Football Daily - Euro Leagues: Dark horses Norway & should domestic football have fixtures abroad?

Episode Date: September 11, 2025

Alistair Bruce-Ball is joined by Julien Laurens, Guillem Ballague and Mina Rzouki to discuss how European sides have fared in World Cup qualifying. Can we consider Norway dark horses after their 11-1 thrashing of Moldova? Are there any weaknesses in European champions, Spain? Will Italy qualify for their first World Cup in three cycles? Steve Cooper is in his first job since being sacked by Leicester City, how will he make his mark on the Danish Superliga? And can Cremense ‘do a Leicester’ with new signing Jamie Vardy? The team debate league matches being played abroad as the Spanish FA approve plans for Villareal v Barcelona to be played in Miami, USA. Plus, why are PSG and the French national team in disagreement? Time codes: 2’23 Steve Cooper joins Brondby 4’41 Are Norway World Cup dark horses? 11’25 Are Spain already World Cup favourites? 18’14 What’s happening with Camp Nou? 21’20 Should domestic league matches be played abroad? 33’12 Derby d’Italia weekend 35’50 Age is just a number for Modric and Vardy 48’30 PSG/ French national team disagreement

On the Football Daily podcast, the Euroleagues with Alastair Bruce Ball. Hello and welcome to Euroleagues on the Football Daily feed. I'm Alistair Bruce Ball. Domestic football returns in the top leagues across the continent this weekend. Plenty for us to discuss, though, from the international break. And for this episode, I'm in the company of Julianne Laurent, Guillain Ballagay and Mina Razuki, who is yet to join us, but she'll be with us shortly. So first of all, Jules, after the international break, refreshed and rejuvenated or exhausted and rung out? Always. You know me, Ali. Always. And also, I'm looking forward to, you know, I know you're preparing for the golf and the Ryder Cup coming up very soon. And this is exciting, even as us football fans are working in football. So there's so much good sport coming up, including the Champions League that is also back next week on the BBC as well, because we will have much of the day as we did last season. So this is very exciting. So international break was.

good, but club football is back, and that's also very good news. Yeah, that is top-top BBC plug-in as well, Jules, four Champions League commentaries on Five Live and BBC Sounds next week. I'll get onto the details of those in a bit. Guillaume, where have you been and what have you seen since we last spoke to you? Costa Vara, which is the best cost in the world, but don't tell anyone. And it is one of those times where, in theory, things are slow down, not anymore, especially when you've got an exciting Spain, you want to watch it.

In the past, it would have been like, nah, time to just break from football. No, no, no, no. You actually want to watch it. And they always deliver. Mina, are you with us? Can you talk to us? Yeah, you know, I've still got like my handbag on. I literally just ran in from like this press thing that we had.

So I'm in Saudi because Simoni and Zaghi's El-Hilal will take on Mateo Rategis al-Qa in the Saudi Pro League. So I've come to see how the Italians are faring in the Saudi Pro League as well. And so I've been on a lot of press things. And I wish I could show you guys, but I'm wearing like a full-on traditional sort of got, like, you know, the outfit. But this is a podcast, so you can't see it. Yeah, yeah. I mean, you know, if I could see you, Mina, that would be my job to describe as the commentator. We can see on the Zoom as well, yep, giving it a 12.

Very good. Guillem, just before we get into the meat of the show, I see that Steve Cooper has joined Danish side Brombie. So this is his first job since leaving Leicester last November. I know you know him well. So how has this come about? Why has this been the one do you think he's chosen, he's gone for? He's always felt that international football was for him at some point,

somehow, obviously he won the World Cup within the under 17th of England. But his mentor was in Liverpool, Pep Seura, who was the director of football, Barcelona, one of the guru of Spanish football. And he's always pushed him to actually challenge himself abroad. So, as you know, it went really well at Forrest. He became a bit of a cool hero there. Not so well at Leicester.

And I think at that point he was thinking, what is my level? What is it that I am about? And he's going to go abroad to find out. And they're very, very excited about him because he's a big name in their eyes, because the idea is to win another league title, which we think it'll be the fourth in this century, and because of his development of the likes of Marguet and Morgan Gibbs White and Brennan Johnson,

and that's what Brombe is about as well. So I think we should keep an eye on him, but professional reasons, but personal as well. Do you wonder if having had an opportunity to stay in the championship, if he feels that that's not right, and he starts a career abroad? Yeah. looking at the fixture list, Guillem.

