DISCUSSION: Champions League Semi-Finals Preview

Declan Link, Paul Schmidt-Troshcke & Jon Bonfiglio talk Champions League Semi-Finals, healthy prostates, and how to pronounce 'Vincent Kompany.'

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Transcript

SPEAKER_03 0:29

Everyone, welcome back to our weekly edition of Check Your Prostate with special guest Declan Link. Hello, Declan. Hello, John. Hello, Paul. How are you tonight, chaps? Good, thank you. You and I are getting to the prostate checking age. Obviously, I'm I'm only bringing this up because I I suspect that there may be some medical institutions out there that may want to sponsor the podcast as regards um our average listenership. So um what is the what is the current state of your prostate at the moment? Is it pretty good?

SPEAKER_04 1:02

Yes, actually, I'm I'm pretty good. I uh do get a regular checkup and I was I was actually quite inspired today. I forget which talks program was on. I think it was uh Hawkesby and Jacobs, but Chris Houghton, the ex-Tottenham Brighton, Newcastle, you know, uh Ghana International Manager, was on with uh Paul Hawksby, who he knows very well, and he was trying to get men in the UK to uh open up and and uh go to doctors and ask for prostrate checks because obviously it's uh it's something that mo most macho men decide they don't want to do, and unfortunately, when they finally find out it's too late.

SPEAKER_03 1:43

Yeah, it's interesting because actually, and um I I thought something similar in I was in the talk sports studio a few months ago, and normally I just do my slot, you know, whenever a slot appears from wherever I am, and that's it. But because I was in the studio with Martin Kellner for a number of hours that night, I did the whole overnight stint. Um so I was there for an extended period of time, and I could hear all of the ads, and there were loads of ads on prostate care and also on weight loss um drug things. So that was a real window into a world that I'm that I'm sort of uh missing out on a little bit.

SPEAKER_04 2:15

Yeah, I'm not worried about weight loss drugs because I'm a lean, mean fighting machine. Um, however, it is something that, in all seriousness, everyone uh is not getting any younger, and they do need to make sure when they get to a certain age in life, that both demographically, you know, they need to make sure that their uh their bits and bobs are still working. It's I also being in the technology world myself, I always sort of make the statement and correlation to technology. We all assume technology works nowadays, but when it stops working, then you suddenly start appreciating it. And as you get older, your bodies stop working at certain times, and you suddenly start appreciating your body.

SPEAKER_03 2:58

Yeah, it's like um Skype and iTunes, they just suddenly reach um an expiration day, an expiry day. And um and uh you you probably need some help at that point. But apologies for the distraction. We're we're of course here to talk about other things. We're uh here to preview the Champions League semi-final, not our prostates, although actually often um I know you you mock me for for strange links, Declan, but uh here's one coming up. Although often when I see Mikhail Arteta giving a post-match press conference, I do think that he must have a small prostate. Uh come come on, Mikkel, get get checked out. It can't just be Arsenal that makes you make all those funny, agonized faces. Uh, I'm very happy to say that I'm joined by as well as Declan Link in the high-risk uh prostate category, Paul Schmidt Troschka. He couldn't reach his prostate even with assistance, given how far away his head and arms are from that that part of his body.

SPEAKER_01 3:52

Hello, Paul. Yeah, thank you so much for for this introduction. Good evening, both of you. Yeah, I felt a little bit uh left out of this um uh discussion, but uh I mean, I'm very happy um for for for that fact. But I I have um I have heard um one thing about it. Apparently, um the thing with the finger and the bum is not necessary uh anymore. So that might be uh What? Yeah, yeah. What? Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_03 4:19

Well, somebody's uh yeah, somebody's been feeding me incorrect information then. But yeah, Paul, you you just focus on your testicles. That's um that's your that's your that's your at risk feature at the moment. So yeah, fondle at will.

SPEAKER_01 4:34

Yes, absolutely. And as a good German, um get your testicles checked as well. From uh uh don't don't start too late, at least. I haven't started yet, but towards like mid-30s or something, you should also do that.

SPEAKER_03 4:49

Yeah, thanks. Um thanks thanks for that. Professional advice from Paul Schmidt Troschka.

SPEAKER_04 4:55

Dr. Paul Schmidt, Dr. Paul Schmidt Trotzka.

