Football Daily - Euro Leagues: Not so Nice Fans, Araujo’s Absence and Messi v Muller

Episode Date: December 5, 2025

Was Lewandowski’s penalty for Barcelona against Atletico his worst ever? And what’s your five-a-side team of famous footballing sons? John Bennett is joined by Guillem Balague, Raphael Honigstein & Julien Laurens to answer those questions, they also discuss; the situation at Nice where Terem Moffi and Jérémie Boga have both been placed on sick leave after being confronted by supporters following their latest defeat, and Barcelona granting Ronald Araujo an indefinite leave after a request of absence. John Murray joins the pod from Washington ahead of the World Cup Draw. Portuguese football writer Ines Braga Sampaio explains the situation facing Boavista after administrators formally requested the club’s closure amidst rising debts. Tom Bogert looks ahead to Messi v Muller in the MLS cup Final, and we hear from Inter Miami’s President of Business Operations Xavier Asensi, one of the key players in bringing Lionel Messi to Major League Soccer. 00:20 – World Cup Draw 07:48 – Nice players confronted by Fans 12:23 – Barcelona’s win over Atletico and Lewandowski’s awful penalty 17:28 – Araujo’s absence 22:10 – Another setback for Trent Alexander-Arnold in Madrid 26:57 – Football’s famous sons 33:17 – Boavista on the brink 40:24 – Messi v Muller in the MLS Cup FinalCommentaries: Friday 5th December FA CUP: Salford City v Leyton Orient 1930 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 3Saturday 6th December PREMIER LEAGUE: Bournemouth v Chelsea 1500 KO - LIVE ON 5 LIVE PREMIER LEAGUE: Spurs v Brentford 1500 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 3 PREMIER LEAGUE: Leeds v Liverpool 1730 KO - LIVE ON 5 LIVE FA CUP: Chelmsford City v West-super-Mare 1500 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 2 FA CUP: Sutton United v Shrewsbury 1715 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 3 FA CUP: Chesterfield v Doncaster Rovers 1930 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 3 WSL: Arsenal v Liverpool 1200 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 3Sunday 7th December PREMIER LEAGUE: Brighton v West Ham 1400 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA PREMIER LEAGUE: Fulham v Crystal Palace 1630 KO - LIVE ON 5 LIVE FA CUP: Slough Town v Macclesfield 1230 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 3 FA CUP: Gateshead v Walsall 1530 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 3 FA CUP: Blackpool v Carlisle United 1730 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA

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Defender 110 boasts a towing capacity of 3,500 kilograms, a weighting depth of 900 millimeters and a roof load up to 300 kilograms. Learn more at landrover.ca. On the Football Daily Podcast, the Euroleagues with John Bennett. Hello and welcome to Euroleagues, Rafael Honigstein, Guillem Balaget and Julian Lorenz are with me. Hello, we're about to talk about the World Cup draw. So it's fitting that we have three of the four top seeds who can't meet each other till the very end of the tournament. So representing Spain, we have Guillaume, one of the top four seeds.

Representing England, we have me, one of the top four seeds. And representing France, one of the top four seeds. we have Julien Laurent and we also have Raphael Honestine as well. But you've scrapped. Used to be top seat. Used to be a top seat. Somehow they've scraped into pot one there.

Still in pot one, Rafa. Yeah. It's amazing what wins against Slovakia and Northern Ireland can do for you in the FIFA ranking. Not our proudest moment the last couple of years. Are you confident they can do better this time? Better than getting knocked out

the group stage, yes, I think that FIFA's new expanded tournament will make it almost impossible for Germany not to qualify. Famous last words, but if they managed to not even qualify as one of the best third place in a group that should be quite straightforward, I've seen some simulations of the draw. And in most of them, the top seats get reasonably decent draws. I think it's going to be very, very difficult to find a real group of death. I think even Germany will progress this time. Let's get into the World Cup draw. It takes place on Friday at midday, Washington time.

That's 5pm GMT, all the live coverage on drive. Reaction in Five Live Sport with Kelly Cates as well from 7pm on Friday. And this is a big moment, guys. It's a Euroleague's podcast and Commentator's View podcast collaboration. We can bring in correspondent John Murray live from Washington now. John, great to speak to you. How's Washington, first of all? Yes, hello, everyone. Well, it's a lovely afternoon, actually. I've just been outtaking the air because we've spent most of the day inside this building,

which is next to the Kennedy Centre, which is where the draw will take place tomorrow. So there have been various media events. Arsend Vanga came in and spoke to us for a while. Pia Luigi Kalina was in here as well. But yeah, we are very close to the heart of Washington, D.C. So this building is right next to the Potomac River. and if you step out of this building turn right, walk for about

15 minutes, you come to the Lincoln Memorial and, you know, the view from there, the classic view up to the Capitol building, and actually where we are here is right next to the Watergate Complex, so we actually had to go and pick up our passes in the Watergate Complex this morning, yes. So that was

an obvious photo opportunity. What message of FIFA sending? What a brilliant well, it's mixed messages Rafa, I think. I've been to a few of these things, as I know many of you, if not all of you will have been. And it does have quite a chaotic feel here with one thing and another. Wow, we're looking forward to chaos on Friday for the draw.