So first game on Saturday is a derby against the league leaders Copenhagen. So obviously a tough start, but if you get a win, fantastic start. Yes, it hasn't got much time to train. Hasn't had time to answer WhatsApp either because we were trying to get it for today's show. But it's only been around for a few days.

They're fourth in the table. They're not far away from the top. But yes, the idea is they're going to give him time to that. And I think there were no doubt in the qualifiers of the. Conference League by Leanneuxneros Strasbourg. So they started opening the show list of candidates with foreign coaches. And they weren't for him.

And as I said, they're very, very excited about it. So is he. OK, we'll keep an eye on it then. Steve Cooper at Brombie starts with the Derby against Copenhagen at the weekend. Norway, that's what I'm coming on to next. So Norway's massive win in the World Cup qualifies. this week. They beat Moldova 11-1 on Tuesday, so that's five wins out of five in the group. It equaled the second biggest margin of victory in European World Cup qualification history.

The biggest win came 56 years ago, long, long time ago. That was Germany's 12-0 win against Cyprus back in 1969. Quiz question, does anyone know the biggest ever scoreline in a World Cup qualifier? so I'm talking worldwide in any of the confederations. It is a very famous game, actually. Yeah, it's the 13-0, isn't it? Yeah, very close. You're won away, Jules.

31-0. Yeah, Australia beat American Samoa. 31-0 back in April 2001, when a fellow called Archie Thompson scored 13 goals in the game. But, you know, Harlan got 5. Norway obviously got 11 and 5 wins out of 5. I mean, they've not been at a major tournament, Jules, since 2000.

And I always think when you think about countries like that, but particularly players like Harland and Erdogard, you know, world-class talent, you want to see it on the biggest stage. There's a great chance now Norway are going to get there. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, they beating Italy in that first game was key because it's one of them, really, they're going to top that group with you think Israel probably just coming in third place.

So second place is still okay for a playoff. qualifier and you'll have to go through that playoff, but you can still qualify, but if you can ideally top your group, it's even better when they came close in the past. They had a tough group, of course, for the Euros when they were with Spain and

Scotland, but didn't really work out for them. And this time with the extended World Cup, it's kind of a bit normal that they are very much in the mix. So this was a great win. The goals for Holland, as you mentioned, Tofo, Asgard as well. They have that kind of momentum, especially after the Italy,

So they should be there. But again, it would be a first experience like that in a big tournament for this generation for Solbaken 2, the head coach. And it would be very different to anything they've known before. Yes, they're used to Champions League football, but this is very, very different.

So I'm not sure we should put too much pressure on them if they qualify or once they qualify because they will be very much in kind of discovery mood, but they are a very talented squad. It's almost more surprising that they haven't yet qualify for anything than the other around, really. So people laugh about the Nations League, but they broke a mental barrier when they actually topped the group and qualify for League A or whatever it's called.

That recently, as Jules said, the victory against Italy, they scored seven goals into games against Oblak, Slovenia, one of the best callkeepers in the world. And in the game itself, what was interesting is that, of course, he showed the talent of Odergaard and Halland. They both had the best game with Norway at the same time. But they had soloth in one wing and noose and another, and they both had ordinary games. So they could have even, they say, could have reached another level. But certainly we are talking about perhaps dark horses, depending on the draw, who they meet.

But the kind of talk that you get in in Norway is quarter-fiance. Really? The thing they can get to that level, even though they have been in our World Cup since 1998, because they've been very solid in the last 12 months. They got, I think, seven consecutive wins at home, 28 goals against two. That's the goal that they got treated and scored. Great performances. And you're talking about a team that is picking at the right time.

Who are the teams that they're facing, right? That you can say are challenging them tactically or managing to keep that attack at bay. Because at the moment, they're allowed to indulge in what they have best, which is that their attack line is the best that you can find. You've got the creativity of Odegaard. You've got the best finisher in the one. in Harland up front. But it is a lot of like the Moldovas, you know, the Estonia, that kind of teams, which have and can be physically bullied as well. And so my question is that when they go

in with these hopes of knowing how to do that because they've been allowed to indulge in their style of play and they face teams that are tighter, what do you think is going to be the outcome? And I don't know because I'm saying, are they good enough now? Or how? What was the story of the win over Italy then, Meena, in terms of coming up against Italy? Italy is Moldova, basically. There's no difference. Italy beat Moldova 2 nil So I think it tells you a lot How bad Italy are

There we go I mean Italy Listen it's so different as well Because it's really hard to gauge What we're going on Like what to think of Italy Because you've had different coaches Right

