Football Daily - Euro Leagues: Ronaldo, Brazilian wonderkids & European veterans

Episode Date: November 27, 2025

Steve Crossman is joined by European football experts and stars of the Euro Leagues; Guillem Balague, Julien Laurens and James Horncastle. The hot topic on the pod is Cristiano Ronaldo - after been given a straight red card in Portugal’s World Cup qualifier against the Republic of Ireland a few weeks ago, Ronaldo was set to miss the first two matches of the 2026 World Cup in order to serve his full three-match ban.However, the final two matches of his ban have been suspended by Fifa’s disciplinary committee for “a one-year probation period”, with Fifa citing his previous good conduct as the reason for the suspension – the guys get into quite a heated debate over if this was the correct decision… or not. They head live to Norway for a huge story in the Eliteserien - with Viking FK one win away from a first league title since 1991.They also discus Brazilian wonderkids Estevao and Endrick, European veteran Pierre Emerick Aubameyang and Vinicius Jr’s strained relationship with Xabi Alonso – as well as reflecting on all of the week’s Champions League action!Timecodes: 01:40 – Ronaldo section. 10:30 –Estevao appreciation chat 19:00 - Endrick focus. 23:00 - Vinicius Jr’s relationship with Xabi Alonso 30:00 – Viking FK with fan Lars Risen. 38:00 - PSG’s Vitinha discussion. 41:00 - Pierre Emerick Aubameyang resurgence. Football commentaries this week.Saturday 29th November PREMIER LEAGUE: Manchester City v Leeds 1500 KO - ON 5 LIVE PREMIER LEAGUE: Sunderland v Bournemouth 1500 KO - L ON SPORTS EXTRA PREMIER LEAGUE: Everton v Newcastle United 1730 KO - ON 5 LIVE WOMENS INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLIES: England v China 1730 KO ON SPORTS EXTRA Sunday 30th November PREMIER LEAGUE: West Ham v Liverpool 1405 KO - ON 5 LIVE PREMIER LEAGUE: Aston Villa v Wolves 1405 KO - ON SPORTS EXTRA PREMIER LEAGUE: Nottingham Forest v Brighton 1405 KO - LIVE ON SPORTS EXTRA 2 PREMIER LEAGUE: Chelsea v Arsenal 1630 KO - ON 5 LIVE

On the Football Daily podcast, the Euroleaks with Steve Crosman. Welcome to the Euroleaks. Coming up, Estevow's brilliance beats Barcelona in the Champions League. Why did he pick London over Madrid or Catalonia? We'll talk about the man who's been scoring goals since before Estavau was even born. Pierre Emmerichabamian is still turning heads at the top level at 36. And as always, we are not just about the elite. We'll be in Norway to look ahead to a dramatic.

final day of the season, Viking FK, could win their first league title in 34 years. With us, we've got the Athletics, James Horncastle. Good evening. Hello, Crossie. Hello, ESPNs, Julianne-Lochon. Hello, boys. And Guillem Ballagay, owned by nobody and everybody. Ola.

I'm not sure. Is that good, but? Yes, it's good. All right, okay. It means you're everyone's. Are you at Villa, I can see an Aston Villa Club Crest. Are you at Villa Park? Yes, I watched the young boys game, and then I spent 40 minutes signing books,

a hundred of them, no less, in the bookshop, so yes. Oh, right, who did they think you were? I'm joking. Signing books about Mbap. I'm joking. So which book was it? Was your Una-Emory book, which is out now? Yeah, Rise of the Villains, which the race continues.

Lovely. And they continue being villains. Well, you must have great contacts to be able to have a room at Villa Park only for your podcasting. So congratulations on that. I said Steve Crosman, that's all I needed to say. That'll do it. Open doors.

That'll do it. Loads to come then on the Euroleagues, but I know you've all been sort of chomping at the bit in the WhatsApp group around one story. So I think I'm just going to open this up and then kind of sit back until I need to get involved. Cristiano Ronaldo can play in Portugal's opening World Cup matches next summer, despite the red card that he got against the Republic of Ireland, which should have seen him suspended for their first two matches in the tournament.

Why? Well, FIFA's disciplinary committee have suspended the suspension for a one-year probation period, basically citing his previous good conduct as the reason. And Guillaume, you're okay with this, yeah? Why, you start with me? But yeah, okay. Yes, I think he deserves to be in the World Cup.

And if I'm allowed to put my case forward... Of course you are. Well, we know in the Anglo-Saxon world and also in central Europe, people are very forced about rules, right? They like to be very strict. They don't enjoy flexibility. I believe rules cannot be too strict as the world is not black and white. So I know nobody will back me up here, and I will be much better understood in Spain or Portugal. But here it goes.