Remind us, how is this draw going to work then, John? Well, technically it should be relatively straightforward. But of course, there are various restrictions to this. And believe it or not, we've just had the latest running. order through for this. So UK time, the draw is, or the show is due to begin tomorrow at 5 o'clock. It's not actually going to finish until 7 o'clock or so. So this is going to take two hours for the whole of the show, which is the preamble. But on the latest running order, the first balls will not be drawn until approximately 555 UK time. And that draw is scheduled to

take 56 minutes. So it is obviously the biggest World Cup that there's ever been, first 48 team world Cup. And I mean, it does feel like that as well. It does feel that the whole of the footballing world is here from every corner of the globe because so many of the teams and the countries are represented.

But, you know, there are four pots with 12 balls in each pot and it will be pot. One is drawn then two, then three, then four. And, you know, somehow that's lasting for 56. minutes. But it's worth saying, isn't it, John, not everything's going to be decided on

Friday. No. The calendar, the fixture list and where people will be playing that Saturday, isn't it? Yeah, they've managed to make it really into two events. So we've got the draw tomorrow. So we will find out which teams are in which groups effectively. And we will know it'll be an either or scenario with the venues. But we will not find, even though that event tomorrow is taking two hours, it will take another hour on Saturday. lunchtime in Washington time to actually then explain

where the matches are being played and what the kickoff times are so it will take over the course of two days for the schedule to actually become properly in place and John that's not the only reason why it

feels like you have to be there for like two or even three days because it feels like it's a kind of football symposium. There's a lot lot's going on around the drone, isn't it? Yeah, very much. So, as I say, there have been various panels taking place today. For example, I sat in with Arson Wenger today,

who was being asked about a whole range of issues. And remember, Arsum Wenger has very much got his feet in the FIFA camp now, the Chief of Global Football Development. So he said, and I know this really, I mean, I'm not sure, I would go even as far as to say it divides opinion. I think there's still quite a strong opinion against a 48. team World Cup. Arson Wenger today said 48 teams is perfect.

The natural evolution, he said. It's just under 25% of the world. And he pointed out that even though there are 48 teams in this World Cup, there are still no India, no China, two of the biggest countries in the world. He also said, as well, you know, when he was queried about the state of the pitchers, which was an issue at the FIFA Club World Cup last summer, he said, the pitchers will be better. They've learned from that and they have acted on it.

And John, finally, this has been much publicised. FIFA will be giving out its first ever peace prize drawing the draw tomorrow. We're all in suspense, aren't we? Who might get this? Yeah, well, right at the start, at the point where the balls are drawn out, there will be representation from the United States, from Canada and from Mexico, from Donald Trump, from Mark Carney, the Prime Minister of Canada, and Claudia Schoenbaum as well, the president of Mexico.

and they will draw the balls out for the USA, Canada and Mexico from Pot 1. So they will be the first three balls drawn. However, before that, FIFA will be handing out its inaugural FIFA Peace Prize. And currently in the running order at that point, there is a two-minute slot for the recipient to speak with some acceptance remarks. So I think everyone will fall over in shock if it is not. Donald Trump who receives that. So it would appear that Donald Trump

will be speaking at the World Cup draw supposedly for only two minutes. So that could very much be one to watch and listen to. On the Football Daily podcast, the Euroleagues with John Bennett. We're going to move it on to France now where there's been a remarkable story from Nice this week.

Nice players, Tara Moffey and Jeremy Bogger, former Chelsea and Birmingham Plains. player, both been placed on sick leave after the team were confronted by supporters at the training ground upon their return from a 3-1 defeat at L'Oriand. According to one report in France, the players were spat on, punched, kicked and subjected to racist abuse. Jules, give us an insight into what happened here, because this is an awful look for French football. Yeah, it's terrible.

I mean, unfortunately, for Nice, it's not the first time that scenes like that happened between the ultras and, you know, whoever is the manager or whoever the players are. in that squad is quite regular. I feel that this time it reached a new height sadly because 400 ultras were waiting at the training ground on Sunday night as you said, J.B., for the players

to come back from Lorient. There's 60 feet in a row in our competition. So clearly not happy. Two of them came on the coach when the players and the coach arrived at the training ground to threaten the players. Then they got off and then they waited for the players

to themselves, got off the coach. coach to go to get their cars in the training run and on their way just to cross the pavement basically from the coach to the entrance of the training run there was hardly no security despite the club knowing that there were troubles ahead some of the players as you mentioned were insulted assaulted some utras had weapons like petong bulls you know to play petank and like frank a said in the team today said they didn't come to play petong trust me so they felt really threatened on the on the place of work really And as you said, two of them are on Ciclave, them two plus Jonathan Close press charges, went to the police and pressed charges.

