Football Daily - Euro Leagues: Ligue 1's selling spree and Viking's double act

Episode Date: September 3, 2026

John Bennett is joined by Mina Rzouki and Julien Laurens to assess the aftermath of the transfer window on Ligue 1 in France after many of its young stars departed for the Premier League. Julien also gives us the lowdown on Malick Fofana's dramatic deadline day move to Sunderland.We're also joined by Bjarte Lunde Aarsheim and Morten Jensen, joint-head coaches of Norwegian side Viking, following their qualification for the Champions League league phase.The team look at whether moving to Juventus can revitalise Nick Woltemade's career. And we find out how SV Elversberg, from a town of 13,000 people, have reached the Bundesliga.TIMECODES 03:30 – Malick Fofana, Sunderland, Palace and two private jets 10:00 – Ligue 1 selling their stars to the Premier League 17:30 – Can Juventus rejuvenate Nick Woltemade? 25:50 – Viking’s joint-head coaches on their Champions League qualification 40:30 – Osnabruck’s TIFO 44:00 – The fairytale of Elversberg 5 LIVE/BBC SOUNDS COMMENTARIES Saturday 3pm: Nottingham Forest v Tottenham Hotspur (5 Live) Saturday 3pm: Manchester City v Coventry City (5 Sports Extra) Saturday 5:30pm: Hull City v Aston Villa (5 Live) Sunday 2pm: Everton v Manchester United (5 Live) Sunday 4:30pm: Arsenal v Chelsea (5 Live)

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Hello and welcome to the Euroleagues podcast. We now have our very own dedicated feed where you can listen to episodes every week. This week's episode is the last on the Football Daily feed. So all you need to do is search Euroleagues on BBC Sounds. and hit subscribe. We'll continue to bring you all the same content you've been enjoying here, expert views, exclusive interviews, and the biggest stories in European football.

On this week's pod, Can Juventus get the best out of the enigma that is Nick Volta Mardo? We'll also be joined by the joint head coaches of V King after their qualification for the Champions League, all that in the company of Julian Arons and Mina Rosuki. And Julian, it got me thinking joint managers, which are the Euroleagues team, which of the Euroleague's panellists,

would you be a co-manager with? Certainly not Guillem, Balagir, because I don't think you'll be able to say anything or do anything or try, yeah. Those shirts in the dugout. My guy would be horny. It would be James von Kaisal. Him and I would make such a great duo of coaches.

Would you wear a baseball cap in the dugout, do you think? Would that be his style? Yeah, and it will do like, I can do the tactics and he will do everything. You know, he's so good with, upstairs and the bosses and he would be like that.

It would just work so, so well, Jim and I. Mina, who you're going for? Bearing in mind, Rafael Honnstein, he's joining us later on. So you might not want to upset him. Really?

I would say Ralph, just because I just felt like Ralph would just want to go and enjoy himself. And we wouldn't take our job too seriously. I thought you're going to say because he's great at tactics, but no, it's all about the fun.

So we've got Gillesilae LaRons and James Horncastle, Mina Rizuki and Rafael Honestine is the joint managers, but I'm looking forward to speaking to Beatta Lunda Orsheim and Morton Jensen later on Euroleagues, the co-managers of

Veking. And one of them has a nickname. You know I love 90s football. He's got a nickname linked to an English footballer from the 90s. So stay with us to find out who that is. I could give you about 50 guesses and you would never guess this nickname that one of those

co-managers is he because he looks like him or is it because... Plays like him. And I'll give you one. I'll give you one. clue. It's a midfielder. Okay. We'll find out later. Remind me to ask that question a bit later on when we speak to the V King co-managers. But let's get into transfer deadline day.

That was the big football story this week. And Jules, you would have been a very, very busy man because so many of the big stories involved the French top flight. There are seven players, I hope I've counted it upright, who have moved directly from Ligern to the Premier League this summer for a combined figure of roughly 432 million pounds. So you've got Barcolour, you've got Bwadi, Jacques Fernandez Pardo, Umbai, Sangare, who's been sensational so far after his move from last

to Brentford and Malik Fafana as well. And I want to start by talking about Malik Fafana because all the fun was there for him on deadline day. He created the drama, created the fun, this tug of war jewels between Sunderland and Crystal Palace. Tell us the story here. Yeah, incredible because Leon, after missing out on Champions League football for this season, they lost in the third round qualifiers to Fenebache. If they had qualified, I think they would have been able to keep him financially. But the fact that they didn't qualify and dropped into the Europa League,

which is obviously not as lucrative as the Champions League, they had to let him go. Although he would have been very happy to stay, I think it would have been good for his development at 21, but that's another story. So he was there on the market. Now, final day of the transfer window, he has to go from the beginning. English clubs were after him. He's got such a great potential.

Sealing is really, really high for why he can do, despite coming back from a long injury. So, Leon were very smart, I thought, initially, by having made him, they make him do a medical, although nothing was really agreed with no clubs. But the medical was there. Generic medical. Yeah, exactly. He was dead. He's got the paperwork to join anyone.