One, Ronaldo has never been sent off with the national side. So to reduce his punishment, by the way, he was suspended for one game against Armenia. There were two more, of course. But to reduce his punishment of two games is an homage to his extraordinary career, much better than an award in a ceremony. Two, football is a business.

I think nobody that's talking in this show is doing it for free. We're talking football, we get paid. FIFA is in the business of earning money. Unless you get suspended, which is possible. Like it or not, like it or not, global tournaments depend on star power, yeah, for audiences, sponsors, viewership, etc. So preserve value is not corruption. That is the worst case.

Try to explain to kids all over the world that the biggest idol, Ronaldo, is not playing when, as the Portuguese relations, he was an elbow in anybody's face or neck. And in any case, he was retaliating after he had been hit first. But, Guillem, I mean, I don't have children. But if I did, I would say, look, actions have consequences. You can't always get what you want. Yeah. Okay, Jules, I know you are the most averse to that.

So go. I mean, I would have loved Guillem to keep digging and digging and digging and digging. And maybe by digging so much, he would have gone straight to the US for next summer's work out. Because this is a disgrace. Your case is a disgraceful as FIFA's reaction and decision. Anyway, this all is value. And if Portugal played their first game against Uzbekistan, whether Cristiano is there or not,

it would not change anything for Portugal, for the FIFA, for the money, for just nothing. He got sent off. It's the same rule for everybody, Christiano or no, Cristiano. You know what the Argentine Federation are doing right now? Go on. I'm sure you know what they're doing. Appealing?

They're asking FIFA, why is Otamendi ban? Yeah. For the World Cup, when you go out of the same time. Ottomendi, who's always had a very clean bill of health when it comes to disciplinary matters. Exactly. You know the Ecuadorian Federation? Boyce Cicedo.

They're saying to FIFA, hey, I'm going to minute. Why is Cicido suspended and not Cristiano Ronaldo? Well, what's the answer? Are you being funny? No, no. Okay.

You take a red card, a straight red card for that kind of offense. It's not a watch match ban. You know that you've covered football long enough, Guillem to know this is not a one-match ban. Cristiano or not Christiano,

no, Christiano, 40 years old, last World Cup or not last World Cup, it's the same for everyone. Yes. and I tell you, well, you're suggesting that they're not even applying the rules, that they're just doing it because it's Christian. Is that what you're saying? Well, that's kind of what FIFA have said, though, isn't it?

That's what FIFA then said, they've said. Excuse me, but FIFA are using the rules, their own rules. If you don't like the rules, go and march against FIFA and change the rules. Article 27 says FIFA can fully or partially suspend a disciplinary measure for a probationary period from one to four years. Article 25 states that the relevant FIFA judicial body may scale down the disciplinary measures

to be imposed or even dispense with it entirely is not illegal if no corruption is within the rules. Where are you on this, James? I think this is kind of reflective of the world that we live in at the moment where rules and law and order don't apply if you are powerful enough,

if you have the influence and the ear of the people who make these kind of decisions. I think this does set an awkward precedent. I take what Guillem is saying in terms of that this is somehow within the FIFA rules. Not so how, somehow there are within the FIFA rules. No, but I'm saying somehow

because I don't understand why you would write this into the laws of the game. Because, yeah, I completely empathise with what Jules is saying in terms of like, if you do it for one, you should amnesty all of the suspensions going into this tournament. Otherwise, what else do you do?

If Portugal go out, do you say, yeah, but you know how many goals that Cristiano scored and how much Portuguese football has done for the game and how much value they bring to this tournament? Maybe we should just reinstate them. You know, whatever decision, it's sadly reflective of where we are now, not just in football, but in broader society, I think.

So, Guillem, I have a question for you. If you don't mind just this bit in one word, because the answer will dictate where I go with the next part of the question. So you're obviously okay with Ronaldo playing. Are you also okay with other players like Kaisedo and Ottomendi being suspended? Are you okay with those three things all happening? There are obviously, well, you want one answer. Yeah.

No, they should perhaps suspend the suspension, case by case. Okay, fine, so that kind of answers the question. Because my thought is who decides who is a good enough, famous enough, important enough player to benefit from the amnesty? Like Ronaldo, yes, Cicado, no. Where is the player who's either side of that line?