What's even maybe more incredible, really? It's what happened since that, because the manager of Frank A's and the players haven't heard from anybody at the club until Tuesday night. So that happened on Sunday night. So for 48 hours, nobody from the club said anything to the players or publicly, no statement, nothing. Only today we got something from Ineos, who are the owners of Nice. ones who are involved in Manchester United as well, saying that it was unacceptable. But probably the best of the best, if you want to say that way, is Christian Estrosi, who is the mayor of Nice, who at times has been a highly controversial figure in France, in the political

world, and just said, well, nothing happened, really. I don't know why this is, all this first is about, the Nice fans are not bad people, there's no bad people in Nice anyway. Let's not make a meal of this of what happens but the result should be better really and if even the mayor doesn't condemn what clearly some fans have gone

and where above the boundary or where behind the boundary sorry of why is acceptable or not acceptable when you're following a football club then it feels to me that a lot of you know why you should love about football is lost Jules I mean we've heard about stories like this from from Italy

in other places when the team are fighting against relegation and the club the fans are really unhappy and they blame them but these are 10th I mean what is the big deal? Why have they gone to this length to attack their own people? It's a good question Rafi I mean they're 10th but they're closer to the bottom three than the top three

for example and like I said it was six defeats in a row I think in Europe all in all they were in the Champions League qualifiers they got beaten now they're in the Europa League they haven't won't they've lost every single game. I think they own a 15 or 16 losing streak in Europe, which is obviously not good. And those fans are, they're very passionate.

Those ultras, as often ultras are in every country where you can find ultrass that get there. And they're certainly very powerful within that club, for sure, more than in other clubs. And clearly they feel this is our club, not yours, close, Bogar, Moffi, E, whoever you are, really. So we're going to just come and tell you what we think and what you should be doing, really. So I think it's embarrassing, really.

It's disgusting to see fans. I'm all for people showing when they're happy, expressing their discontent when they're not happy and when your team is losing week after week, you can be unhappy. Of course, I get that. But to go and threaten your own players and assault them and insult them, I think this is not on. Yeah, more details about the events at Nice on the BBC Sport website. Barcelona, lead La Liga by a point after Real Madrid drop points on the weekend against Gerona. So Barcelona beat Athletico Madrid 3-1 on Tuesday night.

Robert Lewandowski with one of the worst penalty misses ever. This was so far over the bar, Raffa. Did you ever see him take a penalty like that for Bayern? It was an unbelievable one, wasn't it? No, no, I've never seen him take a bad penalty like that. In Germany, we have a very famous penalty miss from the 1976 final. Uli Hearnes, the first final ever decided by a penalty, shot a penalty so far over the bar that some people

saying it's still seen flying over Belgrade today 50-odd years later. But this one was reminiscent, unfortunately. It reminded me, Jules, of Beckham against Turkey for England. Do you remember that? 2003, but he slipped, didn't he? Have you seen any worse than that, as in over-the-bar penalties? It was a long way over the bar. Yeah, and over the bar, I agree with roughly.

on the 76 one, but especially Levantowski is pretty much usually reliable on those penalties and I'm not even sure what he tried to do on this one. Well, they still won Guillem. How impressive were Barcelona against Athletica Madrid? Well, you had again

the Lamine-Levandoski-Rafinia combination of front from the start. With Rafinia, they get back the pressure, the intensity, the runs in behind, the goals as well, he scored. So he's is getting back to

his best. It's 15 points out of 15 for Barcelona and if you forget the terrible night against Chelsea and Stafford Bridge. This is a team that little by little is getting the best players in the lineup and that's the thing that Hansi Flik has asked from

the beginning. Wait, wait to judge until you know, you get the 11, 12 that I need to get this team going but that already is a bad sign, isn't it? This is a They were facing an Atlantic of Madrid that actually had won six out of six, so it's a good victory. But Aletico Madrid, you look at the players, they've got a better squad than Barcelona.

Barcelona have got a very strong 11 if they're all fit or if they recover some of the best version in the case of Lewandowski's second penalty missed in a row. And I think Hansi Flick is preparing Ferran Torres to take over that number nine role. And perhaps we won't see Lewandoski-Barthron next season. But apart from that, Rafina, as I said, is going back little by little. Lamin Yamal has got this growing injury that keeps appearing and disappearing, but seems to be getting sharper. And even Danny Olmo had an excellent game, and then it just goes and scores and taunts his shoulder,

which means that he's going to be out for a month and a half or so. So generally very good news, but for as long as that 11 gets more or less fit. Yeah, Rafa, there was some strange pictures. I think it was at the weekend of Hansi Flick looking pretty upset in the dugout despite a victory, Raphina consoling him. But do you agree with Guillem that he's on the right track

with this team at the moment, Hansi Flick? Yeah, I hope so. I think it looked a little bit like teams had maybe worked out that high line finally after a year where they couldn't cope with it. And I saw some echoes of his second season at Byron where they still won

but things were sort of beginning to fall apart a little bit defensively. But I guess, as Guillaume said, if Barcelona get the press right and if they get their players, their main players fit and ready to put so much pressure away

from their goal, then they can of course play the high line. The moment the pressure doesn't quite work and Chelsea was a great example where he saw Rafina wasn't quite on it and it didn't quite, sorry, Laminia Mella wasn't quite on it and Rafinia wasn't there from the start. Then things

begin to be very open. So I think it's an either or kind of system. You either have to be perfect almost every single time or it's very, very risky, but you can only be perfect if your best players are in top shape. John, that pictures of Hansi Fleek and Rafinia talking to him with that face, that's what we should always do, all of us, when we're about to shout at somebody.

So he actually was very upset that his assistant, Marcus Song, had been sent off. They've been talking the whole week about that not happening and being more calm. And not only him, De La Fuente, the goalkeeper coach also got some tough. And he was like, if I go in, I'm just going to just go mad. So he was taking a breath, was he? He was just taking a second to sit back before he went into the dressing room. Yeah.

