make noises about strikes due to the amount of games they’re playing. Plus there was a 34 penalty shootout in England’s EFL Cup, Manchester United won a game comfortably, and Andy Carroll is back in the headlines.Need something to read? Amy Lawrence found the Arsenal mascot who put the Tottenham ones in their places. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5771821/2024/09/17/arsenal-mascot-tottenham-tunnel-danny/ Want to share your thoughts? Email me it’s apaterson@theathletic.com Host: Abi PatersonWith: Thom Harris, James Pearce, and Dermot CorriganProducer: Steve Hankey

Monday began a significant week in the world of football. Yes the Champions League is back, we’ll get to that.But first it was all about Manchester City, whose trial against the Premier League for alleged spending breaches got under way. Matt Slater is on hand to tell us what we should and should not expect. We also had football on Monday in the form of League One’s finest: Tom Brady’s Birmingham facing Ryan Reynolds’ Wrexham. David Beckham was there, but so was Richard Sutcliffe.And finally as promised, the Champions League returns with just the 64 more games this time around. We look at what Tuesday has to offer. Need something to read? Jacob Whitehead has you covered in the Man City case https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5762324/2024/09/16/manchester-city-charges-explained/ While Jessy Parker Humphreys is getting us WSL ready with some of the new faces you need to know. https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5767934/2024/09/16/wsl-managers-new-season/ Send an email to apaterson@theathletic.com Host: Abi PatersonWith: Matt Slater and Richard SutcliffeProducer: Steve Hankey

Arsenal won the North London derby and, after Liverpool’s slip up at home to Nottingham Forest, they re-take their place as Manchester City’s closest rivals. Because City obviously won again, didn’t they? In Spain, Barcelona continue to impress. On the pitch, at least, and Real Madrid still don’t look quite right. AC Milan have finally won a league game, that’s great news for manager Paolo Fonseca. How Roma must wish for such relief. A last minute equaliser consigned them to another weekend without a win.We’ve got all the results and all the news you need. Press play now and you’ll be perfectly set up for the rest of the week. And boy, is it going to be a busy one…. Presenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Michael Cox, Seb Stafford Bloor, James Horncastle  Producer: Steve Hankey

Kylian Mbappe has claimed that PSG owe him the better part of £50m in unpaid salary. He’s refused the offer of mediation and it looks like this battle is set to run and run. In public too, which will be entertaining. Phil Hay drops by to tell us more. And Mikel Arteta has signed a new contract with Arsenal, removing the nagging fear that someone else might snaffle him at the end of the season when his contract runs out. Amy Lawrence explains why this is such reassuring news for Arsenal supporters.Need something to read? Need something to read? Mark Critchley has broken down the Manchester United financial results so that you don’t have to, and it is the perfect example of an Athletic article filled with expertise, all of which can be easily passed off as your own in the pub this evening.Presenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Phil Hay and Amy LawrenceProducer: Abi Paterson

Pretty bad. They’ve lost four of their eight World Cup qualifiers and, while it should technically be impossible for them to fail to make it to the World Cup, somehow they’ve made the prospect plausible. Jack Lang joins us to tell us more. Mauricio Pochettino has been confirmed as the new manager of the USMNT, but how big a job is this? You would think that his time at Chelsea would have prepared him for anything but the USMNT are really, really bad right now. Where does he start? Pablo Maurer gives his verdict.Need something to read? How about an exhaustive guide to English football nicknames from Tim Spiers? https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5753588/2024/09/09/english-football-nicknames-premier-league/Presenter: Iain MacintoshWith: Jack Lang, Pablo MaurerProducer: Steve Hankey