Exactly. Yeah, exactly. He was ready. His bad ankle injury that he had a year ago, mostly, that roughly that kept him out for most of last season was clearly not a problem anymore because on the medical he showed that it was also. Leon did that and I think they were very smart because, as you say, J.B., it became an incredible story between basically Sunderland and Regis Lebris,

so one manager, one French coach on one side, and Crystal Palace and Pierre Sage, another French coach on the other side. Both of them literally, like two boys going for the same girlfriend or for the same girl and trying to win her over. It was a bit like that to the point that both clubs in that Tuesday afternoon sent two private jets,

one each, obviously, two Lyons, got them ready there, waiting on the tarmac for Malik Fafana to choose if he would take the one on the right-hand side, would go to London for Crucible Palace or the one on the left-hand side who would go to the northeast for Sunderland. And for a very long time, those pilots had no idea if they were going to stay there in Lyon on Tuesday night, in Brons actually, in the Lyon suburbs, or if they will fly to their

destination, basically. And I think for Fana really went pros and cones. He spoke at length to Le Brice. He spoke at length to Saj. Saj has played a big part in Malik Fahna's career because he had him when he was the Leone coach. So I think for a long time, we all thought, okay, he's going to pick Palace because of Sage, for example.

But in the end, and there was also commissions for agent involved and all of that, a lot of things. And Malik Fana's uncle, he's his agent and he's very, very influential in why his nephew does. And in the end, they decided to go for Sunderland and Regis Lebris. I love the idea of having the two planes. And he's standing in the middle, shall I go to, Crystal Palace, shall I go to Sondel.

I wish I was the goal that, you know, they had two, Bates fighting for me. Who was I going to pick? I kind of feel like, you know, I thought it was going to go to Palace just because of that relationship with Piersage. So, anyway, I'm jealous. No, and I think Piersage also thought that.

And you thought there's the pool of London too, being in London. I mean, I've got nothing against the Northeast, but London is a massive attraction for players and players' families and things like that. So I think there was a time in late afternoon, around five or six, where Pallas really thought, okay, he's ours now.

And they were very happy. I think he would have been a really good signing. In the end, he went for Sunderland. And they signed Osirio, who was also a young, very, very promising young players. So young winger. So I think in the end, we'll see time will tell if Sondon got the right deal. Let's get into Liga and the amount of players that are being lost. Just before we move on to Ligand, J.B.

You remember the DEMWingy story, right, on transfer deadline there. This isn't quite as good as that one, is it? That isn't quite as good. But I've got a better one. Do you remember Park Chuck Young, who was a South Korean international, who had a decent career, he went and played, he played in France, he played for Arsenal as well. And when Arsenal signed him, he was at Monaco, I think, at the time. And he was on his way to Lille.

Lille were going to sign him. He checked in in the hotel in Lille to do his medical the next day. And the next day when the guy from Lill came to pick him up in the car to drive him to the training ground to do his medical, they knocked at the door of the hotel. And nobody opened. And they were like, well, maybe he's asleep. So they knocked harder. And at some point, nobody opened the door because he was on his way in the Eurostar to London

to sign for Arsendanger and Arsenal. And nobody had told Lille. So that's a, that is another one of those stories where, In the end, he only made, I think, one appearance for Arsenal, but never played ever for leading his career. It's an incredible amount of players, though, that have left Liga as well. So excluding the Premier League, Liga top the amount generated from player sales in this window. Again, I have to double-check this figure. 1.142 billion sold.

We know that Liga is the talent factory. Premier League clubs have been taking the best players from there for decades. But even so, Jules, that figure is astonishing. How are people feeling about this in France? Yet again, so many players leaving Liga for the Premier League. And it's for as much as you expect it because every summer is the same.

And I think the Premier League money, bank roles, league and clubs, to a certain extent anyway, we have very, very little TV rights in France for clubs for reasons that we'll explain a bit later. So the only way, really, or the main way for French clubs to survive in a way

is on players trading and for that whether they find a gem somewhere like a Sangare that they went to gain Austria and give him a platform in a better league to showcase his talent before he goes to the Premier League whether it's a young player from the academy

a shirky, you know, a barcola or MBI if you want from the PSG Academy it's whatever way it is French football and and Liga and French clubs have just become the go-to for Premier League clubs whatever you want we have

whatever profiles you want we have do you want youth and pace we have do you want cheap and solid we have you want great tactically we have it's like you know you come to Aladdin it's us and we've got this this cave with all our treasures

and you just come and you do your shopping and we are Aladdin in and you know you are the rich the rich merchants who come to us and buy yeah exactly and buy the stuff and french football could not survive without the primary league money i think primary clubs know that so sometimes there's good deals to be made and sometimes you just have to pay the price like for bar call out like for and buy because they are very very good players and that's the that's the in a way the sad reality but a necessity as well on the french side it benefits in many ways, I think it benefits the French national team because they just keep churning out these kids because they don't have any other options.