FIFA are judging that, which is controversial, no? Do you have to consider that the Portuguese Federation put a case forward with a lot of reasons why it shouldn't be Ronaldo? If all the nations haven't done that job, then it's up to them. the rules allow it. And if you put a case well enough,

then not only the rules, there are precedents in 2014, if I'm not mistaken, France defender Lauren Kocelyl was on top for slapping Ukraine's Kusher in the first leg of the World Cup playoff. I'm reading, but it's from the BBC webpage. Like Ronaldo, Kossieli was automatically banned

for his country's final qualifying fixture. FIFA then chose not to extend the Arsenal Centre back suspicion and beyond one match allowing him to play at the World Cup. And I didn't hear or rage from France, number one, pundit. That bit I added, Jules Lawrence. Yeah, yeah, I was there. I was at the game. Have you watched it?

Go and watch it. Then you will understand. And then go and watch Christian Ronaldo's elbow, and then you will understand. Ah, okay. So there's degrees, yeah? And you know what, Guillem, maybe go to the White House with Cristiano next time, sit down with Infantino and Donald Trump. Why are you becoming a personal issue for you?

I'm just saying to you. Defend it. Defend it. Don't take it personally. No, no, I don't take it personally. I'm just explaining to you that Cristiano can go to the White House. He doesn't need the Portuguese Federation to put a case forward.

He does it himself. This is done with Donald Trump, with Infantino, in the same room. It's very easy. Hey, no problem, Christiano. Don't worry, no suspension. You play again Uzbekistan at the world. But, you're talking as if there weren't rules

or precedents and a work of a federation, lobbying, of course, to change this. You just think it went from Infantino to Cristiano And he hasn't been like that at all. No, I'm sure he hasn't. Okay. We also will wait with baited breath, James, to see who wins the FIFA Peace Prize. Well, I mean, it could be anybody.

Well, it might be President Trump for, you know, sort of amnestying Cristiano. Or maybe if he was to intervene between Guillem and Jules right now, he might get the Peace Prize. James, I think you've just won the FIFA Peace Prize for managing. to find some middle ground. Right then. Chelsea and Barcelona are at Stanford Bridge on Tuesday. All of the talk beforehand was about Lamin Yamal and Estevao, the 18-year-old Brazilian, who scored a brilliant goal. Chelsea won the game 3-0. I kind of James would quite like to ignore the kind of Yamal versus Estevao. And just focus on how great Esteval was. Not everything has to be through the prism of Yamal, does it? I mean, Esteval was awesome. And the question we've kind of been

asking is, isn't it interesting that he actually chose Chelsea and whether or not there's a little bit of a change in travel there? Because it doesn't feel very long ago that, you know, players would go directly from Brazil to the very top in Spain without really stopping at the Premier League on route. Yeah, I think Guillaume can speak to this better than I can about how good Madrid have been over the last six, seven, eight years at signing the likes of Venetius, the likes of Rodrigo so early. Some of the Brazilian players that they've signed haven't worked out, but

getting to them so early set them up in such a good place that five or six years later they were all walking out of the Ballandor, refusing to go to the Ballandor because Vincius didn't win it. I mean, that is incredibly far-sighted in their scouting. Yeah, I imagine

Estabal didn't go there because he sees what's happening to Endric in the league that I cover closest city. Yeah, there's a guy called Nico Paz, who's at Como, who Madrid can buy back. A super talented player. I could be the best young player with Kenan Yildes and Sediah. Nico Paz wants to go back to Real Madrid.

But where will you play when there is Venetius, when there is Mbapé, when there's Rodrigo, when there's Adagoula. There's all that attacking talent. I can't imagine Barcelona being able to pay for him, given the circumstances that they find themselves in. And, I mean, to be fair, Chelsea, since the Bowley Clear Lake takeover and the acquisition of Strasbourg as part of their kind of multi-club platform,

they have tried to go to Brazil early. They have tried to get players before we've seen them play in the Premier League or one of Europe's top five leagues and that kind of first mover advantage that they've got, well, it was there for all to see at Stanford Bridge. I think Guillem was there for his performance. I mean, some of the coordination for the coordination for his goal

was quite magnificent and I imagine if you're Carlo Ancelotti and you're going into a World Cup and I know they've had some differences but I imagine you're pretty excited about the prospect of having Estabal going into that tournament.

Let me say one cultural thing first just for context. This Estevao La Miniamal is UK media think or English media think. You know in English media and this is not a criticism is how it goes it's mostly controversy and personality.