So we've seen them from Mancini And then now they've like Spalletti Where it was terrible And then they've just born in Gattuzo For the last two So there's just different iterations of Italy And right now What we've got is a team that attacks

doesn't know how to defend. What we had under Spaletti was a team that played nice football, but had absolutely no hunger or desire or the wrong mentality, put it that way. It's been a team that hasn't qualified for two World Cups in a row. Italy was once upon a time one of the strongest and, you know, has the most number of World Cubs tied with Germany. But they've lost that ability to threaten their opponents. So when you judge the fact that Norway is beating them,

I wouldn't take that as something that I can honestly say to you. I mean, Israel scored four and, you know, managed to come back and totally destroy Italy in ways. Well, they just dropped the ball. And obviously, they got that Tonali goal at the very end to make it one of the most exciting games ever. And Gattuzzo said, this is my badge. And he hasn't had time to really translate his skills. But I can't honestly tell you that Italy right now is one of those teams that I would say, this is how we get to judge Norway because they played Italy and they won this.

But this is my question because I'm not sure, like you guys might have watched. way. I'm not watching their qualifiers all the time. But do you think that this is the team that is going to struggle in the World Cup? Or do you think that they are actually good enough to always play their game and get points? There is a team that is throughout all of the lines, they've got quality. They've got a good co-keeper. From certainly, they've got quality and alternative as well. They are doing it in a different way to that time in the 90s one.

they become the second in the rankings of FIFA, the number two. And they've got the fans behind. It seems really like not sure about quarterfinals, but it will certainly be a team difficult to beat and one of those that generally scored as well. So that takes you far. Right, listen, if Norway are potential dark horses at the World Cup next year, if they get there,

let's chat about potential favourites. Spain beat Turkey 6-0 away from home on Sunday to follow up their 3-0 win away to Bulgaria last week. So at the start of the group, two wins from two for the European champions. In terms of what we're seeing from them at the moment, is there anything new? I'm sort of thinking back, obviously,

to the team that won the Euros last year. How are they developing? They're doing the same thing, but better. And every player seems to reach a new level. Pedri was outstanding, not only the two goals his score, but the way he run the team. There is a mentality change.

There was confidence within the camp, much more than outside the camp in the Euros. Now I think we all think, yeah, we can win this. In fact, anybody who wins it that is not us, they're going to have to play really, really well. Against Turkey, there was collective brilliance. The second goal you have to watch it, every single Spain player played a pass,

play a part in that game. But Lamine hardly didn't have any any big impact on it. He did later on. He didn't score, but assisted twice, made eight dribbles out of 10, 23 out of 27 passes, four key passes.

So Lamine keeps growing, and around him, everybody else has got a role to play. By the way, Fabian was in there, who was so important in the Euros. And then Mikhail Benino comes in, fills the gap,

scores three goals. This is a quality of Spain that I have not seen before. and I've seen Spain for 40 years or so. That's what I find quite interesting, Jules, in terms of sort of squad strength. You know, Marino gets the hat-trick. Marino is not a, you know,

it's probably a little unkind to say not a star player at Arstall, but he's not a headline actor at Arsenal, even though he does an important job for them. And I always look at that Spain squad, and it's players like that, like Danny Olmo and Oryathaballam, and players like that who aren't necessarily the big names,

but you look at their caps and goals records. And Spain just seemed to have loads. to them. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, that's the other incredible thing. On top of the football and the winning experience and winning mentality that they are having now after the euros, we mentioned that

Fabian wasn't there, Roder was in there, Carvajal wasn't there either. So it was not even that really on paper, certainly when everybody is fully fit and on top form. This is not even their best team. And yet they go away to Turkey and they just smash them. And to be fair, they could have considered one or two,

but they could also could have scored easily two or three more without any problems. But you're right, the likes of Ferran Torres, who scored in that game too, is there. They're very that's the thing, but I remember talking about it with Guillem at the Euro in Germany when we were together before the semifinal,

but even earlier before Spain B France, but even before that in the tournament and he was saying the collective strength is incredible as well as Delafonte changing obviously a bit of what Luis Enrique had been doing before and this is a team that can keep the ball but can also play with verticality,

far more than before and they have that depth in the squad they've got players who are full of confidence they've got the momentum it would be very hard for anybody even in a year time

I know this a year is long in football but even in a year time they will still be massively favour and it'd be very hard to stop them yeah that makes them a scary proposition

Mina listen I think that the way that they played against Turkey signalled just the ability that they have and what they can do when they've got complete control of the game

but I do I am sort of reluctant to tell you who I think is going to be really good and who I think is going to be bad based on the fact that they're playing teams that are either, for example, like Turkey, they just decided to go all out, right? They were just very much not playing with any sort of balance. And so I don't know how to judge these types of games

when I don't think that they're being played in the strictest way that you would do so when you are in a major tournament and taking the right steps to ensure balance, to ensure defensive strength. This is the stage of a lot of experimentation for a lot of teams, and Turkey did that. Turkey is a very good team. And I think that the way that they played that match was very much like, let's see what we can do. We can take this team on.