And then these kids then get sent off to these big clubs. And then you've got 150 wingers to choose from. Each one is better than the other. And each one is playing for all these top sides, all in top leagues, facing different opposition and learning and growing. And I think that what Liga is losing, the national team is gaining, right? like Barcola is playing against he has Desiread de Weir before is his teammate or cravat scale

it's just a lot of competition now he could potentially be a star on his own ride in Liverpool then you're you're gonna everything just keeps growing now you've got Jacquesé as well who's moved in the centreback he's going to potentially grow into being another great guy that they have

as well and so I feel like having all of these exports actually ends up benefiting the national team because you just got a ton of great French players in all these different clubs now. Is it saving Liga as well? Because, you know, Mina's right, talking about the TV rights deal.

So there was this TV rights deal which was all set up, expecting a lot of money. That collapsed. And the distributor, Media Pro, unable to pay what was agreed. So Liga clubs have lost so much money, a huge drop off. Is this keeping Liga going, the amount of money then, Jules, that they're making from the Premier League clubs? Yeah, yeah, players trading. like I said earlier, this is the only way.

We have a very, very tough and strict financial fair play. Let's call it like that, the DNCG in France, which is a bit like PSR in England for Premier Clubs, but even tougher than that. And you have to fall into the rules and you end up having owners who like Frank McCourt and Marseille who doesn't want to put more money in the club because he's had enough of every summer

just adding another $50 million or $100 million, $120 million euros. You've got Michel Kanga, Alion, who's doing an amazing job in the women's game, in the men's game, but she's saying like, hang on, this is not sustainable anyway, just me putting money in. So we need to have players trading because that's where the money is and that's where the money comes from. And as much as you are weakening your league, because that's the case, there would be a time where if every summer, primarily clubs and others, you know, in Spain, in Italy, in Germany, come in and buy for $1.3 billion of our talents, there would be no talents left. those cycles we need another two or three years

to have the next barcola or the next Cherokee or the next Jacques or the next you know they're as good as we are in terms of producing players and finding those gems like a like a Sangare

there's a point where it slows down or it stops so you might have a generation that is not as talented as the previous generation so you don't produce as many good players as the previous generation

so next summer it might only be 400, million that clubs come. I was going to ask you, who's the next name? Is there a name you can give us now in a year's time with the Premier League clubs are all going to be going after? We talked about the successes so far

and the incredible start that Sangare has made. Who's the next Sangare? Difficult question for you, Jules. Yes, it is a bit tough. For example, Lans have a wonderful centreback called Ismail O'Ganyu, who is 21 years old, who is, for me, I can't see why, what could happen for him not to reach the top of the top

like a jakeet, like a saliba, like a Nupamekano, like a Conate, those kind of guys. So he's probably the next one on the list, I think, to probably go for 60, 70, 80 million euros. You've got, like, Lille, do something really interesting where every summer they say we've got one big sale, one year is Euro or then it's Jackie T,

or this year was two, Adi and Fernandez Pardo. And you've got also young players in them like Ngoi, who's already a Belgian international, O'Nal potentially, Aradson, who's 23. There will be the next one at some point going for 50 plus million. Monaco have Lamin Kamara, who could have gone to Chelsea, didn't go to Chelsea, who's 22 years old, next summer. He will be the biggest sell in Liguin.

He will cost up to 80 million easily next summer. So it's just the way it is. It's just difficult, I think, to every summer. have those players ready to be sold, to primarily clubs especially for all that kind of money because there's a point where it will slow down. That kind of eternal vending machine, if you want, will stop working.

We'll get into Italy in a moment, but just another quick one, Jules, on France. We have to talk about Marseille. It wouldn't be the Euroleagues without a bit of chaos at Marseille. So Bruno Ginesseo, the head coach, he said something about resignation, week that there's no news on my resignation because basically they've had to sell so many players and they brought nobody in. It is absolute chaos against yours. What's going on with Marseille?

Yeah, I mean, they're the ones who have been the most impacted by those very tough financial fair play rules. They've had a new manager. You mentioned Geneseo, J.B. They had a new sporting director in Greg Lorenzi, who did a really good job at Brest before on a low budget. But this time, it's not even a low budget. It's zero budget at all. and they knew at the start of the summer that they would have to sell well and a lot before even thinking about bringing players in

and they did sell quite well you know greenwood is gone and a few others have gone as well but the problem is that was still not enough for Ginesio and Lorenzi to be able to bring

even a player like Tokoekombi, do you remember him? Yeah, he's a free agent he's ready, he's available and yet even him they can't they wouldn't be able to register him so that's how bad the situation was there. And I feel for Genizio

because he's such a good coach. He arrived in this huge club that right now, he's just debt-ridden and without any kind of capacity to sign any new players. We've had a WhatsApp into the show and this is

a good point. AS from Wales writes in, high football crew please explain the need for two planes. Surely with just one plane the pilot could have either flown to London or to Sunderland. That's a good point, actually.