So Rafina went like, are you okay? And he's like, no, no, I'm not okay. And then he explained in the press conference before the Aletikamari game that all he was, like, it was just, his mind that just blew up. So he couldn't go into the changing room to actually just go and kill somebody. We should all do that. Great to see from Rafina as well. Just consoling his manager.

The big story from Barcelona, though, this week, Guillem, is that central defender Ronald Raoujo has been granted indefinite leave by the club following a request of absence. Tell us more about this, what's happened here. Aroujo's in perfect physical condition, but he's got a mental conflict that we don't see, but he feels and he's gone to the club and said after he's been sent off against Chelsea

he didn't train anymore the day after he said I just cannot face football I cannot face challenges I cannot face training and this is on the back of him being a captain of Barcelona so feeling that the athlete down the side big mistakes against PSG

and Inter last season been set off against PSG and the reaction in the social media. All of that put together, just he felt that he just didn't have the strength to continue. And it's different to whatever other situation we had in the past in which an illness was made up so people didn't realize it was a mental health issue.

In fact, what Therona did originally said that he had some, I can remember, some problem with something. But it was Hansi Flick who said he's not up for playing at the moment. So we're just going to give him some time to rest. And this is in the club where obviously Andres Iniesta is the biggest case of depression, one that he's still battling and trying to control

where after the death of Danny Harke his friend, a year before the World Cup Final his man just didn't let him enjoy himself. He said going to bed and holding my wife was like having a pillow. There was no feelings at all whatsoever. And now he's very openly talking about it. But at the time, Barcelona did not know very much what to do with it. There was a

psychologist and she worked with him a little bit, but it wasn't the kind of thing that we've seen now. openly said what the problem is and he's got the almost respect from everybody. The first one to comment on it was Chavi Alonso and, of course, all the remedy players are saying the same. Just take your time, come back when you can. Yeah, Joanna Leporte, the Barcelona president said he's been heavily criticized. I don't think that's fair. He gives us all on the pitch, he's our captain. Now he needs to get through this difficult period because he's very emotional person with strong feelings. He's had a tough time. I want to tell him we're behind him. Jules, obviously, everyone will feel for Ronald O'Ralho. It's interesting what

Guillaume said about the fact that in the past this may have been hidden away. Clubs wouldn't have been so open about this. Does it feel positive that everyone is being open about what is really happening here? Yeah, and I think I know it's sad for Arojo, but it's also good when big players are very open about it and explain what's happening and clubs are supportive and more and more clubs now if not pretty much

every single club suddenly in the top, you know, in the clubs in the top five leagues in Europe, hive psychologists that you can go and see on your own in little groups,

you can talk to people, you can go and see your own person if you don't want to do at a training run for example or you know, within the club in a way. So it's very good

and it's like in In real life, some players can deal well with pressure, expectation, disappointment, mistakes. Others really struggle with it. And I think, I think we all hope, obviously, that Arojo gets better soon and we can see him, again, happy on the page in yesterday now, obviously, has retired, but same for his life, post-football and for many others. But also that others will feel like, okay, this is the way that I can also get better is by not keeping everything inside. but instead looking at what Arojo did, sorry, or he's doing, and get a similar support within your club or even on your own private side. Football Daily is sponsored by Spring Hill Suites,

part of Marriott Bonvoy, the official hotel partner of US soccer. As the US men's national team prepares for what's next, you can too at Spring Hill Suites. Enjoy complimentary hot breakfast, and spacious all-sweet accommodation for the whole team, with room for up to six guests. Big journeys, start with the right stay. Visit springhill suites.marriott.com to find out more.

Welcome to Terlenders. I'm Greg James. He's Felix White. Hello. And that is England's greatest ever bowler, Jimmy Anderson. Hello. Readers be cheerful. England's fast bowlers, blitzed, Australian in the first innings. Stokes, Fiver, Harrybrook, Ollie Pope, Ben Duckett.

looked great at the crease. Carson Ackinson, getting some runs. There's stuff going on there. Having said, I think we're in the driving seat, you know. Uh, yeah. There's only one thing that Ben Stokes can do to answer everyone's issues, and that is win the second tier. That's it, isn't it?

Tail Enders. Watch on I play. Listen on BBC Sounds. On the Football Daily podcast, the Euroleagues with John Bennett. Let's talk about Rail Madrid. We mentioned them dropping. points at the weekend. They did beat Athletic Club last night, but Trent

Alexander Arnold has suffered yet another injury setback. He's not had much luck so far, has he, Guillem at Real Madrid? Yet another injury. No, and also on the day that he was so impressive. A great pass. Amazing pass, wasn't there? For Embappe, wasn't it? To Mbapé, did it three or four times

switches that went. Embapet was marked. But the ball went to Mbapest's feet. And Mbapé ended up just doing a marvelous thing and scoring. But yeah, he felt comfortable. Everybody felt comfortable because Chavez-Alonso has changed his ways. He's not the guy that has his team to pressure high, to control the ball, to create superiority in all parts of the pitch.