So it wasn't built like that in Spain at all. It was a Chelsea Barcelona, which is seen as a European classic if you like. That's one. Secondly, on the Estebao, there's an agent that got very close to his family, who is close to Barcelona. And at 14, he went to Barcelona and said, why don't you take this guy to train with Barcelona, with the, you know, juveniles? And then every year you invite him over,

and eventually you get him a contract. Barthrana said no. Then after that, every single year he was offered by the same agent. Barthrana said no. Eventually, when he became 16, it's like, yeah, this guy is very good. But we got Laminia Mal in that position, and also it cost a lot of money. Real Madrid was also offered, and not once they decided to put an offer for him. And at the time that Chelsea made the offer of a 40 million plus, then, yes, neither Barthron and Real Madrid were willing to equal that.

So he went to Chelsea But I think Chelsea's an odd one In terms of the whole Premier League I don't think there's many clubs Perhaps the brightens of this well If you like We'll look for Brazilians of that age And develop it

Chelsea do that And they're doing that very, very well But a Brazilian For whatever reason A Brazilian young Brazilian player I've got Barthron and Braemadita's first choices If they're allowed to Even though like Hendrick

They don't always It doesn't always work out Jules I do one whether or not see. I mean, Endric is still very, very new at Rail Madrid. But if you were an Esteval looking at that now, that would be as good a reason as any to maybe think, do I want to go straight there or do I want to go somewhere else where I know I'm going to be utilized and how I'm going to be utilized? Yeah, maybe. I think it depends on your position and who is

in competition with you for that place and who is ahead of you in the pecking order and how long you will have to wait until you can start every game or suddenly feel like you deserve to start every game. If you're Andrewic right now, seeing this season that Killen-Nabapé is having, for example, it would be difficult for you to get any sort of decent minutes, to be fair. That's why I think you're probably thinking this is not a right place for me. If you're Mast Antoine, which is a similar case,

albeit Argentine and not Brazilian, when he looked at it on the right-hand side, okay, there was Rodrigo, but we knew this was not maybe his favorite position. Brahim, okay, maybe, but maybe Massantuno felt like, I've got a good chance there to play and actually he did. So I think it always depends a lot on your position and who's there already in the squad and how great have they been or not for Real Madrid. But there's also clubs who give chance to young players more than others, really. And I think usually those top top clubs like Real Madrid is obviously more difficult if you're 17, 18, 19 to be a starter there than if you go to a lesser club that give the chance to young players. It's really interesting Madrid's strategy

because they obviously have needed to regenerate their forward line and their squad as a whole. But, you know, I mean, sometimes you forget about some of these players like Chil's bringing up Mastantrano there. And some stay and fight, don't they? And we've seen Ad de Gouler. I mean, that's Goulet perhaps because of his flexibility and his willingness to play in different positions

has been able to get more minutes than Endrick and some others. But yeah, I mean, I think a lot of people already forgotten that Martin Odegaard was a Real Madrid player. And, you know, it didn't work out for him. He had to go somewhere else before he could become the player that he is at Arsenal. So I also think it's really interesting

the context, the environment in which Estabal has gone into Chelsea because Chelsea seemed to be a very different club these days from what they were under Roman Abramovich and Marina Granovskaya, when they would sign super talented young players, but maybe not this early. And what we see, instead of a young player come into a team that is kind of quite grizzled,

has really established senior pros, it's a really young team. And so it doesn't seem out of the ordinary, I suppose, that Esteval is playing and performing in the way he does. Because it's not like, I suppose, a few years ago where he might have had a Girou or a drogba ahead of him in the pecking order. You know, it's Shao Pedro or it's one of the wingers that they use as false nine. So remember how difficult it was for Chelsea to bring through some of those academy players

who were clearly really talented into the first team. I think it wasn't until they had a transfer embargo and Lampard was in charge where they started playing, you know, the Tammy Abrahams, the Tammoris and that sort of thing. A lot of those players who've had to go to play in Italy in order to get the get, time that, yeah, I think they felt that they should be getting in the Premier League. And instead, in this current Chelsea, young players, extremely talented young players, are getting those opportunities. Welcome to the team behind the team, a new podcast series in partnership with the Open

University, where we'll be showcasing the people, the tools and the techniques that to help athletes and teams reach elite level. Like all elite sports, it's a pyramid and everybody's trying to get to the top. It's not just my vision. It's a shared vision amongst the team. What is this? This is not the way I see the game. The team behind the team with Katie Smith. In partnership with the Open University.