Why two plays? You need to book the two trips, so you need a slot to arrive in London at some point. It's better for the drama. It's better for the drama. But you know what I was thinking? Do you think when they book those private jets,

Sunderland and Palace, they try to get the best and the most beautiful and the biggest, because when they're both next to each other, if you have one, really poor one on the left. Exactly. Like a stanky all that thing. brand new, flashy, you know, as all the tech in it.

For fun, I was like, I want this one. I don't want that, like, crappy one there. Yeah, exactly, you know, so I wondered if they said, like, book the best you can. Book the best private jet you can, okay? It was to get the best playing. Right, to Italy now, just one year on from signing for 64 million pounds. Nick Voltaimardo swapped the black and white of Newcastle for the black and white of Minas Club Juventus on a season long loan.

And I watched Newcastle a lot last season. I don't think they could work out. Is he a midfielder? Is he a number 10? Is he a number 9? Do you think Uvei is the place where they can get the best out of him? It'd be very interesting to see what Spalletti does with him

and Spalletti has quite a good track record with some of the strikers that he had through his pretty amazing career to do really well with him and have that kind of the right profile in his team. You've got other strikers who haven't worked out for him like Jonathan David, for example, who left the Uve to go to Athletico Madrid, on loan this summer, for example, or Luis Hopenda, who went from Yuvres to Lyon, because again,

he was not going to play and didn't play much last season. So I think it's a really interesting one. What was obvious to us, and we said it on our Premier League Sunday show with the boys last week as well, is that Volta Madre, staying in Newcastle, staying in Newcastle in style of football was never going to work. Yeah. This is not what Yasler is looking for as a number nine. So Volta Mado would have maybe 10, 15 minutes there off the bench, but that's, again,

for him, that's not good enough. So this is a fresh start in a league that is certainly less physical and less intense than the Premier League, which could suit him because he's not that intense and not that physical either, despite being tall. So I think this could work if you play on his strength again. I really hope so because I think there's so much potential there. And early on at Newcastle, it seemed as though it would work and then slowly but surely it fell away.

You mentioned Spoletti, though. He's had a bit of a dig, hasn't it? one of his other strikers, someone you know very well, Randol Kolo Mawani, he singled him out for criticism, didn't he? Was it a week ago? What do you think behind this?

And how do you think Kolo Mwani will react to this? He basically said he thinks he's a better player than he is and maybe he needs to be a bit more humble, just to paraphrase him. Yeah, exactly. Colomani, who was on loan the season before last, before he went on loan to Spurs. And as we saw that, that didn't work out for him at all.

So going back to Yuve started again Frozen one where he missed two big chances and after the game Spaletti was asked about Colomani and the performance and he went well if he hasn't played for two years now he should ask himself why because he's just not this is not good enough basically and that was quite brutal maybe he was a way of saying like I need

I'm happy that you're here and we worked really hard to make this move happen and it's true they did they worked really hard to make that move happen and now you have to deliver because we're counting on you, we put faith in you, and what we saw against Fozino, which is a promoted side that is not very good, it's not enough enough.

So let's see, can Colomani and Volta Madi play with each other? I think so. Colomani can play slightly wide, and Volta Madi as the 9, for example, or you could have Volta Madre almost as a 10 behind Colomani. That would be interesting to see. And you know what? I like a lot of what Yuvre did in terms of transfer.

Papa Matasar also came from Spurs. Vicario came from Spurs. We mentioned Colomani and Volta Mather. Grabara from Volzburg is a good goalkeeper, I think, to have. John Lukumi is a strong center half, Syria proven. So there's a lot of things despite not having much

money that he did that is good. And obviously, Kerry Malay Begovich, the new Bosnian prodigy and won the kids. I was also joined them. So I think there's something good there for Spariety to do, but he will need, whether it's Colomani or Volta Mado, one of those nines, has to perform.

as Juvei will struggle this season to reach the level they want. And that's what makes Jules. The game coming up this weekend, Juventus against Milan, so intriguing. And I was skeptical when a couple of weeks ago, you were on with James Horncastle, and we talked about Seria and you really talked up Milan. And you said, they won't win the league,

but they're going to be the team that pushes into all the way. I was skeptical, but to be fair, they've started well. Both of these sides, two wins from two. I know it's early season, but that feels like a really significant game, doesn't it, to make a bit of a statement early in this campaign. Yeah, you're right. It's the Witalia to start with,

so it's one of the biggest games, not just in Italy, but in Europe on your season, a game that you should watch, although I should remind you, and this is not a dig asseri out and football, but those, these games, the last two times that they face each other

was a nil-nil-drow. It was not always boring, but it was just no goals, right? But it's Rubenhamorim's Milan, that I've been playing really well, that again, I think, spend a lot of money on the transfer window on interesting players, even Omari Hutchinson or Diego Morera from Strasbourg, Gonzalo Ramos, has arrived from PhD, the most expensive signing ever for AC Milan.