Not anymore. There were conversations in the last 10 days or so between the president and Chavi Alonso and Chavi Alonso and his comeback against Olympiakos and against Alecic Club with a team that defends and attacks 4-4-2 with Vinicius and Mbapio Front and counter-attack, defend deep, and that's what they're going to do from now on. The players feel much comfortable this way. Shwen felt much more protected to, and was allowed to, of course, with the space that was created behind the defense, to put those.

wonderful balls in. So it's two months that it's going to be away and that's really, really sad for him. Is it a good sign that the manager is listening to his players and changing it

or is it the sign of bad things to come if you compromise as a coach? Do you know, I don't know the answer. I've been thinking about it because I know Chabby and I know he's stubborn and I know that he went there

with the idea of actually and he was asked to as well. to develop Brea Madrid into something else. You know, Cross is gone. Modrich is gone. You still got a lot of talent. He wasn't given. He hasn't been given the midfield

that he needs to do the things that he wants to do. That's true as well. So we can say he's adapted to that. He's heard of players. The players weren't happy. And you could see it. You could see it in the way how body language, reaction of Benetius in the classical when he gets replaced.

Just the fact that they weren't doing the things that we're supposed to do with the ball and without the ball and all of a sudden in the last two games everything has changed to their direction and they're reacting so what are you supposed to do as a manager

my doubt is can he allow this to happen or would this Real Madrid be good enough against the biggest sides in Europe when that comes in the Champions League and I don't know I don't know I'm not sure he was trying to create a team that dominated

and was able to beat the PSGs of this world But now, not sure. What do you think, Raffa, because you obviously cover Jabi Alonzo a lot, his time at Bai Leverkusen, which was amazing. We haven't had a chance to talk to you about this split in the Real Madrid dressing room and the fact that half of them seem to be pro Alonzo, half of them seem to be against him. What do you make of this?

Do you think he's going to get through this situation, Jabi Alonzo? I don't know. I think, I mean, the situation is obviously very different. At Leverkusen, he was still the best football on the pitch in training. and the players were an absolute awe when he pinged those passes. I saw training with him and it was just incredible.

And technically he was very pragmatic. He came in with a team that was very low in confidence and he made them basically into a very, very difficult team to beat and they played on the counterattack. And then the longer he coached, especially in that second season,

they were a side that completely dominated the best team in the Bundesliga. go. I mean, they became the best team in the Bullsia going unbeaten, but they played a game against Bynne where Bynne had an X-0 of 0.0. They didn't have a single shot at goal because Leverkusen were just so dominant. So I think it's in his nature to dominate. And I wonder, just like Guillem, a team that in the past was able to manage games, even when they looked at, they weren't quite in it because of the quality collectively individually being so high with

cross and moderates just kind of keeping things going just long enough for somebody to do something special and still win games when Madrid as a team perhaps weren't that convincing. I am not sure this team can do it that way and then Alonso will have to decide, you know, am I going with the vibes of the team and do what they want to do or am I going with what I think probably deep down is the right way, but I can't do it with these players. And that's going to be a fascinating dilemma want to see. Yeah, we shall see. Let's stay in Spain. So Barcelona beat Athletico, Madrid, 3-1 on Tuesday. Diego Simeone's son, Giuliano, started the match. He's got two goals, four assists this season. Various times on Euroleagues, I think I'm right in saying, you guys have mentioned

him really growing as a player, becoming more and more important. I think Jules, you've talked about him a couple of times. How good do you think he is Giuliano Simeone? Because there were doubts at first, you know, the manager's playing his son. There are always doubts about that. Yeah, for sure. And we would talk about the Van Persis later, and there was a lot of criticism towards Robin for starting Shaquille,

for playing Shaquille recently, both in the Champions League and in the league. I think Julia, maybe there was a bit of that at the beginning with the Simeonis. I think Giuliano has made everybody shush, really, the ones who didn't really understand maybe at the beginning why he was starting, because on that right-hand side,

he's been great, not the most gifted technically, for sure, certainly not even in his own team, but in terms of effort and in terms of that energy that he gives you in possession, out of possession, all of that, how reliable he's been and decisive at times with assist,

especially and a few goals, his complementarity with somebody like Julian Alvarez, for example, and the way he just attacks games and approaches games is great to have, especially in a team like the one run by his dad. So for that, it was just perfect. It can't be easy.

though really and we talked about the united westime game freddie pot started again for west time then his dad steve who obviously used to play for west time is even in the technical stuff as well so sometimes your dad doesn't have to be the coach but sometimes even your dad on the bench as an assistant coach must be a may feel a little bit weird because even when you know they talk to you in front of the whole squad you said dad you say mr or coach i'm not even sure how you address them in front of everybody else. He says Mr. He says he calls him to say that.

I'm not surprised. During the game and before and after and an interview he calls him Mr. which is the way that Spanish players call to the manager. But Jules' his head nailed in the head because the first year was, oh, Giuliano, he's great, oh, look how much he runs. And he's doing constant efforts

and making an impact and assisting and scoring. But this year was about, actually, can he do it again? And is he allowed by his dad to actually, if he's not playing well, to stay in the team? And he's had two things. One, as Jules has described, he's fine. He's actually making a big impact. Three goals, six assists.

He deserves to be in the lineup. Secondly, in the changing room, he's had the protection of Grisman and Koke, who realized that he needed that because, yeah, he cannot talk to his dad as a dad when he needs to. I remember after the championship game I said to him, I've now, they had just won and he just scored. Are you going to go for a drink with your dad? Are you home or his?

