Football Daily - UCL Debrief: 100% Arsenal, nearly for Newcastle & City add to pressure on Alonso

Episode Date: December 11, 2025

Steve Crossman reacts to Wednesday's Champions League results with correspondent John Murray and former Real Madrid and England defender Jonathan Woodgate.Journalist for Marca, Juan Castro, chats about the pressure mounting on Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso after losing to Manchester City. Does he deserve more time to turn around their poor run of form? We also hear what Pep Guardiola has to say about his side's come-back win in Madrid.After Newcastle suffered a late equaliser from Bayer Leverkusen, we hear from Eddie Howe. Why do they keep making the same errors? Meanwhile Arsenal maintain their 100% win record in the Champions League this season, beating Club Brugge 3-nil. After scoring a brace, what more is there to come from Noni Madueke?Timecodes:   1'45 Real Madrid v Manchester City 17'08 Bayer Leverkusen v Newcastle United 23'40 Club Brugge v ArsenalBBC Sounds / 5 Live commentaries:  Thursday 11th December 2025 1700: Ferencvaros v Rangers on Sports Extra 1945: Celtic v Roma on Sports Extra 1955: Aberdeen v Strasbourg on Sports Extra 2

This BBC podcast is supported by ads outside the UK. 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. To embrace the impossible requires a vehicle that pushes what's possible. 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, Champions League debrief, with Steve Crosman. Manchester City, victorious at the Bernerbeo.

Rail Madrid won City 2, City 4th in the Champions League table, only behind PSG, Bayern and Arsenal, who won handsomely and comfortably 3-0 at Club Bruges. Newcastle were close to moving into the top six. They were leading 2-1 up by a Lavercouzen. They hit the inside of the post twice. There were a few great saves in there as well, but in the end a late goal from Lavercouzain made it finish to all.

Newcastle are 12. Reaction to all of that to come, but these are the sounds of the Bernabé, only one place to start. Big win for Manchester City, John Murray. Yes, Manchester City came here and ruthlessly capitalised on Rail Madrid's current turmoil. And what happens next here at the Bernabau and for the under pressure, Shabia Alonzo, we can only speculate. But what is undoubted that the noise around him here in the Spanish capital will be at fever pitch after this? Was the team playing for him? Well, it certainly looked like it in the first half as Rodrigo shot them in front with his first goal since January, but you can't legislate for errors.

Courtois spilled a Gavadiol header and Nico O'Reilly scuffed in his first Champions League goal. Then Rudigout was all over Harland, VAR awarded the penalty, and Harlan popped it away. His first goal in the Burnabau. Alonso used all the talents he had available to him, but not Mbapé, who was named as a substitute, but clearly not fit. And the noise you can hear here is the man. Manchester City fans celebrating this. They'll leave this chaos behind

and Manchester City are within reach of a place in the last 16. Jonathan Woodgate watching all night inside the Bernabeo with John. I mean, there's loads of stuff to get into here and we'll talk more Rail Madrid in it in a moment as well. But a lot of the discussions we have about

City revolve around attacking threat, you know, are they going to score goals without Harland, etc., etc. Will he be able to break his duck at the Bernabeyer, which he did? we need to talk about the defence and the goalkeeper, don't we? Because that was a right rearguard action in the end. Yeah, they were really solid, especially across the back with Nico Riley.

I thought he was difficult at times trim, but he stood to his task and done really well. I thought Garveyol Diaz, Nunes were immense in the game. And then when Aki came on as well, I thought he was really good. But that's what you need when you're coming to work at the big teams in World Football. You need to be strong at the back. You need to be resolute. You need to defend with a real desire to keep the ball out of the back of the next. they've done really well in the game

some of the positions they've got in there when they're heading when they're heading balls away really good and I thought they're exceptional at the back did we learn anything about Manchester City tonight I think we've learned that they've you know they've got the character that they need to get themselves back to where they want to be and it's you know I sat in with Bernardo Silva yesterday

and he was talking about you know are they getting better are they getting close to where they need to be and he was making the very good point, it is a slow progress, and you do it match by match, and you gain it with performances like this and what it does for you. Let's bring Juan Castro in from Marker.

Juan, the last time Rail Madrid lost two home games in a row, it was back in April, one to Valencia, and then to Arsenal in the Champions League, and that's when the writing was on the wall for Carlo Ancelotti. So how do you feel after that? Now I'm very pessimistic. Really? No, I mean

It's true that it was not like a ridiculous defeat Because I mean they compete But another defeat at home Another defeat in a row That's quite difficult for a coach For a coach to resist to hold this So we will see what happened But now the ambience

The Bernabeo audience is focusing on chavillon so that is the true. So we will see what is going on in the next hours. But now I'm 100% pessimistic. John, Ambience is what it was all about at half-time and full-time. Yeah, they were so quiet at half-time. And you were right, you know, the Real Madrid song at the end of the match had a touch of the dirge about it, didn't it?