SPEAKER_01 4:59

Yeah, I mean it's the etc. in in our name.

SPEAKER_03 5:01

So um yes, we're now we're now we're now uh in the whole sort of men's ailment uh thing. So just one final thing about that. One of the reasons why um testicular cancer, um not that I want to generalize in any way, shape, or form, but there's a whole sort of where the where your bits are. So testicular cancer is relatively easy to spot and identify and get rid of because of course they're sort of external bits. One of the issues with the prostate is of course it is right in the right in your nethers. And generally when something happens there, it uh affects other areas. Anyway, underscore everything. Yes, all men out there, get your get everything checked out. Uh because if you catch stuff early, then that's the way forward. And if you are a woman listening, then of course get your own bits checked out separately as well. But for the moment, after that overextended introduction, let's move on to the uh semi-finals. Um, Declan, let's start with you. How are you feeling about them generally, especially especially given that it sort of feels as though both sides of the draw, on the one hand, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain, and on the other, Atletico Madrid and Arsenal, are sort of seemingly two very different models of football that we're going to see over the next 48 hours.

SPEAKER_04 6:14

I'm really, really excited about tomorrow's game, the PSG uh Bayern Munich game, because to from my perspective, I actually think that should be the final of the Champions League for this season. I think both PSG and uh Bayern are fantastic teams. I think it's a fascinating mix of different sort of uh football ideologies, both with the game tomorrow and the game on Wednesday between Athletico and Arsenal. But I do I do I do think any football lovers in the world should not miss tomorrow's game because I think it's going to be an I think actually tomorrow's game might be a little bit cagey, but I think that the the game the following Wednesday in Munich will be fascinating from every conceivable aspect, from a technical, a tactical, and everything else that goes with watching a football game at the highest level.

SPEAKER_03 7:17

Paul, I'm going to say something um a little controversial uh now, which I obviously um uh I'm I'm I'm prodding the Schmidt Troschka beast here. Uh obviously, given that I know that you um you have a an affinity for Bayern Munich, shall we say? It seems to me that Bayern in the and I'm being actually fairly serious here, but it seems to me that Bayern in the last few years have not quite lived up to their billing as a top European side, that they've sort of come. I mean, in part it's a Bundesliga issue rather than specifically a Bayern Munich issue, but it really feels as though this year they've in the big games, they've really fronted up. I don't know whether that's a Harry, uh a Harry Kane thing. I don't know whether that's a Vincent Company thing, but they feel to me as though they're they have a that they're a mentally different team this year.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

Yes, absolutely. They are um definitely at their peak performance compared to the last years. And I think it has to do um, of course, with uh with Vincent Company since 2024 being the hat coach. Um, we're gonna talk about him probably um later a bit more. Um but also with um with lots of administrative issues within the club, um, the atmosphere there just calmed down. Um I mean we had a very short period with uh German uh goalkeeper legend Oliver Kahn um being the being the manager, and it didn't work out at all. Um many relationships uh which held for a long time uh within the club broke apart. And yeah, over the last uh especially two years, um not only on the field but also within the club, um things got uh yeah, most things just uh resolved um themselves or were resolved. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 9:09

Yeah, I think that I think that the victory over Madrid was um whatever the melee, whatever the the fractiousness and the chaos and the anarchy at the end, I think the fact that they went through tells a story. Interesting what you say about Oliver Cannon, um Paul, because as uh Dakan and I spoke of in the in the goalkeepers issue on the roles of different players on the field, we we mentioned that goalkeepers are not usually coaches. It's it's a relatively um rare thing for a goalkeeper to an ex-goalkeeper to come out and uh and and sort of take take the reins of a um of a side for for whatever reason. Um uh I'm gonna ask you both uh who you think the most influential players are, uh team by team. Maybe we can start with uh Paris Saint-Germain. Uh Paul, let's let's start with you. Who would you say is the sort of um you know uh sometimes you think if if if especially in top um top sides, if that player fires, if that player plays to his potential, nothing's gonna stand in their way. Who's that player for you, Paul, for Paris Saint-Germain?