Listen on BBC Sounds. On the Football Daily podcast, the Euroleagues with Steve Crosman. Let's kind of move it on from Estevow to focus more squarely on Endrick. Firstly, Jules, is that happening, do we think? Is he going to end up at Leon? Yeah, I think so right now is certainly the way things are looking. Everybody knew Ram Madrid and him and his people that he needed to go on loan in January because he can't stay at Ramadrid and not play at all like at the moment, you know. So the loan was there for clubs to approach or be approached and see who wanted him. And Leon, who absolutely needed and

I mean, Satriano in that six-neill win that you've just mentioned, Steve. Satriano is starting up front and he hasn't scored in the six goals. And Toliso, who's the number six or eight, a place behind him has got a hat-trick. So, Leon, need more goals, they need a proper number nine. They need

somebody who's going to be great leading the line. And so they tried for Hendrik, I think, I really think at the beginning, not really thinking this could happen. And yet, it looks like he's keen to go. He's a Portuguese speaking manager, obviously, in Paulo Fonseca. It's a team that plays in Europe.

Okay, I think Hendricks wanted to play in the Champions League, but the Europa League can do. And Leon are still a big club with a long history of great Brazilians that are played from them for Sonny Anderson to Junino and others. So I think that was a bit of the appeal too. And if, because I don't think it's completely done yet and we'll have to wait on January 1st anyway. But if Leon can pull this one out, it would be a great coup for them

and obviously a very good coup for Ligiano too. Jules, sorry, when you say Janineo, can you just make sure you say, Janini or Panambacano. I don't want people to get it mixed up with the real Janino. That's all. Okay. The king of three kicks, you mean?

Yeah, that would. Geni No one from Boulister is the real Juniniu. He's just like a secondary. He's fine. I suppose, Guillaume, this is the way that Endric differs from someone like Erdogard because Erdogard had to go to Heronvain. He went to Vitesse and then he went to Ray al-Sosiodan when he really started to look like sort of the beginning of the play.

that we've ended up with. Interesting that Endric is actually going from Real Madrid and going to a big European club for his loan spell. What does that tell us? Tell us about the personality of Enjerk, who thought he was going to succeed at Real Madrid, tells you how difficult it is to actually do that. And many have left and come back,

and it seems a better route to actually become an important player at Real Madrid, Carvajal. I mean, there's so many. But also it tells you that in Bapé, is the boss of that team and rightly so especially saying it now on the back of four goals how he's been more goal involvement than any other striker in europe etc he's got to play for as long as he wants almost in every game as jules was saying and dreg is a nine is a it's a center forward that okay it's more well perhaps you see him coming out of the box

but doesn't link up that well and that's what you need if you want to be some other have some or the role that not the number nine. Number nine is taking. They give him up in number 10. Quite clearly he's the leader. Even Venetius is kind of accepted. And it's okay. So Andrew doesn't have a place. I feel like we could have just done a show only talking about Brazilians because the next one that we need to get into is Venetius Jr. and what's happening with him at Rail Madrid. Story in, I nearly said your paper there, James, the athletic, but we've moved on from that. Your outlet. I don't know what the right word. Your platform.

I'm just going to read the headline. Jr. tells Rail Madrid, he won't renew while Jabby Alonzo relationship remains difficult. Which is an interesting story because, I don't know, I think a lot of people, if you had to choose between the two, might not choose the manager. When everyone in the media comes out with the same lines, Vinciers will go if Chavi doesn't see Chavez stays.

Players are not with the manager. Decision makers are not convinced about the manager. It's because the league comes from the top, from within. and when people feel that or see that or read that and then everybody's come up with the same stories in the last two weeks and this is funny because pre-Liverpool, before the Liverpool game,

people close to Chavez Alonso had conversations with the chairman of Real Madrid, Valentino Perez and he was so happy about it. Even he used to call Chabby Alonso out of the blue things that he hasn't done in recent years with previous managers and then they lose against Liverpool and then they drew a couple of games and the noise starts.

Let me tell you what I think are the real problems of Real Madrid and it's not just Venetius threatening not to renew his contract. First of all, there's a lack of leaders in this team, which means that anyone can make a noise or come out of a script or allow stories like those that Vinny will not renew if Chavi Alonso is still there.

Not just Vinny. Balberde, he thought he was going to be the new cross but it's not happening. He's very upset about it. He's not a leader. He's used as a right back. He complains. It just feels that everybody can do their own thing

and have their own targets. Zimbabé is obsessed about his numbers and he's going really, really well, but the team has to play for him. So this seems to be a lack of empathy towards what the manager wants to do. And this is true. There is a lack of love relationship

between players and the manager. That's very, very true. They have played well when the team has done what Chabby Alonso is asking them to do, but players are feeling uncomfortable with so many rules with a positional game. The disconnection is clear, and especially when defending, but also one attacking everybody does their own thing.