No, no, no. Would you see any other player doing that with Cimeone, with the boss? No. Okay, well, I'm not going to do it either. So that's a strange relationship, but obviously it works. And you mentioned Van Percy, Jules. We're talking famous sons now.

I want you to think about a possible five-a-side team of famous footballing sons because Robin Van Percy granted his 19 year old son Shaquille his debut for final first in Europe it was finals 3-1 lost to Celtic last week then in the

Eradivisi on the weekend and Shaquila said it's up to me to show through my qualities that I'm a good player I'm a technical strike who often drops deep to receive the ball and I have goal scoring ability but here's a quiz question for you

Shaquille picked up a yellow on his league debut for kicking the ball away from a goalkeeper, the Telstar goalkeeper. Does anyone know whose son the goalkeeper was? The goalkeeper also had a famous father. Who used to be a keeper? No, no keeper links to Barcelona.

Guillaume, do you know? Any clues? Shall I give you the answer? Ronald Cooman's son. Ronald Coombeon, Jr. What a stat that is. I mean, York and Clemsman's son is a goalkeeper as well. You know, we know we see which Michael,

Obviously, you can be a goal from father to son, et cetera. I guess when you see your dad like that, probably you want to be the same. But to be a striker or in the case of Kuman, like a centrebacker defender, to have a son that is goalkeeper, it's really interesting. So let's do a five-a-side team very quickly. Talking to goalkeepers, amazing players who've got a goalkeeping son. Obviously, the obvious one would be Peter Schmichael, Casper Schmichael. We have to go Lucasidane in goal, don't we?

Zinnadin's son who's in the squad? Yeah, and could go to the World Cup. as well with Algeria, because now he's made his debut for the country of his grandparents. He would have never played for France. He's not at that level, but certainly he's good enough for Algeria. So we think he's going to go to the World Cup. He won't face his dad because his dad will take over the France job after the World Cup. But imagine France and Algeria are drawn together in the same group tomorrow.

That would be a very special moment for the Zidane family. He's going to the Africa Cup of Nations. I'm struggling for defenders because all sons of attackers. No, come on. He can't be struggling for defenders. Best ever son father duo are defenders. Go on. Paolo Maldini.

Give you a hint from Italy. Daniel Maldini is not a defender, is he? Daniel is a 10, but Chezare and Paolo. Chesare and Paolo. Oh, Chazari, yes, sorry. I was thinking the other generation. I'm too young. First time I've been able to say that on the show.

I was thinking Daniel and Paulo. Okay, that's good. We'll go there. Midfield, lots of choices here. Who's going to go with that? I've got a suggestion. I don't really understand this game. So who are we choosing?

We're choosing sons. The duo. You have to choose the duo. Surely the Kevin Chouin. I'm going to go for the Turams. Yeah, I agree. We'll mark us up front. And I think we'll have Alexis McAllister,

because his dad, Carlos McAllister, used to play with Diego Maradonna at Bocca Juniors. Yeah, of course. And Alexis, and the other brother, Kevin, has made his debut for Argentina, with Alexis in the last international break. I think we've got our five. We've got a few dads in there as well.

They can be on the bench. Our next story centres around a club. Many of you listening will remember for having played Celtic in Europa League semi-final, 2003, that was. We're talking about Boa Vista from Porto, who were knocked out by Celtic that year, with Henrik Larson scoring the only goal, preventing an all-Porto final between Boa Vista and Marino's Porto. Boa Vista had won the league title two years prior to that, 2001. And this is an amazing fact. They're one of just two clubs outside Portugal's big.

Big Three, so Porto Sporting Benfica, to have won the league since it started in 1934. But right now, administrators have formally filed a request for the club's closure, closure amidst rising debts. Let's bring in Portuguese football writer and podcaster Ines, Braga, San Powell. Hi, Enes, thanks for joining us on the EuroLeague. So first of all, what is the latest? A boa vista basically non-existent right now, not playing any matches, not involved in any league football? Well, hello, first off, they are involved, although it depends on which Boa Vista you're talking about. There are basically two, well, three Boa Vista teams, but we'll go for the more official ones at this point.

There is the SAD, which is a form of company-like run club, which is what the clubs form when they reach the top levels of football in Portugal. So that is one of the teams. Then there is the club team. That one is not competing. And then there is a fan-created Boa Vista team, which is also competing. So at this point, we have three Boa Vista teams. The club one, which is the one you were talking about, does not compete since October. They were supposed to be in the original championships in Portugal.

But the FIFA transfer ban, which would apply to the sad team, but also applies to the club team, because the debts transfer to the club, they can't sign up new players, therefore they do not have a team, therefore they cannot compete. So it has been a mess. And the club, its fate, is going to be decided on the 16th of December because the insolvency court is going to basically decide whether to shut the doors on Boe Vista or not. Inessa, originally I thought, oh, right, another club badly run, financially badly run and they over the spend or whatever. And then I read that when the police raided the headquarters in July, they seized documents. I mean, suspicions of tax fraud, money laundering, and other financial crimes. What was going on there?