SPEAKER_01 10:12

Um for Paris Saint-Germain, I um I mean many people of course uh um would agree with me, it's uh Vitinya, because um he is the main reason for the consistency and also the main reason for the very um uh yeah total control style which uh which Luis Enrique successfully um brings on the field with with PSG, so it's Vitinha for me.

SPEAKER_04 10:42

Declan can I sort of sit on the fence and have a couple of uh players who I think are both influential at the same sort of level. First one is Uzman Dembeli, and the second one is uh Ashraf Hakimi. I both think I think they're both highly, highly influential players. Um you know Vettina definitely does a fantastic job uh in in midfield, sort of controlling everything for PSG. But I'm a big fan of Dembeli, and I think Hakimi is and we spoke about him in in one of our previous podcasts on on the uh the wide um fullback type of positions. I think they're both very influential and highly, highly uh qu uh high quality power uh PSG players.

SPEAKER_03 11:33

Yeah, I figured you'd come up with more than one contender. Um as uh when we when we did the the piece about uh which teams were most likely to win the World Cup, and you mentioned, I exaggerate, of course, but uh I was gonna say you mentioned half the qualifiers, but no, I I know you I know you for you struggle to to pin it down towards the end. I interesting that neither of you have mentioned um Kavicha uh Kavrachkalia. Um I know you say that one again, John. Kovicha Kavarachkaya.

SPEAKER_04 12:01

Have you been working on that one all day today?

SPEAKER_03 12:03

I've actually written it out um phonetically so that I can actually say it, approximating something which is accurate, although no doubt it is inaccurate. But yeah, I've got it here as a uh I even use capital letters to to get the tr to try and get the right um the right emphasis on different uh bits of the word. But um I know that he's not central, but uh and and to some extent the the the functioning fluid nature of Paris Saint-Germain is um and what Luis Enriquez managed to achieve here is that they are a team. Uh so actually, in a way, that the question is a is a flawed question because you could have asked that in the past, but it seems to me that the fact that we're mentioning lots of different players sort of does suggest that it is um at the sort of some of its parts. But if I was a defender and I had I had Kavrach Kalia running at me, he's the one that would most terrify me one-on-one, I think.

SPEAKER_04 13:06

We're all entitled to our own opinions, John.

SPEAKER_03 13:11

Thank you, Declan. Uh, nice gentle put down there. Let's move on to Bayern Munich and uh Paul, yeah. Let's start with with you on this one again, of course. Uh, who are you who are your who's your standout player for Bayern this year?

SPEAKER_01 13:26

Um, I mean I'm gonna do the same as Declan uh in his last answer because it is not so easy, of course, to just um pin down one player and say he is he's the whole uh or the biggest um factor for Bayern Munich success. Um I really like Joshua Kimmich just because he comes closest to uh the role Tony Kroos had, um, especially, of course, in uh at Real Madrid, but also in the in the German uh national team. Um and then I mean Harry Kane, without Harry Kane, this season would have gone completely different. Um and then, of course, uh Lise is uh is exceptional. It's um it's pretty insane. Um, of course, they they all have have their um also issues um apart from the pitch, but right now Bayern Munich is uh just a very, very solid, solid squad, um both in the inside and also um yeah, showing that to the outside. So these are my three three players, um, I think which are the most important.

SPEAKER_03 14:30

Yeah, and again, I think um almost what Daphne was saying right at the beginning that um one of the one of the difficulties of pulling a player out is because Bayern Munich also have uh have been performing so spectacularly right across different tournaments this year. And actually, when Harry Kane stepped out recently, uh Bayern Munich started scoring even more freely. But just to give you a few stats about about Harry Kane, he scored 53 goals in all competitions for Bayern this season. And if you if you look back at the last um few individuals across Europe's top leagues who've done the same, you've got Erling Halland, um 2022-20 uh 23, 52 goals, uh Robert Lewandarski, uh Bayern Munich, as again 55 goals and 50 goals respectively across two seasons, 2019, 2020, and 21-22. Suarez, Barcelona, 2015-2016 season, 59 goals. Cristiano Ronaldo, Real Madrid, uh 2015-2016, um, and did so in six consecutive seasons from 2010 to 2016, and Messi, also with Barcelona, who hit 50 plus in 2018-19, and did so across six seasons. Now, the reason I mentioned this is because you look down that list of names Messi, Ronaldo, Suarez, Lewandowski, and Haaland, and that's the company that Harry Kane is keeping. I think for anybody who had any questions prior to the last to this season or the last couple of seasons with Bayern, it is, I think, pretty clear. And I'll come to you on this decline if that's right, because of course he is an England striker. He is England's main striker, his the um uh the totem, if you like. That uh that record suggests that he is now very clearly, unequivocally, unquestionably, a top-tier striker. And uh, I guess it's a question of two parts. He could really make a difference, or the expectation is it could make a difference for England, but equally, if he gets injured, then England are a whole different side, as we saw in the recent friendlies.