So I think the only one who's helping is Bellingham, who, you know, Chabby realized from the beginning he can help me. He perhaps hasn't got the authority on the changing room, but certainly has it on the pitch, but he's been injured. And I tell you what Chabby, I think Chabby's thinking. Elanthor is thinking, if they want me, I'll stay. If they don't want me, I'll go home and go another way to whatever I want to do, which is manage a top side.

It is like that at the moment. Something is not right, but also the leaks come from the top, hence the stories that you see in all the media. Well, I mean, for years now, Kiyam, I mean, at least for the last two, it feels like we always have this, you know, in Italian, he called Stilichidio, which is this drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, drip, constant dripping of like sort of information leaks like you know Venetius you know he's got this

interest from Saudi office from Saudi he can go to Saudi whenever he wants blah blah blah and yet it hasn't really materialised it's always felt to me like a little bit of a bargaining chip really when it comes to his contract with Real Madrid what are the options out there

for Venetius because you know once upon a time you might look at this and say Jules, you might have said in the past PSG. PSG will take a player like that off Real Madrid. They've got the money to do it. They like superstars.

And instead, what we've seen PSG do is pivot away from that model completely. They have enough players in those positions. Premier League, you know, with all the squad cost rules, that thing. Is that possible? Like, what options, Giam,

does Venetius actually have? In Saudi, there was an offer for 200 million pounds a year, but that seems to have gone. That seems to have gone, it seems. But in any case, yeah, you're absolutely right. What's been happening here, and that's why Carl Angelotti, if he one day decides to write about it in one of his books about Real Madrid, openly, he will tell you that it was the most difficult changing room he's ever faced. And it's not that there are bad people there, is that there was a conflict of interest. there was battle for authority and for leadership

and he got all that at the end of his period at Real Madrid so he couldn't control it really. Well, Chavez-Elonso has inherited all that and one of course, one of the things that is happening is that Vinishers wants better treatment. What's this thing about having Rodrigo playing on the left-hand side to challenge him? Why doesn't he get a pass to actually play in every game

or any game that he wants to? So Chavez is trying to put all that together while also asking them everybody to do their beat on the pitch. And Vinicius is responding on the pitch, certainly, by having the best start of his career at Real Madrid, but of the pitch. His people are coming out with the stories that challenges the manager. Remember that letter that he did after the classical apologizing to everyone in the world?

It's like, you know, Steve, I'm sorry, he said in the letter. But he didn't mention the manager. So that's what's happening at Real Madrid. There is no harmony and there is no love towards the manager from the players that won a different direction. And sometimes the club, I guess, has to decide what's easier and it will be easier to get rid of the manager, but nobody's talking on those terms yet.

Jules, it's interesting because, and look, I'm not saying that Florentino Perez is behind these stories, but Rail Madrid aren't a club like, You know, like with Manchester United, quite often you might hear, like, oh, the players aren't having manager A, B, or C over the course of the last decade. You don't necessarily know where that's come from. It's pretty rare to get a Real Madrid leak unless Florentino Perez is feeling a certain way. Is that fair?

Yeah, and I think also in that kind of context, and Guillem knows that very well, obviously. But you also listen maybe more carefully of what players say in mixed zones. or in press conference and very often those are quite boring or bland but last night

after his quadruple Kilian said we all have to be united behind the manager and that's you don't say that if one he's one of the ones that actually likes him

but because he's made him the boss of the team so far enough but also it's because clearly the tensions are there like Guillem just explained so I'm not sure how I'm not sure Guillem

what you do next if you Chabia Alonzo or what he's not going to change right he's pretty stubborn guy so as you as you said usually you change the manager because you can't really change the five or six or seven big players who are not happy do you know what's interesting the game against olympiakos it was how the players wanted to play and this was where people were looking at that result to see if they lose chavi will be almost close to you know out of the san dieo but that's not what he wants to do he wants control.

It was box-to-box football. And it fitted the way Olympiacos was playing with the defensive line very high. And of course, Vinny and Napa had a great time. But that's not what Charlie wants to do. So at the moment, what has happened in the middle of all this pressure is that the team is going in the direction of the players. But you're absolutely right, Jules. He's Basque, his top.

He'll try to create the brand of football that he believes in. Otherwise, he has that as well. He has been a top player. and has won the League in Germany. You don't want me. Fine. We'll sort it out. This is one of the many reasons I love the EuroLeaks,

because where else would you go from Real Madrid to Stavanger? And that's what we're doing now. Big story in Norway, the Elitus Thrian, Viking FK, one win away from their first league title since 1991. They're based in Stavanger. So is Lars Riesan from the Viking Podden podcast. Lars, good evening. Good evening.