Yes. Well, it's sort of a mystery. The sad, I should say sad stands for anonymous sports society. It's a sort of parent club to the actual club that is partially owned by the club. It's very confusing. We understand it in Portugal because we have been living with it

for several decades, but it is confusing. But basically, the sad club say they are actually victims. The club club say that this is the fault of the sad. So accusations have been slung from one's side to another. But I think we can trace things back to Gerard Lopez, the owner or previous owner of Boe Vista, who has also done a lot of damage to Gerondon Bordeaux, from France, which is now in the fourth division, and to Muscon from Belgium, which has ceased to exist. Gerard Lopez owned the sad or part of it, and he has been responsible for a lot of.

of ruiners, deals and negotiations. I was going to mention Gerard Lopez's name. Ines, just as you were saying, it was my next question. Because, as you said, I know him far too well, sadly for us in France as well, because as you said, Girondon Bordeaux almost went bankrupt because of him. He still somehow owns the club and now they lost their professional status and they're playing in the four division as amateurs, really. He almost did the same with Lille.

And I guess Lille were lucky to a final way of forcing him up because he didn't want to leave the club. Like he didn't want to leave Boavista either. Like he didn't want to leave Mukron, despite him running them in the wall for, you know, to disappear, really. So, I mean, it's not really a question to you, but it's to everything and everyone. How this guy was allowed to buy Boa Vista in the first place. Like he was allowed to buy Lille and other clubs, it's just beyond me. I cannot believe that some leagues or federations or whoever allowed him to be a club owner. It's a very common problem in Portugal.

lot of clubs or sats have allowed companies or owners, individual people, to buy an important share of the club. And I think it boils down to insufficient verification, insufficient looking for anything that might be out of place. Because at the end of the day, this is a problem that keeps happening again and again and again, a club that is bought with a lot of millions. There are a lot of promises made. We're going to, you know, take the club to Europe in two or three years. And then what happens is the club actually goes bankrupt and falls down to second league, third league, or even the amateur divisions, which is the case with Boa Vista. Do you see a time when one day that they could return to the top flight? You mentioned it's almost split into three, but the real

Boa Vista club, we're seeing clubs drop down and then come back up. Can you see a day when this returns? What happens next, do you think? Honestly, it's very complicated at this point. I mean, we are at a point where Boe Vista's championship cup is being listed for auctioning. The championship cup, which they won, you know, the one time. And there is a real risk of Boa Vista's simply seizing to exist. So it's very, very complicated. However, it does have some notorious fans, and it is a notable club in Portugal.

and in Europe in general and I am so sorry I had my animal is currently Is that a cat or a dog The listeners can't see this but we can see in S and I think a cat's just jumped in front of the screen The boy, Vistafan

Yes He might be He might be I'm originally from the from the area actually So he might be a boy He's a fan But yes

It's very complicated But who knows Someone might pick them up And actually pay some money some real money, some, you know, transparent, so to speak, money and save them. But it will take a lot of work and a little bit of miracle working. Enes, thank you so much. You explained that absolutely brilliantly and love the cameo from the cat as well.

On the Football Daily podcast, the Euroleagues with John Bennett. Let's end Euroleagues by talking about a big final. It's not taking place in Europe, but we'll get away with it because it sees a Basra legend facing a Bayern legend. So this weekend, we've got two. greats of the game going head to head. Leonel Messi for Into Miami, facing Thomas Muller of the Vancouver White Cups in the MLS Cup final.

Both sides looking to win the competition for the first time. Let's bring in MLS writer and broadcaster Tom Bogot, who is with us from Miami. This is what the organisers wanted, isn't it, Tom? Leonel Messi in the final. And the added bonus that you get Thomas Mueller in the final as well.

Yeah, I would agree. But on the other side of that is, Obviously, both teams are here because they are two of the best teams. I do believe the two best teams in Major League Soccer this season. I was talking to coaches and sporting directors at other clubs, and they all kind of said the same thing, that this is nice that the representation in the final is the two best teams, because, as you guys well know, in playoffs,

that is not always the case that you get the two best teams. And, man, what a matchup we've got. How much of the buildup has been dominated? It's always dominated by Linnell Messi, but how much has it been dominated by Messi against Mueller? A lot of it. And Thomas Mueller was asked about this after they won the Western Conference final, the semi-final, essentially, to get to this game.

And he was like, listen, it's not about Thomas Mueller versus Lino Messi. It's about Vancouver versus Miami. But, of course, we're all going to make it about Mueller versus Messi. They have history. They've played 10 times. They've been on the field against each other for 10 times, including the 2014 World Cup final that Mueller and Germany won and Argentina messy lost. Mueller has won seven of those 10 games.

He's joked about it lightly since he's gotten here because he's a really fun personality about, yeah, I don't know, we need to play messy again. I need to play messy again. But even when he was being more serious about it, he goes, listen, like, he's beaten me too. Like, this is going to be a great game. And again, it's about Miami versus Vancouver. And these are two teams that played in May in, you know, the Concacaps version of the Champions League.

They played in the semifinal. And Vancouver, when they were coming out of nowhere and they were just a fun story, people really weren't taking them seriously yet. This is obviously before Mueller signed. They went to Miami and they just thrashed them over two legs, quite honestly. And that was the turning point of the season, not for Vancouver because they were playing that well. It was their perception of like, oh, this is a real team, this is a really good team that we need to take seriously. And Guillaume, you've been on your travels ahead of the MLS Cup final.

You spent some time in Miami. Lucky you in the last couple of weeks. You spoke to one of the men behind getting Lionel Messi to enter Miami, who must be absolutely delighted looking forward to this final. Yes, Chavez-Sensee, they've been added for five years. Even Debbie Beckham has said that the first, the start of the conversations were, when he was leaving Barcelona and they continued to be there.