SPEAKER_04 16:40

Yeah, I obviously unpredictably I was gonna go for Harry Kane on the uh most influential player for Bayern Munich uh in tomorrow's game and the the game next week. I have the utmost respect for Harry Kane. I mean when he when he moved from Tottenham to to Bayern in 2023, you know, everyone thought he was a little bit crazy, but ultimately it came down to he realized that the clock was running out on his career, and he is uh being a striker myself, but not comparing myself to Harry Kane. He realised that there was peak years for a striker, and he he staying with Tottenham, although he was their all-time uh top scorer, you know, he wasn't gonna he wasn't going to accomplish winning as many trophies as he possibly could do. So he went to Bayern Munich, which was obviously a very good safe choice because Bayern Munich typically win everything in Germany and put themselves in the conversation for the Champions League every year. So I mean to me he's definitely the the the the key person who is gonna hopefully from from Bayern Munich fans' perspective push them over the line this year. I think with Van Van Sang Company, he understands it, he gets it because he's so rel relatively close to Harry Kane in age, and he's played and coached in the Premier League, he gets the fact that which is what we're finding right now, he's not you know, Harry Kane is probably not gonna um score as many goals and reach the the uh the record that Lewandowski has, but company is managing his time superbly so that hopefully Bayern will get the treble from their perspective, and hopefully he will go on to lead England to World Cup glory here in um the States in 2026, because when he played in in Qatar in 2022, there was no question he was injured for most of that tournament.

SPEAKER_03 18:51

Yeah, as regards um Kane leading England to glory, I mean to to quote you right back at you, Declan, we're all entitled to our opinion uh on that. Let's come to uh Letigo Madrid. Uh Declan, maybe let's start with you on that one. Uh, players to what to watch out for um that you think are sort of game changers for Diego Simeoni's side.

SPEAKER_04 19:16

Uh the the player who I think is outstanding, and I I'm really surprised that Manchester City let him go, is Julian uh Alvarez. I I just really again as a I'm not picking right backs, I'm not picking holding midfielders being a forward. I'm gonna pick players who can actually change the game. And Julian Alvarez has Julian Alvarez has been absolutely fantastic uh for the time he's been there. I think he is a game changer, and there is rumors he'll end up back in the Premier League in the not too distant future. A close second is two players, Jan Obleck, the goalkeeper, arguably in the in the top echelon, top shelf of the top three goalkeepers in the world. And he, you know, obviously has got a fantastic record both domestically in the Liga and in the European competitions and for his his country. But I'm gonna throw one out there, Antoine Griezmann I've suddenly shown a lot more interest in Antoine Griezmann because he is coming to our home club here in Orlando, Florida, um in July. He is the DP signing that's hopefully gonna turn things around for Orlando in the MLS. And as all my friends keep saying, you know, hopefully he's gonna bring three, four, five of his fellow French teammates along with him so that we can salvage our Orlando City season. So, from a personal perspective, Griezmann, I hope he has a fantastic semi-final and then loses to Arsenal, but then hopefully he comes to the MLS and turns Orlando City's season around. Because in watching the games in the Champions League, although he's getting on into the twilight of his career, Griezmann is definitely still a massive player, impacting the big games in um in the Chavis League. And and and Atletico Madrid, because they've been safe in fourth place pretty much most of the season in La Liga, they've been able to Diego Simononi has been able to focus on the Champions League, which is why, again, separate question, Arsenal are going to have their work cut out, in my humble opinion.