We've got good strengths. Oh, okay, maybe we don't. Okay, maybe there's just giant holes here that Spain can totally exploit. I'm not taking anything away from Spain. I'm just saying that a lot of us making judgments about certain teams when maybe the opponent is not giving it at all in terms of defense. So I don't know how to judge these sides. But if I always think about who are the teams that I will always fear, it's always Spain. It's always France.

Well, there's three ways I'm thinking where you can come out with the conclusion that Spain deserved to be trusted. One is European champions, nations league, finalists. If there's ever a team to trust, it's very much. Yeah, no, if there is definitely any team to do that, it's very much Spain. That's one thing. The other thing is we've been playing the same way, even though in the Luzonrique era, didn't fully work for a while.

So these players not only know each other. other because they've been going through the ranks. They know the system inside out. That helps. You see England and you still see things not happening in a fluid way. Same with Italy. Germany as well. So that is sorted. And that for a national side, it just gives you certainly an advantage. And now for the first time in history, we've got a play that can win a game on by zone. Just La Minia Mall comes out with something. That's it. Game over. To have those three things for a for a tour, would be massive, then things happen, you know, standing off, injuries, whatever.

But right now, and I don't think I've said this in the whole of my career, there's nobody better than Spain, by a mile. Just on your mouth there, Gim, have Spain really never had an individual like that, you think, in the history of Spanish football, someone who can do, really? No, we had Raoum. No, I stand by that, too. The leader of Spain, but didn't impact international competition generally, or Wutragenio before.

It was great against Denmark, but was missed against Yugoslavia, for instance, in the same World Cup. We had David Villa who scored important goals when we won in 2010. Fernando Torres at this moment. But, you know, you talk, who's the best Spanish player in history? And then some would say Chavi, Iniesta. Okay, you've got Chabby and Iniesta, but now you've got a guy that right now in Europe

has never been involved in more goals, assists and goals itself. And he's only 18. So dispute in the Ballondor. Okay, Roderie was the best centre bit fielder. But again, this is not a guy that wins your game. So it's exciting. Just moving on to the domestic scene in Spain, Guillem.

Talk to me about the new camp. Or which way am I meant to say that? Camp New or the new camp? The no camp no. Finally, there'll be no discussion. You can put it in both sides. The no camp no. The new camp no.

Yeah, the new camera. But it is a no, isn't it, at the moment? Because they were meant to be playing their first match at the new stadium on Sunday, and it's been delayed again. Yeah, they will play at the Johan Kriff's stadium with a capacity of 6,000. La Liga demands that the capacity should be minimum 8,000,

but they just went like, yeah, okay, Johan Kruev will do. Because they realize of the difficulties that Barthorna are facing. The promises have been broken for a long time. They were supposed to return in November 224, then early 25, then before a class, And the thing is the club knew it was never going to happen.

So why do they do that? Why do they announce when nobody's asking them for dates that they're about to open? And then you look at the work that's been done. They're miles away from it still. And it has to do with two things, I think. One, the one the sponsors not to go away. The stadium is going to open any minute. Just don't go away.

But also there's a financial strain that puts even more difficulties to the future of the club. club. So, for instance, in December, Goldman Sachs are the ones who have put the money to build a stadium, 1.5 billion euros. In December, they were up to pay 44 million euros, and the following year, 94 million euros. So they actually pushing and put in pressure to the builders to say, come on, get this right, and get it soon, because otherwise the debt continues. And to have asked a financial advice a friend of mine to tell me in English the situation of Barcelona

so I can put it in just one sentence that he says very highly delicate the club's working capital still negative means it struggles to pay short term payments but its net worth is also in the red

with the debt exceeding the assets so they need to stop that and the only way possible to stop that is for the stadium to be open yeah so it was meant to be first home game against Valencia this weekend.