Nice to be here. Oh, it's lovely to have you. So what is Stavanga like right now? You know, if I were out on the streets tonight, what would we see? Is the city like drenched in dark blue the colours they play in or what? Yeah, you would probably see people wearing Viking kits or flags up in the balconies. And yeah, a lot of people very nervous and very excited about what's going on these days. It's, yeah, it's very exciting and something I've never experienced before.

I read that schools are having a, quote, blue day for tomorrow for Viking. Is that right? Yeah, so many schools, including I work as a teacher, so including where I work. We have asked the kids to wear if they have kids or hats or stuff with Wiking on, wear them or at least something blue, and we will play Viking songs in the breaks. Yeah, so it's all. over town so it's super fun what about the stubborn parents who might send their kids in like i don't know tromzo tops or something like that yeah we'll um they will be sitting in to have some

extra lessons with mathematics or something detention yeah yeah the euro league should be done there yes what is the game we should just uh keep an eye on it um but it's a it's a club full of lovely stories obviously i didn't know enough about it and made some cold and you have to tell us about Slacktoe Trippich and how he managed to go from being on a free asking to train with the team to actually be the captain and one of the leaders. Oh yeah, great story.

I don't know how much time we have, but I'll try to be brief. Yeah, Waking was relegated in 2017 and a big surprise for everyone when Slatko Tripeach turned up in Stavanger in the winter he was a profile someone we didn't think we thought it just came to

keep fit and keep training but he really liked the idea of being able to take the club to something great and be part of a good story and Wiking is traditionally a big club but it was down in the dust and he has been a big part of taking Wiking back to

the top of the Norwegian football table. Why did they fall so far then? Oh, that's a long story. Used too much money on players that weren't good enough. Yeah, a lot of things went wrong and it all ended up in the relegation, but it turned out to be a really good thing for a Viking because we won the cup in 2019 and we've been fighting for the top, top places in the league

except for one bad fall but it's been very exciting years for for a Viking and how did they turn it around and as you said they went they went quite bad and what happened

to then go back to the top like you're doing they realized that they had to go back to the roots make the people proud of Viking the people of Stavanger be part of

of the Viking family and a lot of local players invested in the youth academy, got rid of old expenses, you know, high wages and stuff like that, and build for the future something that would be stable for years and wouldn't be relying on money from rich uncles or, as we say, in Norway. The big question, Lars, is if they win the title, you'd be giving the kids a day off school? Well, I hope we can do that. I hope I think that if we win,

I think everyone should just have a day off Monday and we should all be going in the streets in the city and celebrating. But I'm not sure if it will be accepted by my... So you're the teacher, not the head teacher. That's what we're learning now. Unfortunately, yeah. Can I ask one about the two coaches, head coaches?

there is no head coach and assistant but two coaches who decided to be number ones together I'm not sure how that works but certainly it's been efficient yeah that was something that very many people were skeptical about and it was new but they decided very early that this was the way they wanted to do it because they had been assistant coaches under the coach bielno that took them back to the Lithuanian and they've been it was the only way it was going to work for them and and they have had I mean it seems like it just works for them even though many people have been laughing or asking questions that that it wouldn't work but they just spent a lot of time figuring out how they wanted to do it stuck to it been loyal and yeah they are both from Stavanger and really love the club. So I think also that's a big part of it. Okay, Lars, just to finish then, a challenge for you

all right. Yes, you're live in the radio across the United Kingdom, but just imagine you're sitting in a meeting room with whoever is in charge of the school system in Stavanger. And you have to convince them to let the kids have a day off if Viking win

the league. What's your pitch? Go for it. Hopefully it wouldn't be the only time in their life they will experience this, but I will, of course, It's been 34 years since the last time. It's a big deal. It's something that we need in the society now experiences that just brings us all together

and we can celebrate as a city. Yeah, it's just one of those special things that you never know when you will be able to experience again. And you can just feel the atmosphere in the town. I want everyone to be able to take part in that. And we will try to do the best we can in the schools. but of course if we just could go down to the stadium have a big party in celebration, that would be awesome.

You've sold me, you've convinced me, you've convinced the whole of the BBC is behind you, Lars. Good luck with that and good luck with the game. Great to talk to you. Thank you. Thank you. And hey, I'miki. Yes, exactly that. That's Lars Reesan from the Viking Podum podcast, Instavanga.

Oh, we'll keep our eyes on that to say if they get over the line. first time in over 30 years. All right, let's end the Euroleagues by reflecting on two more individually brilliant performance in the Champions League. Abamiyang in a second, PSG's Vitinia first, Hatrick against Tottenham, whose manager Thomas Frank said he's the best midfielder in the world. As if he used to play for wolves, Jules. It's hard to believe, isn't it?