The way that it sounded and the way that people quiet, filed out and I think you know I think part of this is it is Shabby Alonzo who was such a great servant for this football club you know therefore maybe it is the silent treatment and that's the way it'll be

it's so difficult Jonathan because it is it is early but nobody knows Florentino Perez's mind do they I get the impression and you obviously you know have played under his presidency he signed you that he might say

one thing to one person and one thing to another and nobody really knows what he's going to do next. I just hope that Shabby Alonzo keeps his job because there's no point in hiring a young manager and giving him six months at the biggest club in the world. There's zero point. You might as well go and hire someone else. Hire someone else who's a bit older

and a bit more wiser than, but you've got to stick with Shabby Alonzo. You have to. You've brought him in. You've brought him from Bay Leverkusen where he was doing an incredible job and then to let him go after six months. If to do it, it will be a shocking decision because he will be, he is a good manager and a good manager now. And just needs to be given time.

You know, to try and explain why it's gone wrong so quickly for him, he has tried to instill his ways into this football club. So, you know, in some ways, if I can sort of paraphrase the situation, it seemed that the players were used to making their own rules. It was a very, it was a very relaxed regime under Carlo Ancelotti. and Chabby Alonzo, you know, who founded what he did and the success that he had at Bia Levykusen on a certain way of working, it would appear that he's tried to come here and put those practices in place, and it's, they're not having it. And the funny thing about that, Juan, is that you would think if anyone was going to be given the seal of approval from players to be like, okay, we're used to doing our own thing, but we will listen to this. it would be someone like Jabby Alonzo, a former Real Madrid player,

former buy-in player, a Champions League winner. So if even he, with his background and what he's achieved as a player and a coach can't kind of get through, can anybody or do Rail Madrid just go back to being run by the players if this doesn't work? Well, I don't think that Florentino Perret wants this kind of manager. I mean, that the players are the ones who are the king of the... of the team.

I don't think Florentino Pere will accept this. What Florentino Perret doesn't accept, in any case, is the defeat. So we will see which kind of minor year comes, if it comes somebody. I don't think it's going to be so easy to sack Shabby Alonso. But you don't have so many options to replace Shabby. Sidane Zidon is an option. during club Alvaro Albelloa so it's

very easy to say that Shabby will be sack or he's in danger which is true but another thing is to find the correct replacement in December we are in the beginning

of the season and Real Madrid still is in the top 8 of the Champions League. Who do you think are the strongest voices among the players in this Real Madrid scored, the strongest voices in the dressing room, as it were? That is, I talk to a lot of people inside the club. That is one of the biggest problems Real Madrid has right now.

There is no stronger, strong voices inside the team. There is no, there is no Sergio Ramos anymore or Fernando Yerro anymore or even Christiano Ronaldo, so yeah, you have some captains like Carvajar, he's injured, or Fede Valverde, it's true, but they are more leaders inside the field than outside the field. And what I'm told inside the club is that this is one of the main problems Shabielanzo has, because there is not a clear leader inside the team, and that's a big problem for a coach, in my opinion. Isn't that the kind of thing that he should have, and maybe he did, but surely that's the sort of thing that should be obvious in a pre-season

if you're lacking that kind of player at a club like Real Madrid? Yeah, I mean, of course. I mean, we have talked a lot about the lack of a playmaker in this squad, which is not the responsibility only of Shabby Alonso. And also it's very difficult to replace. players like Luca Modrich, who is a big leader inside and outside the field, or Tony Cross, which is another leader. And this problem was also in Real Madrid last season, so it's not a new problem.