First home game in the Champions League is scheduled against Paris Saint-Germain on the 1st of October. So we'll follow that story. The Women's Football Weekly has found a new home in its very own feed. We've called it, unsurprisingly, BBC Women's Football Weekly. We'll continue to bring you the latest news, insights and analysis from across the women's game. They're throwing so big money around. to see how they line up, how everyone

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On the Football Daily podcast, the Euroleagues with Alistair Bruce Ball. I think we're going to get some very healthy debate on the Euroleagues on this next issue, because talking about Aliga, Villareal's match against Barcelona in December could become the first European League fixture to be played abroad with the Spanish FA approving plans to hold the match in

Miami. Italy are also trying to do something similar with Seria, aproposing that A.C. Milan's match against Como in February be played in Perth, Australia. UEFA's executive committee today said it would delay approving the decision until a round of consultation had been undertaken. I've got a feeling I'm just going to be able to lob this into the middle of you three, sit back and listen to you go for 10 minutes. So, I mean, what, you know, what about this concept of taking domestic league matches abroad?

Jules? It's not for me, Ali, it's not for me for a simple reason. I don't mind playing games abroad, no problem. But then everybody has to play abroad at some point. Because the rules are the rules. You're playing 19 home games. If you're in a league of 20, 19 home games, 19 away games. If two teams start having one of those games that is not at home or not aware, but on neutral ground, somewhere else, it's unfair.

And there should be no unfairness in a league season. It just doesn't work like that. So if you want games abroad, no problem. Everybody will have a game in Miami, in L.A., in New York, in Perth, in Paris, in Berlin, wherever you want, no problem. But everybody has to be on the same page. You can't just have two teams going away to play their game because the rules are the rules and they're there for a reason, right? 19 home games, 19 away games, that's the way it should be and stay like that. Unless everybody has that one game, somewhere else.

And in that case, I've got no issue, but not just two teams. Okay, so that's about the integrity of the competition, right? Mina? Well, mine is more to do with Seria, because one of the reasons that they want to do Milan Kormor, for example, is logical reasons in the sense that San Ciro is unavailable in February because they are hosting the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina in 2026 Winter Olympics on February 6. And so because there's going to be such a congestion fixture in February,

they allowed both Milan and Inter to play the first game of the season at home. So just an alternate days. And so that the idea was, okay, well, let's put this abroad. And it's a win-win situation because then we get to spread Seria and everyone, you know, in Australia, there are so many Australians of Italian origins and they get to finally see some of their teams closer to home at Wai. really well when they went in May. So you want more people to watch Seria. You want Seria to have

better coverage. It would be really good if you actually had a marketing department that picked up the phone. It'd be really good if all of these offices that you built abroad actually are staffed well and have a budget to actually work and do advertising in the same way, for example, the Bundesliga do. You need anything from the Bundesliga, you will get a reply straight away. You need anything from Seria. I mean, we're talking about two to three years before someone gets back to you and that's if anyone does. And so I think that they are focusing on the wrong things when they are trying to spread the word of Seria. And I think a lot of the times that the way the clubs operate, the way that it's so difficult sometimes to get hold of either interviews or to get hold of executives within

Seria, it seems astounding to me that they think, oh yeah, we'll just take this game to Australia and then everyone's going to love Seria and this is how it's going to work. That's just not how it's going to work. And yes, of course, I agree with Jules because how hard is it. it going to be for Milan to travel all the way to Perth. Imagine they're now in a title race, right? Napoli is playing at home, Inter's playing all within their city, and they are having to travel to Australia to take on Coma. It's going to be exhaustive. There's all these things to link into it, and if they are in the middle of a title race, that's just thrown their season potentially apart. So for the sake of fairness, for the fact that this is becoming more and more like a business,

and I get it. We live in this world, and we have to embrace globalization. and capitalism and everything. I just don't think we need to go that far just yet. That's it. But this is about relevant sports. Okay. Guillaume's been waiting patiently. Go on, Guillem.

Go for it, Guillem, who opposes both of us. First thing to say is that if you read between the lines of what the Eofa have come out with today, they're actually saying, we cannot stop this, but we want everybody involved. What is going to happen? What do you mean everyone involved, Guim? He wants the players to be getting all the information that, for instance, don't have now, the trade union in Spain is saying, we're not getting information from La Liga about what this is about and time to rest and things like that. So they want them involved,

they want sponsors involved, the one federations involved, all the federations, and to come out with an agreement. But it's going to happen. Integrity. The Villarreal president not only is happy to go to Miami to play Barcelona, but he's also said that they've beaten Villarreal's in Barcelona more often at the camp now than at home. So neutral ground isn't an automatic disadvantage. Secondly, I think we tend to look at football in a very Eurocentric way. But we want everybody to get involved. That is the money.