And then you've got the rivalry with Juventus. We mentioned Juventus and their transfer window that despite not having much money was also, I think, really interesting. So it's going to be quite fab. For Amorim, this is a massive test, obviously, not just because it's the Derby, but also because is Spaletti against him, and we'll see what kind of tactical response he has against Spalletti. Ruben Amorum, I thought it was really interesting that when he was signed on his coach and the way that he was introduced by Jerry Cardinali, who is the owner of A.C. Milan was,

now we're going to play to win rather than playing not to lose, which was almost a dig in Massey, and Masimiliano Allegri, their former coach. So with Speletti's football, Volta Mada, and what has been considered the best transfer market dealings by EC Milan and bringing in all these different players. It should be exciting, although I would wager a bet than Gonzalo Ramos will have eight shots on goal and maybe convert just the one. It's so frustrating to watch Milan at the moment with him up front because you can see how many chances of being fashioned that he's not taking on board.

But this is a side that is playing very attacking football. As do Juventus do, Juventus again have lost some of their best. Well, I mean, they've lost Kenan Yielders and they've lost Taram in midfield. some of their most important players, if you like. And Volta Mada is being described as a giant. I mean, the advertising was that they kept giving him things, so they gave him a shirt, then they gave him a cup, and everything in his hand then becomes baby size.

And it was like the whole point is that this is such a giant. But Speletti went to say that, you know, I don't care if he's bad at shooting. It's going to be part of his bread and butter. Like he is going to get to know that off by heart. He better get good in aerial jewels. sorry, because that's what it is that he doesn't do. He doesn't head at the ball well.

And Spoletti was keen to emphasize that he's going to be great at that. So, Volta mater, there is a lot of, I think a lot of excitement around him. There was a lot of talk about Joshua Xerxian, whether or not he was going to play, because that seemed to be the guy that Speletti wanted the most. He wanted a very different profile to Kolo Moani. And with Volta Mada, you can say that he is very technical and he's a very intelligent footballer and how he plays his football. I'm a massive fan of Yassali, but I agree with Jules in the sense that that would have never worked out together.

I mean, I've actually gone to even watch him in Al-Ahali when he was in Saudi Arabia, and I really enjoyed the way that his teams play. But that wasn't going to work out, and I really do think this is going to benefit Juventus. I really hope it does work out. But it does seem that Sediah keeps bringing in all these taller and taller players. Statistically, every player keeps getting taller. So let's see what happens. Growing businesses deal with the same problem.

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The Euroleagues with John Bennett. Time now on Euroleagues on five live sport to bring in two special guests. After bird a glimpse European successes last season, Norwegian football is once again on the rise this season because the champions Veking are into the Champions League phase, what used to be known as the group phase, for the first time ever. And I'm very pleased to say that the joint head coaches of Veking

are with us now on Euroleagues. Biatta, Lunda, Orsha. and Morton Jensen join us. Hello to both you. Thanks so much for joining us. How are you doing? Hello. Hello, good evening.

So, first of all, the obvious question, Biotr, I'll start with you. Just how exciting is it to have the prospect of the Champions League right around the corner for the football club? It's almost unreal. We talked about it. Maybe you should go, okay, you go into conference.

and learn there, then you go into European League but we just jumped into the best party ever. So it's unreal, but we're really looking forward to it. You've gone straight there and you've got some fixtures to really look forward to by Munich at home, Aston Villa away, Athletico Madrid away, Napoli away. When the fixture list was drawn, Morton, when the draw was made, what were you most looking forward to from those fixtures?

I think we're just really excited that we got to we got the whole buffet, we go to England, we go to Germany, we host the German team, we go to Italy, we go to Spain, and yeah, I think obviously by Munich home will be very interesting to play against one of the best teams in the world, but historically as well, go to Napoli,

Maradona's old playground. That'll be fantastic, but also Athletic to Madrid. be up against Diego Simona side will be very interesting and obviously Astonville as well. Norwegian, Norwegians are quite obsessed with English football. So to go there to Villa Park and actually our old assistant coach, Paul Fjelde, it's the set piece coach at Aston Villa just now. Boys, so let's be honest here. What's the secret?

How have you taking a team like Viking into the Champions League? with all the big boys, all those games that you mentioned. What have you done? How have you worked your magic to make that happen? Yeah, I think it's hard work and the grind, obviously. But I mean, we talk a lot about development and performance. And if you have that mindset together with a really strong culture, we have to have the sum of our 11 players need to become 12 and 13 when you play these.

big teams and I think we're good at man management and being able to to lay good tactical plans into the games to try to get the best out of our teams. I also think it's the like the positive waves that goes in Norwegian football now with of course Buda as you know and our national team and also the like the ranking in the system that makes the Like us, who become champions for the first time for a long time, and get the chance in the play of two champions league makes the way into Europe. Also, it's not easier, but you see how many Norwegian teams that's joining the European competition. So that's also a sign that the quality in our own.

league is much, much higher than it has been. I was listening to your CEO, Eric, you're now talking to you, Afer. And he said that when the interview came about, you both came in and it was your idea to work together as a duo coaching the side. Has there ever been a moment where you turned around and thought, I don't want to do this anymore. I want to be on my own. Or do you think your superpower is actually your partnership?