SPEAKER_03 21:35

Yeah, Griezmann, um, as you say, coming to the twilight of his career, and not to say that Harry Kane is running out of time per se, but remember only a couple of years it was only a couple of years ago that there was lots of discussion about Harry Kane and his pace and losing his pace, and was he still the same striker? And it's interesting that I mean they're both very different players to each other, but they both have um have really matured into a particular kind of sense. To forward, who who as an amazing reader and predictor of the games and being in the right place at the right time. Something again we we've spoken about, Declan, in some of the in some of the different positions and their roles, and how with some of the some of them seem to reward uh young, energetic players, and then others are roles that you really can can grow into. Uh Paul, uh, as regards uh Griezmann, Jan Oblak, uh Julian Alvarez, uh would you agree with um Declan on some of those or throw some more of your own forward?

SPEAKER_01 22:36

No, absolutely. That was um my my card as well with exactly these three players because I think no other player um stands out like uh especially um especially Julian Alvarez. Uh for those who have not seen the um Copa del Rey final between Atlético, Madrid, and um Real Sociedad, um he is so dominant, it is um it is crazy. Um and of course he is uh he is an attacker, um, but he he also um he makes uh many runs also um in in defensive manners. And uh yeah, it's just amazing to see him and his uh his shooting technique is uh is out of this world.

SPEAKER_03 23:23

Um moving on to uh Arsenal. I know Declan, you revealed to us recently you came out of your came out of the closet and and uh revealed that you were a secret Gunnar, secret Arsenal fan. So who are your your top players for these uh for for this semifinal?

SPEAKER_04 23:42

Well it's one and one only, uh JB. It's Victor Koikeras. I mean, obviously that was money well spent by the Arsenal board. Uh he is uh fantastic. I'm only kidding. The that's the that's the dilemma with Arsenal, actually. I I think uh that Arsenal are gonna get through against Athletes Co Madrid simply because uh they have uh strength all over the pitch, but they don't necessarily have uh an outstanding player. I mean you look at Odegaard, you look at uh Saka who's coming back from injury, you look at Declan, my favourite Arsenal player for some reason, you look at William Saliba, you look at Gabriel, you know, they've got they've got depth all over the pitch, but ultimately it's gonna come down to um who's gonna put the ball in the back of the net. And and as I said, Saka if he was fit and running um uh you know on on on on basically on you know with the s accelerator all the way down, he would be the player that everyone would be expecting to turn the game around. But he's just coming back from injury, so I'm one I'm worried that they uh are not going to be able to um you know score goals against Atletico Madrid and dominate them and get on to the final, but I'm strangely confident they somehow will get it done. The biggest problem, as we spoke about um Arteta and Pep Guardiola last week, John, was is that Arsenal have to play uh Atletico away in Madrid on Wednesday, they then play Fulham at home on Saturday, and then the way the draw goes is they play Atletico at the Emirates the following Tuesday. So they've got uh two massive games against a very tricky Premier League game because Fulham have got the whole week to prepare for that game, and they're also uh not a bad team, so I I I worry that Arsenal, from an Arsenal perspective, that they are going to it's it's all gonna be too much. Three big games in six days a heck of a lot. So again, I still think they'll beat Atletico based on the squad and their mean defense, but I could be completely wrong with that.

SPEAKER_03 26:15

Yeah, I I I would agree with you on on Declan Rice, actually. I think he is I mean, certainly my perspective would be that he's the most transformative purchase that Arsenal have made in the last uh few years, and he's an absolute gun. Um, he's a he's a machine and he always performs really, really well. But when there are times when he performs over and above himself, and when he does that, he just carries the team with him by the scruff of the neck. Um the game against Fulham, I would also add that it's a London derby. I don't really remember years ago, Arson Wenger, before he started winning titles with Arsenal, um uh decr the fact that one of the reasons why London teams never really won um the Premier League, won major trophies in in England was because there were so many London derbies, so many teams in so many top teams in in London. So that adds some spice, and for sure Fulham are no uh no pushover. They and they may they may sense a little bit of of blood uh there on uh over the weekend. Paul, uh, what's your take on uh on Arsenal's finest?