We want the money. But we'll keep the league to ourselves. And in fact, what La Liga is seen a little bit like Minna was saying, new markets, new audience, new engagement, boost sponsorship. broadcasting rights, merchandising, and all of that. Yes, that's money. But it's the only way to compete, for instance, with the Premier League that are heading away with all what their reaches.

So one way to stop that is to actually be at the forefront of this, go abroad, play a game, and see what happens. By the way, the NFL, the NBA, the MLB, they all travel abroad. And it's such an excitement to see it in Madrid or in London or whatever. Why can we not do that? for our Miami fans, very much effort. Okay. I mean, that's an interesting question, Jules,

in terms of other sports do it. So why shouldn't European football do it? There's different sports, different structures. They don't have relegations, for example. They don't have, you don't qualify for Champions League like you're doing, for another tournament like, yeah, you qualify for playoffs. But it's very different. So I, yeah, the way I see it, and for integrity,

I think there's a lot of teams that would like to play Barcelona, sometimes on neutral ground too, you know. And so that's just the thing. I think everybody should be in the same position. That's it. You should not have some teams who don't play all the game away from home or all the games at home or whatever. I think it should be the same for everyone.

But it's fine. La Liga can go and play there. We will be watching it. We see what the result will be and what the consequences and if it's positive or not so positive and if they're going to do it again or no, and maybe then more teams will go. I just think there are rules for a reason.

Yeah, but you also have to consider Like, as in this is another reason when we talk about other sports, there's salary caps in American sport. So you have the draft system as well. So that this makes a lot of things a lot more equal, right? When you are operating, like PM saying, where the Premier League is able to spend over 3.6 billion euros in the transfer market. And you look at the Bundesliga and Sariya and there are the minus levels are just slightly over. Then there's a huge disparity in the level of money being made. And this is where it comes into, of course, Villarreal and Barcelona need to.

to fly out to America because they need to make money to try to keep up with the Liverpools and the, and the Chelsea's of this world. But then this is where I feel like maybe the next step to do to make things a little bit more competitive is have a wage structure or do something in the sense that we don't have such a huge disparity. And if you do want to do it like American sports and embrace that, then you have to embrace the whole structure of American sports, which is including the draft system, which is including a lot of the fairness that exists there.

So then you can have the globalization that goes with it because everyone is on an even keel. And I don't think that you have that in European sport. So it's almost like we're trying to create our own sport where we keep the interest of football, what makes it so interesting, which was a working class sport back in the day, which is something that it was about, you know, Villa Real is what, under 50,000 population has this beautiful story. And it's like, yes, well, pay for your season tickets to travel. They're going to do that for the first year. They may even do that for the second year.

And then they'll be forgotten about those fans that have covered. or if you have all these like Oviedo story, which is about like how the club is well so hard to rebuild this. And then is that the same? Like are we going to lose that when it starts going more and more abroad and we start playing games in Australia or are the Australian fans going to, for that level, I think you're going to lose something. But we have to, I also agree with Giam's point in that we also have to cater to fans who live abroad.

Because I support a club that and I live abroad. And it would be nice to see Juventus as well in different countries. countries, for example. Do you think if it happened, Guillem, the games would, the ones that travel would lose their authenticity in a sense. I just mean, in terms of the occasion, it would be different. I accept it would be completely different. But in terms of what makes those games special, like a domestic league game,

because they're played in the country that those clubs, you know, are situated in, do you think there would be a level of authenticity loss there? Or does that matter? That is the thing. It doesn't matter because in the way you're looking at football, you're looking at football now. You're looking at the picture of football now. And as Mane is suggesting, there are things that are going to change. I'm pretty sure that football in five years time won't be the same as it is now.

Who is there to say that perhaps the trade union in England managed to succeed and put a cap in wages, which is something they're thinking of? That changes the whole picture already. What is there to say that dramatically changed their mind and they do want to travel abroad as well because they see the benefits of it. Then again, the whole world opens up. We've had football in a certain way for a long time. But since in the last three, four years,

I think everybody thinks that things have to change. They all seem to have the solution. But what we're doing right now is putting things out there, see what works, see what doesn't, to transform football in something really universal. And it makes sense that that happens and not just in World Cups. everybody wants to be part of it

and this is certainly a way of doing so. Let me just read you a statement from football supporters Europe. It's a combined supporters group involving several European clubs. So this statement came out last week on this issue. We express our firm opposition to the ongoing attempt to relocate games elsewhere around the world.