And it's quite difficult to solve this because you have not many players who can make this role. I mean, we are people even is talking about the possibility of a return of Sergio Ramos, which She's now a free agent after his Mexican experience. Seriously? Yeah, it's more like fans gossip rather than a reality because it's impossible because Florentino and Sergio Ramos don't get alone right now. But you know, but you can imagine how desperate is the people about the lack of a leader

that they are talking about the return of Sergio Ramos with all. almost 40 years old. It's true that he's physically in a good condition, but I think it's more a gossip rather than a reality. Jonathan, if Thibor Courtois makes a bad error like he did on the Equaliser, you probably know it's not going to be your knight because if he isn't the best goalkeeper in the world,

he's certainly right up there. Yeah, he's absolutely top. And it's not often that you see him make errors. but what I would say after that is he made some incredible saves after that especially if he won't low down to his left-hand side but that's the mark of a top keeper he makes a mistake in the game

he just forgets about it, it goes out of his mind some keepers have to make one mistake it leads to another mistake and it leads to another mistake than having an absolute nightmare but he showed great emotional control because he had made that mistake but then he pulled another great save out late on

Juan, do you think the papers and the fans who call in to Radio Marker, are they going to be talking mostly about Alonzo or are they going to be talking mostly about decisions because Rail Madrid players seemed absolutely furious that tugging in the box resulted in a penalty for Manchester City but didn't result in one for them and didn't result in the first goal being disallowed? Well, I think people will talk a lot about Shabby

because also the media will talk a lot about Shabby but I don't think there is a lot of things that Shabby could have done and he has not done today in Bernabello he proved everything with Hendrix with Brahim he has no more option in defense he tried with Rodrigo which didn't play a lot in the last

games and he was one of the best he has no Mbapé he has seven, eight injured people. So I don't think there is a lot of solutions left for Shabby Alonso. That's the reason maybe people

is only talking about the, I mean focusing on Shabby Alonso, on the name, but they don't think about the other possibilities, other solutions that the team has. Maybe the fault was in the beginning

the construction of this squad. You don't have to play, you don't have enough defenders. So I don't think Chávelon's responsibility is full. Juan, thank you very much. Great to have you on. Thank you. Juan Castro, Radio Marker, with us.

All right, let's hear from the Manchester City manager. Here's Pep Guardiola. Sometimes, sometimes when you score a goal, or sometimes when you play, you find the goal. Sometimes you find the goal, and after you find the game or the way you have to play, And until the goal we scored, they were much better. We could not control.

We tried to have the ball, but no with the intention to be aggressive with that and the defense so deep. And every time we lose the ball, they punish us especially with Rodrigo many, many times. Second half was much better. And at the end, I think it was good to score a goal because it helped us a little bit to be there. Jeremy was outstanding today and many of them. experience for us being here for many new players coming over the first time in this stadium.

Everybody feel the pressure to do it and will be a good lesson for the future because that level is not required enough to compete until last stages but maybe in February will be better than today. Let's just finish on big winners

for Manchester City guys. So Nico O'Reilly's just been speaking. He said, what an atmosphere, what a stadium. This goal will live with me forever. And then he said the bit that you have to say, we got the three points and that's the most important thing. He's one of the big winners of the night, Jonathan? Yeah, you'd say so, yeah.

He found a tougher time zone. But he stuck to his task. He learned so much from this game because when he got forward, he got forward and scoring that goal as well. Brilliant. I thought Garviole was tremendous in the game alongside Ruben Diaz, led by example,

the pair of them balls were coming in the box, heading in the way. I thought at times Bernardo Silver really started controlling the game and showed what Guadio would want out with that team. in terms of the control and getting on the ball and some arms slowing it down and playing at their pace. I thought they were the real ones for me. I think as well, John, we should mention Mateus Nunez as well.

There's been a feeling in recent weeks that he is starting to look like a right back and this was always going to be the biggest of big tests against Minisius Junior. Yeah, and in this Manchester City team you've got a right back who's not really a right back and a left back who's not really a left back. And yet, Pep Guardiola has seen something in them both to think that they can play and do what he wants them to do in this team.

And another thing I would say, Steve, as well, is, as we mentioned, with Arsenal's win tonight, that probably means they can now ease over the line in this competition and rest players for those two final matches. And when you look at the position in the Premier League with Arsenal and Manchester City so close to one another, this result tonight, important in the Champions League, also has implications and importance for them. the Premier League as well, because they're now up to fourth place, Manchester City, in the league table. Bodo glimped away next after Christmas in the Arctic Circle, which you would expect that Manchester City could make changes and perhaps still win that one, and then at home to Galatasaray. So they might also have the luxury of being able to rotate for those matches, which could be highly important at that time of the season. Spring Hill Suites, part of Marriott Bonvoy, the official hotel partner of U.S. soccer.

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pop culture references. It's actually quite a silly podcast. Yeah, listen now on BBC Sound. Yeah, you should. Okay, cool. On the Football Daily podcast, Champions League debrief with Steve Crosman. So Manchester City, yeah, fourth on 13 points. Below them, Atalanta Inter, Rail Madrid and Atletico Madrid. That wraps up the automatic qualifiers for now. Liverpool are ninth on 12 points, so just one behind Manchester City, but there's obviously a lot of teams within there. We'll talk more shortly about Arsenal, who are top of the pile, six wins from six. Newcastle, a 12th after a two-old draw by a Lavercousen.