I think the last part there that you said is our superpower because I think modern leadership is all about teamwork and having it's not only us. We have other assistant coaches around as well, but it's how you work as a team and not only as one head coach that's going to make a team great. And I think that you, if you dare sometimes to go against the strides, then you can achieve great things. if you're going to follow and do whatever everybody else does, maybe you become a poor replica. So for now, we're quite happy, happily married here, and we love working together. And we see that we keep developing both individually, but also as a coaching team every single day and every year. So for us, it's really important that we have that hunger and drive and appetite to always try to make up. product better. How do you delegate things, Biotta? Do you have special skills? So

Morton will look after this, I'll look after that. How do you delegate the responsibilities? How is it split up? Or is it just something that you've been working together so long? It's just natural now. It's like a special story also to the point where we decided to go together. We are like born, vegan fans. We've been playing in Viking both of us. We were working together as assistance, coaches and the dream job in managing Viken came up. There's been some great coaches in the Wiking. But we find out that, okay, let's do it together. It will be better and the chances to also get the job will be better.

But in the office, of course, we discuss everything. You need extra time, especially in the beginning, but also, to the players, I do everything in the way we defend. Morton do everything in the way we attack. But, yeah. Biotto, you mentioned your playing days. I want to talk about your playing days because you're the former Vecan captain, over 400 appearances for the club.

And I really hope this is true because I said this area in the show that you have a nickname linked to an English footballer. Is that right? Can you tell us about this? Give us the big reveal then, which, Which English footballer was your nickname? It came in the, when I was quite young. Morton mentioned we follow English football a lot.

And there was a player in Leeds, David Batty. David Batty, fantastic. That picked up a lot of yellow cards. I also did that. So that's the reason I got that name. Morton, was he getting lots of yellow cards? Was he a dirty play? Morton was a bit of a dirty player, lots of players.

Yeah, he was terrible. He's lucky that's the PR now. He would have many of those yellow being red. Different times, different times. What are your hopes then for this Champions League? You mentioned Budiglip, your big rivals, of course. But can you be inspired by what they did last season? The fact they got out of the league stage.

What do you think your ambitions can be in this Champions League campaign? It will be quite similar to their achievement, but we have to remember. Budigint has been now three or four years in the European competition and had a lot of learning as a club, but also as a team. And they've been managed to keep the same players, the same coaching staff over a good period of time now through Conference League, through Europa League. They went all the way to the semifinals and quarterfinals and Champions League last year. So when you have consistency over time and you are able to take the learnings from one season into another, I think you can progress.

So for us, it's going to be obviously a lot of learnings. Maybe it will be some brutal games for us, but still it will be learnings there. And then hopefully we can manage to create some results home. And then who knows, maybe we'll be able to add up enough points to see it through to the next stage. That will be fantastic, if not. we still have a lot of learnings

and we're so proud to be a Norwegian team for Viking to be the first time ever in the Champions League so we'll be super proud every time we step on the field it's going to be the home games that's going to be important for us if you compare us to Buda how many games we have eight nine games in Europe

and they have 90 So we need to make this happen next year as well and do a lot of quick learning this year. For our listeners who are going to watch your games in the Champions League. What kind of football do they expect to see from your team? And if there was maybe one player that I know you are a very strong collective and you might not want to pick just one of those players for us to watch. But could that be Peter Christensen?

Could that be Slatko Trippage? If there was one, maybe that you say you should watch him play because you will enjoy that? Who will it be? Do you want to go first? You go first. I know, like you said, I don't think any individual, but obviously we have a special captain in Slatko Trippitch.

It was very experienced and involved in a lot of the gold-producing situations. And one of our key players, which are sold to Vestham in Edvenos, was a little tricky magician on the winger, but we have some really, some really, good young players, one guy to be as Moi coming up in ranks now. I think he's high profile now and he will be high profile within next year and anticipated a big move for him also within a couple of years or sooner. So he's in like a number six, number eight. Really good. Reminds me of Kobe Mayno. And we also have a young winger, Niklas Fuglista. So homegrown produced

player as well, both of these guys. So we're very proud that most of our players, in our squad come from our area and our academy. Beata, more to mention there that West Ham have signed one of your players. Obviously, it must be tough to say goodbye to him. But Edvin Ourspur, what can the West Ham fans look forward to from him? How much potential does he have? He's a dribbler and a goal scorer. He's going to challenge one against one.