They were there present. At some point, Messi wanted to come. They had a plan for him to actually earn the right money and be part of our project. So Chavez Sensi is the man that's leading that now, the day-to-day of the club. Yeah, let's hear from him now. He's been telling Guillem about the impact

Messi has had on into Miami. Overnight, we went from being an MLS club to a club that I would say everybody, everybody know. June 2023, that day that he said that he will be going to Miami, every outlet in the world, everyone talked about it. So think about it, it's crazy. So from Fiji to Anchorage, you know, it's like in Alaska, you know,

it's like, or Patagonia to Mongolia. Everyone, either in a very small Kiron or in the front page, it's like Messi is going to Miami. So all of a sudden, it's like Miami where? And then obviously the Inter-Maiami. So he put Inter-Maiami in the map big time. Then business-wise, we went 3x, 4-X, what we were making, and everything that implies with it, awareness, social.

media and, you know, anywhere that you go in the world, it is normal to find pink jerseys. A lot of them in Barcelona, for instance. In Barcelona, in UK, in France, in Africa, in Asia, we played in Japan, we played in Hong Kong, we played in Saudi, we played in Latin America. There's counterfeit or not, that's a different thing, but pink jerseys. So all these things, and then what is even more important is what happened on the piece. is what happened on the pitch. So when Leo arrived, that was 2023, we won the Leagues Cup. Then 2024, that was last year, we won the Supporter Shield, which is the league, the

regular league, record points. And we classified for the FIFA Club World Cup. 2025, we made it to the final of Leaks Cup, semifinals of Champions League. We went through the group stage of the FIFA Club World Cup and beaten with all Similarly, Palmeiras and Oporto, and then we've got Paris Saint-Germain. We were one point shy of winning the supporters shield again back to back, one point shy. So I think that it's pretty obvious that on the pitch, the change and what he brought it is out of any question, the results are there, and off the pitch is just incredible.

That is Xavier Essensi there. So Raffa, we've had the Linol-Messi perspective just quickly because we're heading towards the end of the show. Thomas Muller, wow, he writes his own scripts, doesn't they? All those years at Bayern Munich goes over to the MLS. Straight away, he's in the final. And it's a big story in Germany because people still follow his exploits and they can't, I think, quite believe it. He, who is the team player, has been able to carry a team or influence the team, or at least sort of motivate the team collectively enough to, to run.

raised him to a new level. He made the same point, you know, I'm not Leonel Messi. I'm a very different player. And I guess Tom can speak to that. It is the sort of the ultimate mismatch in a way. You have a team with Mueller. Yes, he's a superstar, but among the superstars, he's never really been that much of an individualist against the biggest superstar, individualist of all, Indiana, Messi. That's going to be quite interesting. Who are the neutrals supporting? Are they supporting Messi or people growing to hate into the American neutrals? Yeah, they're not. They, they're are the villainous team because of all their success, all the stars, all the money.

I think it's good for the league. And I'm not a hater of Miami or Messi. I think it's really, really cool. But for me, I do believe the Vancouver Whitecaps theme of destiny, magical season, I've got Vancouver going into Miami and getting a win. I think you have to drop a football tier at the end of that game because that will be the last official game of Bousquet and Jordi Alba. That's it.

They've gone after that, retiring. So it has also that meaning to it. two players that, you know, we know what they have done in Europe. But Tom, what was the impact of both of them in Inter-Mayama and the MLS? Obviously, they're going to be tied to Lino Messi, and Messi will have that forefront, that center stage. But Bousquet and Alba being here, it's unbelievable. And they will always be the salvo in Miami to the end of these legendary careers.

These are two players that, again, you all know better than I do. they defined their positions over a generation. They have revolutionized, evolutionized the game at their position. These are two defining players who will not soon be forgotten. And sometimes for a casual MLS fan who maybe loves to hate Miami and the project that it is and all the stars, sometimes can kind of forget like these are, you know, a couple of the absolute legends in the history of football.

And, man, it really is a pleasure to see them at the end of careers. And particularly with Jordi Alba, man, his competitive spirit burns bright, his quality, I think he could have played another two, three years. So I was surprised when he called it, calling quits. So many subplots to this final. Tom, thank you very much for joining us. Guillaume, Rafa and Julian, thanks as always. That is all we got time for on Euroleagues.

Thanks very much for listening. The commentator's view will be your next episode of the Football Daily. Welcome to Terlenders! I'm Greg James. He's Felix White. Hello. And that is England's greatest ever bowler, Jimmy Anderson. Hello. Readers' cheerful.

England's fast bowlers blitzed, Australian in the first innings. Stokes, Fife. Harrybrook, Olly Pope, Ben Duckett looked great at the crease. Carson Ackinson getting some runs. There's stuff going on there. Having said that, I think we're in the driving seat, you know? Uh, yeah. There's only one thing that Ben Stokes can do to answer everyone's issues,

his window, second, sir. That's it, isn't it? Tail Enders. Watch on I player. Listen on BBC Sounds. Football Daily is sponsored by Springhill Suites, part of Marriott Bonvoy, the official hotel partner of US soccer. As the US men's national team prepares for what's next, you can too at Spring Hill Suites.

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