John Acres was watching this one for them. John, just watching it on television. I mean, Newcastle was so unlucky on a couple of occasions. This could have been a massive win for them tonight. They were finished 2-2, but they hit exactly the same spot at the base of the goalkeeper's left-hand post twice in the second half. once through Gordon who was brilliant and then Murphy off the bench as a substitute. Having said that, you could argue, you know, if you're a Leverkusen fan, Chow could have seen a straight red for bringing down Schick.

When he looked through on goal, to me, got a yellow card and it wasn't inside the penalty area. That could have been very different. And, you know, Ramsey made several good saves in the Newcastle goal as well. So it's a good point when you're that close to three, though, and you can see, yourself in the live league table sixth in that league phase table it does I've just seen the Eddie Howe interview and he does look really disappointed because they were just so close but you've got to give credit it was a fine goal in the end from Grumaldo a lovely finish a one tool on the edge of the area but plenty to take heart from in that game another late goal

another set piece are some things there for Newcastle to work on PSV next and then PSG in their final game but all eyes this weekend Steve will be on a very different game. Oh yeah. We're time Darby in full on on Five Lives Premier League Sunday. Just some of the quotes that John was alluding to there. Anthony Gordon at half time the manager gave us a kick up the backside. We reacted really well. Bit of quality for them for the equaliser but we're letting in too many goals late in games. This is interesting from Eddie Howe. I wasn't happy at half time. I felt like

there was a real lack of belief that we could score. We were much better in the second half. I mean look the big, there's a couple of positives for Newcastle. And like you said, because they've got PSG in their final game and PSV at home to come, this, if they could have got over the line, it might have ended up making the difference between automatic qualification in the playoffs. But watching Lewis Miley from County Durham, teenager, scoring the Champions League felt important, didn't it? 19 years of age, off the bench, first Champions League goal. It's a super cross from Gordon, again, from the left-hand side. And then he timed his run,

perfectly from midfield on as a substitute rose really well edge of the six yard box center of the goal and just guided it into the corner and just seeing his celebration was a wonderful moment he'll never forget that please for nick volta mater as well goes back to germany you know with that price tag and what the german press and what the german media have been saying about him with all his family and his friends having traveled there to watch the game he won the penalty out of nothing when fleck and dwelt on the ball and he just nicked it off him went down for the penalty Gordon's penalty he was fantastic by the way to make it 1-1. So they were a lot better in that second half and there were some really good moments but they were so close to finishing the evening in that top eight. Jonathan Woodgate, just on Lewis Miley and I know this is an absolute tapping and an open goal and I'm not saying it's more important than anywhere else in the country

but North East Clubs Academy graduate scoring big goals is so special. Yeah, it's so special. Without question, he'll have absolutely adored that goal. I'm sure he'll watch it back so many times. But do you know what? When he's coming this season and played, he's had limited opportunities this season. He's played a few games, but he's done really well.

And to come in, when you look at the three, they've got him in field of Joel and Bruno and Tanali to try and break that three up is really difficult. So he's stayed patient, and when he's had his opportunity, he's took it, he's done that a night, he's done really well again. Really pleased for him. Anthony Gordon said in his interview,

when he talked about Louis Miley, he said, not only is he, obviously, we can all see. He's developed physically really well, but also mentally, the mental side of the game. You know, he's just learning all the time, and you can tell just the way they celebrated that goal, that all the team were around him. He's a really popular member of the squad.

And to see the Tune Army, 1800 in the away, and plenty of black and white striped shirts as well in the neutral section too, you could see how much it meant for them, like you said, Steve, to see a local boy score that goal. It's a shame for them and for him that it couldn't have been, the winner. The late goals is a massive issue for them though, isn't it? Like Anthony Gordon was saying. Yeah, huge. You know, it's the Marseille game. We know in the Champions League, it's hurting them. And there was a quote afterwards, I think, they were they going to have to have a look at their fitness at the end of the game.