It's a direct attack on the essence of football. It would instantly open a Pandora's box with unpredictable and irreversible consequences. Football's based on a set of rules principles and the rules of domestic leagues are simple. You play the same clubs home and away and the best team wins the league. The concept of flying players, star

fans and others across oceans for a home game is absurd, unaffordable and environmentally irresponsible. Do you remember when the European Cup started and certain teams of certain parts of the world decided not to play it because that was against the essence of the game and then

they joined in. Yeah, you're arguing progress. You were the only one that was born when the first European Cup was played, I think. I can't remember. No, this is, this is, this is, yeah, can I ask you something. Let me just say, you know, one thing, the football fans are the most conservative part of the whole of football.

They don't want anything to change and I fully get it. I fully get it. I mean, this is one of the reasons also is like the ultra culture. Like, you know, maybe, maybe this is a good thing because the ultras, for example, they said, yeah, are almost trying to hold clubs hostage, right? So it's like, you know, you need us, so you've got to do everything that we tell you to do.

but actually maybe they don't need you eventually if they start flying abroad. I'm going to move it on to domestic football that is taking place in its own country this weekend. Mina, a little bit of Seria A chats, a league football returns this weekend. I guess the standout match Saturday 5pm UK time would be the Derby Ditalia, Juventus against Inter.

Is that right? Yeah, it is. It's the biggest, usually the biggest game of the season. Derby Ditalia, first time that you've got to. foreign coaches in charge of their teams. And you go into this with, I mean, there's already been two games that they've played in Sallia, but Juventus are ahead of Inter right now. And the question is more about Inter that I would say than it is about Juventus, because obviously Inter had reached two Champions League finals and three seasons under Simony and Zaghi. They had that dreadful loss to PSG that

seems to still be like the monkey on their back that they're carrying with them, whether psychologically, or just it's spoken about almost in every article and in every piece that's ever documented about Inter recently. It's like, oh, have they forgotten about that humiliation? And they brought in Christine Kivu, and I think there is a question, Marcus, too, he wants to play in this completely different way. He wants a more direct, more physical,

I would say more traditionally, almost Italian side. And I think that what was so beautiful about Simoni and Zagi's tactics that they were nuanced and very sophisticated, and the team were very adept at them. But right now, you feel like there's a lot of confusion and you worry whether Kivu is tactically sophisticated enough to extol the virtues of the players that he has and adapt to the opponent.

Juventus have their own problems. They've started so many different projects that have ended badly, have spent money where it's ended up going nowhere, and now they have the deepest attack because they've just bought in a bunch of players making up for the fact that they didn't get Kolo Mwani and I don't know.

I don't know whether this is the game. It's come too early. I wish there was more of Inter to have watched just to really make a judgment of this or more of Juventus' games. But I will say this, is that I worry about into the season if they stay under Kivu.

I have a feeling that both of these coaches, both Tudor and Kivu, won't last very long on this bench. I think that this is going to be very much of view. You stay as long as you do well. We don't give you the kind of guarantees that someone like Antonio Conte and Max Allegory

would get. So I'm interested to watch this game. I don't know how good it's going to be. I think there's going to be a lot of confusion. I just hope there's going to be a lot of goals. Jules, I don't know whether you saw Luca Modrich turned 40 this week and tweeted age is just

a number. He's obviously playing in Syria at the moment. Jamie Vardy is 38 and he said exactly the same thing having joined Cremazzi. So that's his new club. We've started the season really well. For me, age is just a number. As long as my legs are doing exactly what they used to and still feel as fresh as they do, then I will carry on at the moment there are no signs of them slowing down. And Vardy could make his Krebenezi debut away to Verona on Monday. It's

could be interesting, isn't it? Yeah, with number 10 as well. He was presented with the number 10, which is a special number anywhere. But, you know, in Italy, they've obviously had great number tens too in very different clubs. So it's a big number to carry. And you're right, they've started well. They're third in the table. They've been Milan on the opening day. It's only after two games, obviously, but they have two wins in two games. I mean, I don't know. He obviously hasn't played for a

very long time because he didn't have a real preseason. I don't know when he would be ready. He looked fit enough already today in his press conference, but that's not about running and being match fit for a game of that kind of level. So we'll have to see, but yeah, it's

very exciting. And we said it a little bit the other day about Ligand. there's much more, many more, sorry, English players abroad now. I mean, Vardy is a bit special because of his age, really. But still, I think he's good. And we talked about Steve Cooper, who is Welsh, but in terms of British players or manager, to go abroad now and learn from there

and live through different experiences. I think this is great. So I think we're all looking forward to see what Vardi can do there. Mina, I asked this question with my tongue firmly in my cheek. Could Cremonaisi do another Lester and win Seria? No, it would be a fairy tale. My God, they're so excited about Vardis. They are because, I mean, even when they introduced him, right,

it was like, this is the home of violin. This is like, we're going to give him the grandest welcome. People are like crying. You would think like Michael Jackson's in town, you know, this is the way they're treating his arrival. And still, Vardy is the picture of Lester's win. And for them, 2016 wasn't nine years ago. It was like yesterday.