He's quite quick in like small areas and really good with the ball. And he can shoot and curl the ball in the corner. So I think Westham can expect that. I watched the 12 minutes he played now. And Dennis was all about defending. So he picked up some stuff in the defending as well. So I was pleased. I wanted to talk about Norwegian football.

general has grown exponentially. I mean, we've seen the team be excellent in the World Cup. Obviously, all these players are now flooding the top leagues, Norwegian players. How much has the investment by the country into artificial turf and everything help the different clubs as well in growing and nurturing talent across the board? I think it's a good and fair point. I think Norway needed to do revitalize because we had a real big peak in Norway. the 90s with so many Premier League players and then we had a huge dip where Denmark and Sweden just surpassed us greatly and I think Norway as a Federation

have looked upon to these countries but also also Belgium and now Netherlands and to try to find ways to make our academies better and I think the professional coaching has been much better at a lower stage and with the turf now you see these Martin Oedegos, these Nusa, Andreas Scheldre. There are so many great Norwegian players now before Norwegians were used for the flow pass. They used them for the long ball up to the big striker

and knock it down and finish. But you see, we have these so lots and Holland still, though, but I think many Norwegians now are really technical. They're good tactically. And they've always been, in every single Norwegian, I think, has been grit. They work hard, they're consistent. They're not kind of flamboyant players, but they're hard work.

And you know what you get from a Norwegian player. And there's been done a great job from the Federation to the academies in the top clubs. So the youngster meet qualified coaches much, much earlier than, for example, in my time. And one final question. Thanks so much for giving us so much time today. Who's on the edge of the technical area the most out of you two? Is it Morton or Biata? Oh, Biatta's pointed to Morton.

So Morton, you're on the edge, are you? It all depends. I mean, I'm usually, we cycle, but it's difficult. We like to be active in the game, and you think you can affect the game when you're active. We both have a lot of passion for the game. and I think that it makes a difference if we are living into the games.

So I think it's a good cooperation on the sideline and let's see how it will be when Stuttgart is away next Wednesday. We talk a lot to the Fort of Hitchel. We'll be watching. I would be watching the technical area as much as the pitch, I think, when I watch you play against Stuttgart next Wednesday.

All the best. guys. Thank you so much for your time. It was brilliant to speak to you. That was Biotr Lunda Orshae, the co-manager of Veking, alongside his other joint manager, Morton Jensen, so all the best of those guys against Stuttgart. Next Wednesday. Minerizuki is with us, Julian Lorenz, as well with me, John Bennett, on the Euroleagues. We're going to head to Germany now and welcome our German football expert, Raphael Honnstein. Hello to you, Raffa. We want to talk, first of all, about by Munich, avoiding an early scare against the Bundesliga to. side Osnerbrook yesterday in the Cup. But everyone's not talking about the game.

They're talking about an amazing roller coaster ride Tifo. If you haven't seen this, head to the BBC Sport website and search for Osnabrook Tifo. Rapha, you've got much better description skills than me. I'll let you talk about this. It was an incredible sight behind one of the goals. Was it along the side of the pitch, actually? No, no, it was behind the goal.

also at Bremer Brueke, which is the home ground of Osnabrück. So imagine the whole stand behind the goal showing a roller coaster track effectively. And it says always roller coaster with Osnabrook because they're a classic yo-yo side, mostly between second and third division. They've also had a few scandals over the years. They also had a very famous DFP Pocale Cup win at Byrind in 1978. which was much referenced before this game. But then to just bring out the roller coaster nature of this choreography even more,

suddenly there was a roller coaster car with doors dressed as ultras going up and down. So the tracks. So it moves. That's astonishing. Jules, did you see, have you seen this yet? This has got to win the World Cup of Tours. This has got to be the champion. And Germans are usually very, very good with their chiefos.

I remember one, there's been a few over there that were quite special. But that's what ultra or certainly like, you know, hardcore fans do all around the world and all around Europe. There's the one I prefer from a PhD point of view is the Dragon Ball Z one that they, they put out a few years ago that was very, very special. But yeah, they're so creative, they're so good. Often they don't have, I mean, in this game, they had, I guess, a bit of time, but sometimes you don't have much time to prepare.

And the whole community gets together to do all those TIFOs. It's wonderful to watch. Yeah, they're not always great, are they, Mina? Some signs they disappoint, but this one did not disappoint at all. No, I mean, my favorite one remains the Arsenal one, which was just the cannon. Oh, dear. Oh, dear. But actually, there was a great one. Do you remember the one which was Milan when they did the Matrix,

me or dodging bullets? That was a great one when they were playing against PSG and Brosse A Dortmund against Malaga many years ago. God, I don't remember even when that was. When they had the glasses, yeah, there were so many, so many. But it is called TIFO, so the Italians do it better. I'm not so sure. Yeah, Brissy Dortmund have had some fantastic ones.