But as we said, there's no bad players. There might be bad context sometimes, but at that level, just finding the right context. I mean, being at the part of the Prince last night, it was even more spectacular to watch him. And yes, he makes a mistake on the third spurs goal towards the end and the Colomani finished because he should not lose the ball where he did. However, apart from that,

and he got nine out of ten in the team, they probably would have given him ten out of ten if he hadn't made that mistake because for the rest, it was just pretty much perfect, everything. I mean, I looked at the start earlier and in the Champions League only, that's just the Champions League. play with the most successful passes so far, you know, after those six games or five games

with 476, the guy behind him, so the guy's second in that ranking is Vladimir Anton, the center back from Dorman, with 350. So the guy is 126 passes behind Vittina and that's not even a defensive midfielder or a midfielder. But Joannevis has been great for Ph.G's best player overall since the start of the season. But when Vittinia is in that kind of form and hasn't always been the case this season because he also struggled I think a bit after the Club World Cup and all the games that he played last season but when he can score

as well as dictating the tempo of a game like he does and just orientating the game, the ball, short, long the intelligence, the football IQ is something else really so no credit to him, he's only 25 so there's much, much more to come from him. A ball and door

winner according to Thomas Frank James what do you think? Well I mean he's good enough he's so good that Portugal can do without Christiana Ronaldo for two games and in fact,

what was the score in the game that Ronaldo was banned for? Wasn't it 9-1, the Portugal

Armenia game? It was. Three of the biggest gold different victories of Portugal in recent years

as well it happened was without Ronaldo. Okay, forget Ronaldo. Vitania. Come on,

James. You finish the Vitinia thought and then we'll move on to a Bamian. He's a joy to watch. I think he's

kinetic. He's always moving and moving quickly as well and I think going back

to that Champions League final I think we were all there and his influence in some of

the goals for that final just magnificent I always love this Jules mentioned Shaan Nevers as well

I mean these are two guys who aren't the biggest I think in some academies in other countries that have been looked at and said

no those guys are not going to make it they're not big enough they're not physical enough, but they've shown that they're more than good enough. You know, in the same way that Chavian Iniesta did, sometimes size doesn't matter.

Sometimes if you've got the brain and the speed of thought that these players have, you can be this good. And yeah, I would say that in terms of the style of football that I like to watch, he's the best midfielder in the world for me at the moment. Pierre Emrich Abayang has gone from a very, very low point to be back at the top level again, scoring goals at the age of 36, got a brace against Newcastle.

We didn't, Giam, see the best of him in Barcelona, even though he scored a lot of goals. We didn't see the best of him in Chelsea, where he didn't score a lot of goals. I do think it's great just to see him operating at the peak of his powers again. Yeah, interestingly enough, when he came to Arthrona, Chavi received the report

that he hadn't been training well, that he didn't seem that bothered, that he wasn't going to work at Arthrona. He did everything he could, but physically he didn't reach the level required. And now, Jules will tell us how much Roberto de Serb is doing to every single player, Marseille, where they seem to have found the best versions. And, yeah, he's never lost the loss for the love for the game. But it seems to be surrounded by, again, context, as Jules mentioned earlier.

He's happy. And when is Traffield the Champions? I mean, is that PSG Marseille somewhere in January? We have to go. You have to tame it, Jules. Yeah, definitely, man. It'd be great to see Marseille life against PSG as well and with Ovema Yang doing his thing.

Bring us home, Jules. Two outstanding finish. And really, he's not as sharp as he used to be. No, as quick. Obviously, he's 36. He could have been Darryl Bacola who made his debut in the Champions League in that game, who's 17.

It could be his dad. But those finish, the first one and second one, two very different proper number nine finishes. Those, you never lose them. Even in 10 years time when he was 46, he would still cut the cross at the near post like he did, finish like that in a tight angle, like the first goal. It's just that's kind of striker.

He's that good. Yeah, maybe not world class. I've never really been, but there's no better finisher than him in World Football right now. Beautifully done. Jules, James, Guillaume. Thank you all very much. Cheers.

That's the Euroleagues with James Horncastle, Julianne Ron and Guillem Ballagay on the next pod. The Commentator's view. As always, thank you for listening. This winter, cricket's oldest rivalry is reignited. England and Australia do battle to compete for the ashes. That is extraordinary. Hear live ball-by-ball commentary on Fife Sports Extra

and get analysis and reaction of every day's play with the Test Match Special podcast. The Stops out of the ground. Test match special at the Ashes. Listen on BBC Sounds.