It's like, this is the guy. This is the guy with Ranieri. He was Ranieri's guy. I'm interested to see whether he starts giving tips on what his health routine is, you know, have a Red Bull or what it is that's going to be. But they have David and Nicola as their coach,

who's a man who's very good at rescuing sides from relegation, just, you know, getting them just over the line. But is he good when he starts the season? That's the question. So that could be the Jamie Vardy debut for Cremonez away to Verona on Monday. Let's finish on France,

jewels where there have been disagreements the old club and country row going on during the international break and I remember listening to you actually on the first Euroleagues of the season talking about sort of argy-bargy going on in France so what's this all about what's happened?

Well you're right, that old debate that we've mentioned so many times on the show about club the countries and you know your players going for the international break with the national teams and something happening for them there because PSG were not too happy that Didi Deschon called up

and kept with him with the national team Uzman Dembele, who's already picked up like a minor injury in the league game before the international break and Desire Edway

they wrote a letter to the French Federation is saying, listen, they are both very tired physically. We've got all the data, we've got everything. Please look after them

and then what happens? Both of them get injured in the first game of this international break. One is out for six weeks, the other one for four weeks. And then obviously PSJ are not happy and they're saying to Deschon

and the national team we told you to look after them and look, now they're coming back and we won't have them for a month and six weeks, so you can understand PSG's position. We had a similar incident with the under 21s as well. We're not, we're not happy that one of their young players, very

talented, play with the 121s when they again told the Federation don't play him, he's not fully fit and yet they still played him and he got injured. So it's not the first time, not the last time. Deschon said, listen, I played Dembele especially because he said he was fair,

it looked like he was fair, and then seem to regret it a couple of days later because of how big this story became. So it's one of them that I think it's quite difficult if you put yourself in the shoes of a national team head coach when those players come to you and yes, you've been following them and yeah, you've got medical staff linking with each other and things like that. But it's still very different and you've got your own interest, your own games to win. It's not always easy to accommodate the clubs and some of the players. Yeah.

Lewis Enrique, Guillem, will have, he's been both sides of this. Yeah, that'd be interesting to see. Obviously, he now believes that the Federation have done very badly. But I was thinking as I was listening to Jules, I've spent a whole year now with Aston Villa. And the amount of where that gets put in for players' fitness to monitor where they are, blood tests constantly weighed all of it, to know, they're going to this machine where it goes like red or green, depending on how close you are to get an injury, that kind of thing. to now go to the national side when the manager says,

well, the player told me he was fine, and I'm sure there is more work than that, but simply not enough for this Formula One cars now that require every single detail to we look after, and they get thrown into the national side where there is not such a level of scrutiny, and these things are supposed to happen. Can they not have like a WhatsApp group,

the doctors of both, the Federation and the club, and they talk to each other? It should be as simple as that. No? It was too easy. But I think Ali was mentioning about Luis Enrique for him falling off his bike on the same day that both 2A and then Bailey

got injured, by the way, and breaking his collarbone. So he's a huge bike rider, loves his bikes and everything. And then Damas hurt, though. And he got surgery today. It's all good and he should be on the bench because he's a warrior on Sunday when PhD hosts Lans in Liguin. Thank you very much for your company. As always on the Euroleagues,

Giam Ballagay, Julianne-Laurent and Mina Rizukial. See you soon. Bye. Bye, guys. Thank you. That's it for this episode of the Football Daily.

The next one will be the commentator's view as John Murray, Ian Dennis and I look ahead to the return of the Premier League, talk surprise managerial exits and it's the correspondent against the senior reporter in Clash of the Commentators. He scored goals, lifted trophies and broken records along the way.

There it is. It's a day to remember for Wayne Rooney. And now he's got a podcast. Welcome to the Wayne Rooney show. Twice a week, Wayne Rooney, Kay Kerrude and me, Kelly Summers, break down the biggest stories in the Premier League and beyond. As much as you'd like to say it, loyalty in football and always is no existence, whether that's fun players or managers. Plus, we'll hear the funniest, wildest and most outrageous stories from Wayne's career.

The Wayne Rooney show. Everybody's talking about it. Listen on BBC Sounds.