So Raffa, we want to look back at the Bundesliga, action. And one big story, the story of Elversberg, who are from a town of just 13,000 people in the Bundesliga for the first time. And they held on for a three-two win over the 2024 champions by a Leibnikuzen. What a story. How good was this performance for them on their Bundesliga start? Yeah, it was great. I mean, this is a team that's been flirting with promotion for a number of years. They couldn't quite make it. The fact that they were so close so many times is in itself, of course, a huge compliment to the way they've been doing things because historically in terms of the size, you mentioned,

this is not a team that really belongs in the Bundesliga, but they've been doing stuff really smartly. They've had smart coaches in the past. They have another one who looks really good in Vincent Wagner. And they are the experts in picking up players that others overlook and making them into a really fun side. they also like to play football, and we saw that against Leverkusen. This is not just a side that plays on the break and runs a lot and presses a lot. They really like to play football.

And Vincent Wagner, before the game, likened the chance of not going down to the humans landing on planet Mars. So quite remote, in other words. But I think after that result and the way that they held on and the way they caused real problems to Leverkusen, and who are in transition, we have to mention that, you know, a very new team, a new coach. Things will take a bit of time. But Eversberg looked like they belong at this level. And after Heidenheim have gone down,

I think they're the new sort of obscure provincial side that a lot of people enjoy watching. You mentioned picking up some talented players. What's the secret then behind their scouting? How are they finding these talented players, particularly youngsters? I'm not sure there's a secret. it. Everyone is doing the same, but then it comes to the quality of the people making the decisions. Everyone has the same data. Everyone looks at the same players. Of course, they had to be

really cute with getting people on loan. They've had Paul Vanna, who is now an Austrian international playing for Pesway, Eindhoven on loan. They had Vincent, they had Nick Voltaemar on loan a few years ago as well. So they have a habit of identifying talent. and they foster talent and they for some reason or another find the right players. Now, Dortmund, for one, have been very much paying attention because they pinched their sporting director all the book before the start of the season. So now he's working for a bigger side, but a successor is already looking pretty handy as well.

And yeah, a great side with a small. side, but with great promise. And I think definitely a story to watch this season. You mentioned Borisi Dortmund also started strongly. Two-0 win over Hamburg with their Greek stars shining. Here's what Rafa said about them on last week's Euroleagues. Caretas and Constantilios, two Greek players that they bought, who are very creative and look really interesting.

And I think, along with Christos Solis from Arsenal, might usher in sort of renaissance of Greek football a little bit. There's a lot of talent suddenly appearing. They started so well. They made you look very good yet again, but then what happened, a massive injury? Yeah, it's really sad. Constantelius ruptured as ACL.

It's a big shame. He had such a wonderful debut, but picked up that injury, and, yeah, we'll be out for a long, long time. Dortmund tried to react. They thought about a player we already mentioned in Volta-Marte, but ultimately decided to go for Ethan Nguyeniri. So obviously not a player-for-player swap, if you were,

but somebody who should give them movement, ability, also a sense of, you know, very a vibe, oh, wow, I can't speak today. Variability or flexibility, maybe is a better word. Up front, because he can play in a number of positions, and they have high hopes for him. And of course, Dortmund have had, a history of developing young British talent really well from the Premier League and maybe he can

be the next Bellingham or next Jane Sanchez for them. And roughly, last week we had Mirren Merslich, the Schalker manager who got them promoted back finally to the Bundesliga, who played with fans who listened to us, we'll remember our championship fans. And we loved him on the show. It was great, wasn't he? Unfortunately for him, that first game away at Augsburg didn't really go down well. No, it was a rude awakening, I think. Oaksbock got a sort of side, even away from home, that Shalke would like to compete with if they are in with a chance.

But you could just see the step-up in quality was a little bit too high. Maybe nerves played into it as well for this Shalke team. You know, the first time back after so many years out, things don't get easier for them because they've got Bayern next at home on Saturday. I mean, the atmosphere is going to be absolutely incredible for this Shalka fandom who, you know, will celebrate being back at the big stage

and they'll make it as difficult as possible. But, yeah, I think it was a classic wake-up call and a sense of, you know, this is not going to be a foregone conclusion that we're staying up. Rafa, we had some joint managers on the show, the joint managers of Veking. So I asked Jules, I asked Mina,

who would you have from the EuroLeaks panel to be a joint manager? Mina, tell us, went for? I chose you just because I thought you would have fun. Rafa, she chose you. So you're in a new... That's so sweet.

A new joint... Yeah, but what about Jules? He didn't go for? He didn't even mention you. He went straight to James Horncastle. But yeah, Mina Rizuki and Rafael Honolkestone, the joint managers and Julian O'Rons and James Horncastle. Thanks so much to Raffa Honolkstein for joining us, Julianna Rons and Mina Rizuki

as well for joining us on Euroleagues. That is all for this week. For today and all the goals as they go in up and down the league. This is five-life sports. It's all right to the lights and fit not to stop out. Everyone standing around the 18th green. The show us to the centre.

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