SPEAKER_01 27:21

Um I agree definitely on Declan's picks there, of course. Uh yeah, Declan Rice as you described him, um very good right now. Um, but I would throw in um Martin Zubimendi um just because I really like these um yeah more defensive midfielders um who are responsible for yeah that uh that the number of um of goals again uh scored against um keeps as low as possible. And they also don't um don't get as much respect, of course, um and as uh as much just publicity as the strikers do, even though they um are in my opinion the key um in in these teams because without stability um yeah uh declan rice or osaka could not perform um how they uh yeah eventually perform right now.

SPEAKER_03 28:17

Let's move on to the on to the coaches. John Clergy, obviously.

SPEAKER_04 28:20

John, can I just interrupt you and I do apologize? In the um private declan's club of the world, uh, I'm sure you're aware that the most famous declan in the world is someone who is a musician. Can you tell me what his name is?

SPEAKER_03 28:37

Um that's a very good question. Paul, do you have any any uh any ideas there? I'm thinking. Hold on, hold on. This is this is always really bad, right?

SPEAKER_04 28:48

Elvis Costello's real name is Declan McManus.

SPEAKER_03 28:54

Interesting.

SPEAKER_04 28:55

Um my Elvis Costello in our private Declan's club, because we have a private ginger club in the world and a private Declan Club. Obviously, Elvis Costello blew us all away. When Declan Rice decided to play for England rather than Ireland, uh he quite I was quite happy to let him become the second most famous declan in the world, and then that bumped me down to the third declan in the world. But there's it's lovely having a name like Declan because nowadays every Tom Dick and Harry is called Declan, but in the early days there weren't many of us around.

SPEAKER_03 29:34

Um, my uh Elvis Costello story is a few years, I was watching the Oscars, but I was watching it on um on CNN in Spanish. The the the CNN's are all very different. CNN USA is different to CNN International, and CNN Latin America has a bit of a chip on his shoulder, it's kind of quite politically active. And um Elvis Costello was there at the Oscars because he's married to Diana Crow, who uh you know, singer, composer, and stuff. And she I think she'd she's Canadian um uh jazz pianist, and she'd she'd been involved in some kind of soundtrack to film or something. So she'd been invited to the Oscars and on the Spanish language, so they were speaking to Diana uh Crow in English, but then the two people who were interviewing Diana were also um in Spanish muttering to each other about who the guy that was with her was, and neither of them had any idea that it was it was Elvis Costello. So it made for sort of a quite amusing sort of live exchange on the on the Oscar's red carpet, the fact that Elvis Costello went utterly unnoticed. But thanks for that bit of uh thanks for that bit of trivia, Declan. My pleasure, John. Uh so coaches, how do the coaches um no absolutely well worth an interruption to bring up uh the the Declan Elvis Costello trivia? Um, how do the coaches uh stack up? Uh obviously we've got Mikel Arteta, Diego Simeoni, uh uh I'm gonna use your pronunciation here, Declan Vasa, uh, and then Paul's pronunciation, Compani. Uh so I I hope you're you um obviously the vansa is is correct given the Van Gogh or Van Gogh component. Oh my god, we're spiraling into mispronunciations here. And then there's uh Luis and Enrique as well. Uh Paul, if if you had to if you had to uh to have a manager fight for your life in a crucial European tie, which of those four would you want to be in charge?

SPEAKER_01 31:28

Um definitely Vonson uh Compagnie. Um uh he is uh um he has a very in very interesting um story, a life story, of course, um himself a world-class player, um Belgian, of course. And uh yeah, with Bayern Munich, he was actually only on um, I think he was the fourth pick on the list. Um, so not one of the favorites, and uh of course, not particularly um successful before his appointment to Bayern Munich, um, as a coach, um, of course. And uh yeah, uh we're gonna speak about him later, but um this is definitely my my favorite one among the four.

SPEAKER_03 32:11

Um we we we've discussed before, Paul, about the um the German antipathy towards the Dutch. Is there not a German antipathy towards the Belgians as well?

SPEAKER_01 32:20

Um no, um not really, because um the Belgians, they I would say they are not as um obnoxious and annoying um and in our face. And um yeah, I think that uh of course border the border also plays plays into that. Um and I would say culturally a little bit more similar, uh, because one part or I mean basically the half of um of Belgium is somewhat uh not really German-speaking, but there are still German communities, so there's also a like a cultural bond, and uh we as Germans uh funnily and ironically um as well, of course, we despise the sound of the Dutch language. And um, yeah, when when you hear uh Belgian people speak, they they either speak uh speak French or um uh yeah, some kind of uh Dutch German whatever mix. Um so that's that's the reason.

