Dotun’s joined by David Cartlidge and Lars Sivertsen as one of this season’s biggest questions finally has an answer: Xabi Alonso will stay at Bayer Leverkusen next season. We contrast his fortunes with the dour ones of Thomas Tuchel, who is destined to angrily skulk through the exit door of yet another European powerhouse.
Elsewhere, David is particularly scathing of Juventus’ reluctance to replace the uninspiring Max Allegri with any of the suitable options available. Could Bologna boss Thiago Motta be the ideal fit? And we also look ahead to the Copa del Rey final this weekend, as Athletic Bilbao look to crown an impressive season with their first cup victory in four decades. 
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Two tales of two coaches

Welcome to On The Continent, the dedicated European football feed brought to you by the Football Ramble. Dotun Adebayo and Andy Brassell are joined by the best European football experts to dissect the headlines from across the continent and take you inside the European game.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Is the INEOS takeover at Manchester United bad news for Nice? And why could they be about to lose one of their prized assets - Khéphren Thuram - for barely any money? Cesc Fàbregas has helped steer Como back to Serie A for the first time in over 20 years – but why is he not the ‘real’ manager? Plus, is José Mourinho really about to jet off to Saudi Arabia?
Dotun and Andy are joined by Nicky Bandini for another whistle stop tour around the European football stories that you care about!
Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.
For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.
***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask OTC: Cesc Fàbregas at Como, José Mourinho in Saudi, and Khéphren Thuram’s future

256 goals, 108 assists and one mediocre send off. Today, Dotun, Andy and Nicky look at Kylian Mbappé’s PSG legacy and explain why he might not be loved in Paris in the way his record merits.
Elsewhere, it’s been an action-packed week in Italy. Nicky explains how Juventus overcame the odds to beat Atalanta in the Coppa Italia final and Andy asks what’s next for Thiago Motta and Bologna now that they have a seat at Europe’s top table again for the first time in 60 years.
Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.
For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.
***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Au revoir Kylian

One of the defining stories of this season’s Premier League has been - you guessed it - points deductions. But over in the Netherlands, Eredivisie side Vitesse have been relegated after being given the largest points penalty in Dutch history. They were docked a whopping 18 points after an investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism discovered a secret network of loans linking Vitesse to the former Chelsea owner, Roman Abramovich.
Today, Andy Brassell and David Cartlidge speak to Simon Lock from the Bureau to learn more about what they found, how Vitesse got into such deep trouble, and what their situation says about European football’s growing financial crisis.
Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.
For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.
***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

OTC Special: Inside Vitesse’s record breaking points-deduction

If Paulo Fonseca gets the Marseille job, is he the right man to take them forward? How do Juventus restore themselves as the dominant force in Serie A? How have FC Köln gone from European aspirants to relegation favourites within a few years? And Parma are back at the top table in Italy! But can they stay there this time?
Andy is joined by David Cartlidge and Nicky Bandini to answer your European football questions!
Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.
For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.
***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ask OTC: Fonseca to Marseille, the fall of FC Köln, and Parma’s return to Serie A

Joselu was the hero in Madrid. Should we have expected anything else? Today, Andy, Nicky Bandini and David Cartlidge explain why Joselu having the limelight is typical of Madrid's anti-Galáctico season. Plus, David makes the case that Vinicius Junior is still widely underrated in England.
Elsewhere, the panel explain how OTC favourite Edin Terzić got the best of another OTC favourite in Luis Enrique. They also look ahead to a huge week in Atalanta’s history and explain why their manager Gian Piero Gasperini deserves to win a trophy for all the work he's done there.
Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.
For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.
***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!*** Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Two tales of two coaches

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