I think Anthony Gordon mentioned that, that and set pieces. Again, you know, Bruno Gimerich knows very little about it, the first goal for Leverkusen. It's a header back across goal. Tanali is marking his man, but isn't looking at him. So there's a question mark over that. Gimerice jumps for the header. He's got his back turn, hits him in the back, and just bounces past. Ramsey's got no chance with it. But yeah, there's a bit of same old story about it, but also some real positives, like I said earlier on. And we can hear from the Newcastle manager. Here's Eddie Howe. You come here and you 1-0 down, the crowds in the game. The second off was a lot better. I thought we were more aggressive in both phases, both on

our press and in possession, played with more belief and looked a really good team. And we're inches away from making it three one a few times and I think we're a team that's hopefully building in the right direction. I think we've had a difficult summer. I thought you've seen that some of our early performances. I think the last six have been a lot better but we're not perfect and we're doing our best to develop and to grow. I think there's positive signs but there's still some moments where we I think shoot ourselves in the foot and that was there again today and it's I know it's a frustration not just for me but for the players and for everybody because we're costing

on ourselves at the moment. 2-1 ahead today with minimal time left. You know to a degree you're going to have some defending to do at different stages and you have to stand up and be counted and do that and we didn't do it well enough. Historically, we've done it really well. Last year, I think we were excellent at it. And I do think you go in phases and cycles and some things crop up that you can't quite work out, fix that and something else crops up.

So I think you're in a constant phase of trying to improve. That's certainly an area that we have to do better in. One team in the Champions League this season has a 100% record and that is Arsenal. It's now six wins from six. They won 3-0 at Club Bruges. We've already heard from John, John, Jonathan and Juan. So thank God for you, Connor McNamara. Very successful evening for Mikhail Artetta.

I think particularly in the context of the lengthening injury list that he's managing at the moment, the fact that his team were beaten at Astervilla in the Premier League of the weekend. You know, this could have been a slippery assignment for them away from home in the Champions League. But tonight Arsenal showed that they are not wobbling. Five changes in the team.

Christian Norgaard brought in to play central defence and Artetus just said in his post-match interview that Norgaard was his best player tonight. The wind sees, Arsenal, as you say, continue, the only team at maximum points in the league phase. So that's 18 points on the board. Two games to play, top of the standings. Tonight, two goals from Nunny Madweke.

The first of them was an absolute beauty. If you haven't seen it, I urge you to dig it out. Gabriel Martinelli scored the third goal. It means he's now scored in five Champions League appearances in a row. the first time any Arsenal player has ever done that. And to add to the general joyous mood of the evening, Gabriel Jesus comes on. His first appearance since January after a serious knee injury,

and he almost scored as well. The Brazilian hit the crossbars. So Bruges, who actually did okay when you consider that they sacked their head coach on Monday. They had lots of chances. New boss Ivan Leko could have no complaints about his size work rate, but Arsenal just the much better team. They went three now. Just reading some quotes, Connor, from Nonny Madwick.

He said, I think the bare minimum I need to give, is threat obviously try to score and be as decisive as possible that's the next level I need to get to in terms of consistently being decisive

for club and country I think I can reach that level well yeah on recent performances I don't think anyone would argue would they yeah he's still to score the Premier League for Arsenal

so that's now after two goals is up to three yeah his three goals for the club have all come in the Champions League now scoring as Boy of Munich two tonight those have been his three goals

look he's giving genuine competition to Bukaius Saka on that right-hand side of the Arsenal attack, which if you think over recent years, that's been just nailed down that that's Saka's position. I think Arsenal fans will like this because Saka's going to have to up his game to continue to stay in the team. He was unfortunate because he comes into the team. In September, he picks up that injury against Manchester City. He misses out for the bones of two months, Madowecki, so he's only come back recently.

And, you know, I do think he does look head and shoulder. I mean, Eze is getting a lot of good publicity for how he's playing. But that was a really good bit of business from Arsenal. to bring in Nani Madwecki in the summer. Connor, thank you very much. Final word then, John Murray. Madweke, O'Reilly, Gordon. Going to win the World Cup, aren't they?

Well, it's still December, isn't it? Just checking the calendar. Yeah, it's still December. But, yeah, for O'Reilly, I think, particularly, you know, what we've witnessed here for this young man, this is the sort of thing that young kids dream of, isn't it? To score your first Champions League goal in the Bernabow, you know, So I think of them, you know, he's probably got to, for sentimental and emotional reasons, get the top billing.

All right, that's it for this episode of the Football Daily. Huge thanks to John, John, Juan Jonathan and Connor McNamara. Thanks for listening. Reignited. Smalling, first boy. 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 stabs out of the ground. Test match special at the Ashes.

Listen on BBC Sounds. Football Daily is sponsored by Spring Hill Suites, part of Marriott Bonvoy, the official hotel partner of U.S. soccer. As the U.S. 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 springhillSuite.marriott.com to find out more.