SPEAKER_03 33:22

Yeah, great to to get a sense of um some German prejudice there, Paul. Appreciate it. Um definitely uh so again if the you've got those four, uh Arteta Simeoni, Compani and Luis Henrique. Which of those, again, if you're fighting for your life in a crucial must-win fixture, which of those would you have as your coach?

SPEAKER_04 33:45

Being a closet gooner, uh even though Mikel Arteta is not liked by anyone apart from Arsenal supporters, I actually think he's gonna become and that everyone thinks of him as like Pet Guardiola Light. He just needs to win another trophy or a big trophy or something, and then I think he's gonna be a fantastic renowned coach of all time. So he is my uh he is my uh uh choice. Um that's gonna really annoy my kids massively and most of my friends, both of them. Um but if he doesn't you know, if if he's not the person I think Luis Enrique has the best CV based on the comparisons between all of them. I mean they've all got strengths and weaknesses. I'm not particularly keen on Diego Simon Simeone because of the the way that two reasons. Classically, the way that Atletico have played um from a from a tactical perspective, but nowadays they're actually playing a lot more of an open attacking game, but more importantly, because of what happened with David Beckham in France against Argentina. So I'm not keen on young Diego. Uh so my vote would be for Mikel Arteta.

SPEAKER_03 35:05

Really interesting, because I I I think of the four for me, the the the manager, of course, uh Compani is relatively new, especially to sort of top-tier uh managership. Enrique he has, as you say, Declan has a big um CV, but one of the questions with him is I guess up until last year, it was was it him or the team? And then last year he clearly clearly brought Paris Saint-Germain uh uh together. Another thing that you know the the next few weeks are crucial for for Arteta as regards his reputation. But but for me, the one who's really demonstrated his his coaching skill and his prowess year after year after year for a very long time, with one team that uh are a sort of a buy and sell uh team that really struggle in the La Liga, where obviously you've got the top two teams of Real Madrid and and Barcelona is Diego Simeone. And and uh it's not to say I like him, far from it. He's uh he's a a pretty abrasive figure at the uh at the best of times, but he does uh he has managed to uh in insert an inner steal into Atletico Madrid over over the years, and also to evolve their, as you say, Decrans, to evolve their uh their their playing styles. I think he is he's got to be um seen as one of the top managers, I think. And it and really interesting that he has stayed in Spain. He must have had some offers from uh from the premiership at the very least, if not, if not other sides, but he's chosen to um to stay there. Also, the fact that we've all selected different managers, coaches, suggests that these um these this semifinal, these semifinals coming up are actually pretty pretty wide open. Do you think um declan that there is a clear favourite going into these these last um the semifinals? Or is it is it you know shades and degrees?

SPEAKER_04 37:06

I do think the clear favourite, and this is not because I love you, Paul Schmidt Trotsky. I think the favourite is by Munich. I think they've got everything going every you know on all fronts at the moment. But I also caution that uh I think they're gonna beat uh PSG on aggregate, and I think that Arsenal will be Athletico on aggregate, and then the only caveat is that uh in a one-off game, you know, anything can happen. And again, well let's see, but I think uh Munich have definitely uh done a tremendous job of focusing, you know, they're it they're in the cup final, they've won the Bundesliga, and they're on for the treble, so they've taken care of business. I still think Arsenal are gonna be uh very very much focused on the Premier League as well. So that's gonna mean they could end up with one trophy, two trophies, or no trophies. I don't think PSG are as good as Bayern R, and I think Atletico are good, but they're not gonna be good enough to beat Arsenal.

SPEAKER_03 38:18

All um, how do you see these uh these last remaining matches shaping up?

SPEAKER_01 38:24

Yeah, contrary um to uh to our selection of favorite coaches, I completely agree here with uh with Declan. Um I think that uh Bayern Munich is uh they they play beautiful football, they've shown that um as you um brought up, they can even um yeah be score more goals without Harry Kane and the team. Um then the whole vibe around uh around uh especially or due to Compani is just great. Um how he to me my my favorite part of uh of Compani is how he brings the best out of each single player. Um he's extremely self-controlled. Um and I mean he fights so much for his team that he actually um is uh is not coaching out at the sidelines in the uh in the semifinal now because he got his third yellow card in the in the quarterfinals. Um and his uh his deputy Aaron uh Cat. He he will take take over. Um then in the other game, I think yeah, Arsenal is uh I mean uh I think three three points uh three points ahead uh of Manchester City. They um they have a lot to lose there. Um but uh when it when it comes to uh to playing against Atlético Madrid, uh they just lost the Copa del Rey against the uh Real Sociedad, and I think um they are not uh they are right now not um not in the best mental form as well because they um they didn't achieve anything in the league, they lost the Copa del Rey. So the pressure is extremely high now on them to perform, and I think uh that is not a good thing. If um yeah, if you lose that, you have nothing to show for um after after such um yeah successful um in the end uh Champions League run.

SPEAKER_03 40:21

Uh it depends which way you look at it, because they also beat Barcelona uh in two fascinating ties in the quarterfinals of the of the Champions League. So so let me get it right. So um Declan, both you and Paul are going for Bayern Munich as eventual winners.

SPEAKER_02 40:35

Yes. Yes.

SPEAKER_03 40:37

Interesting. Well, I I can't I can't join you on that. I I actually really would love to see Bayern Munich uh uh win. I think they have been they they've been a real breath of fresh air, uh how they've set themselves up, how they've played, uh their their attitude, how they've really sort of pulled themselves um together. I I would say that if if last year's standout side in Europe was uh Paris Saint-Germain, at least in the knockout, in the knockouts, and I think Clearly Bay and Munich is is as well. But I suspect that um I just think that um uh that there is there's something brewing with uh Atletico Madrid this year, and um I would expect them over a very hard four couple of matches to come through against uh uh to get against Arsenal because Arsenal have more to lose than Atletico uh do. And if anybody can do a number on a free-flowing uh side and um and even uh and balance up skill levels, then uh then Diego Simeone, uh Diego Simeoni's Atletico Madrid can do that. So I would I would agree with you uh both by Munich best side, um uh feel-good side, but also the the best side out there this this year. But I suspect that Atletico Madrid could um could spring an upset across both semi and and and final.

SPEAKER_04 42:03

Let me just clarify, John uh Paul. I still want Arsenal to win. I'm a very proud British guy, and anytime, even if it's Topman playing in a final of a European competition, I want the British teams to win. So I I prefer Arsenal to win everything. Um, but I also find it quite ironic and quite funny how when Vincent Company, Van San Company, was playing for Manchester City and was the Burnley manager, he was called Vincent Company. Now we're getting all fancy and exotic pronouncing his name.

SPEAKER_03 42:38

Well, it's World Cup, uh it etc. Of course. And uh, you know, we we have to learn by um uh by example. And and Declan, you were the one that brought up the Varsar, and uh and Paul, if if he says it's uh company, then I think we need to uh we we need to go with that. Do we sound a little bit strange? Do you remember um years ago when the when the Champions League first started? Um David Pleat, uh ex of Tottenham, was a was uh was a commentator, and there was a French side there was a French player um uh uh of um African descent, um so a black French player, and he was uh he was called Leroy, I think it was for Marseille or somebody like that. And throughout the entire game, David Ple insisted on calling him Leroy, and that was that was just about the worst example of mispronunciation I've ever heard. So if it's uh if Vincent Company is the pronunciation, then let's let's go let's go with that and let's forget about the uh the Kavarachvili pronunciation because that's a toughie. Thanks, uh, thanks both. Uh and uh we'll come together at the end of the uh the semifinals and see uh if uh what to what extent I have egg on my face.

SPEAKER_04 43:59

I think you Thanks, fellas. Really appreciate your time this evening, and uh let's see what happens.

SPEAKER_01 44:06

Yes, absolutely. Thank you both. So that's it from us for today.

SPEAKER_04 44:11

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SPEAKER_02 44:29

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SPEAKER_00 44:36

Also check out our World Sports, etc. podcast for more sports news and stories. And with that, thank you so much for listening and goodbye.

SPEAKER_05 44:46

Now the club head back to the same thing.