On The Continent - A European Football Podcast

Something special is happening in Leverkusen this season. Andy went to watch the Bundesliga leaders take on Union Berlin and spoke to the mastermind behind it all: the great Xabi Alonso.

Andy talks to Alonso about how he transformed Leverkusen from relegation contenders to Bundesliga pace-setters in just 18 months. We also hear from ex-Arsenal captain Granit Xhaka about the impact Xabi Alonso’s had on him since swapping the Emirates for the BayArena.

Follow OTC on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected].

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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why have Benfica struggled so much in Europe this season? How are FC Copenhagen managing to punch so far above their weight? And after more than 35 years behind the mic, what is the best individual performance Derek has ever commentated on?

Dotun, Andy and iconic commentator Derek Rae tackle those questions and much more on today’s Ask OTC. Join us!

Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected].

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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s been a big week in German football! Today, Dotun and Andy are joined by the legendary commentator and Bundesliga expert Derek Rae.

Derek explains exactly why Edin Terzić is the right man for the Dortmund job despite a disastrous Der Klassiker. He also gives us insight into why Union Berlin fans love their manager, Urs Fischer, despite their difficult start to the season. Plus, Andy shares his experience of a famous night in Hamburg this week after Shakhtar beat Barcelona.

Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected].

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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Is Francesco Farioli Europe’s next exciting young manager? Is French football fan culture fundamentally broken? Will any of football’s next Ballon d’Or starlets achieve the reach of Messi and Ronaldo? And can Faroe Islands’ finest make it into the next round of the Europa Conference League?!

Join Dotun, Lars and David as they answer all your questions!

Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected].

For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/continent Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

***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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Real Madrid took control of La Liga this weekend, but could they win it without Jude Bellingham? Today, Dotun is joined by David Cartlidge and Lars Sivertsen to explain why Los Blancos might be too reliant on their star man.

Elsewhere, the panel explain that Bayern need to start being Bayern if they have any chance of catching Bayer Leverkusen, while David explains why Inter Milan – and particularly Lautaro Martínez – have forgotten all about Romelu Lukaku.

Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected].

For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/continent Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

***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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On today’s bonus episode, Dotun and Andy are joined by our favourite Norwegian, Lars Sivertsen, to talk about many others’ favourite Norwegian: Erling Haaland!

Lars’ new book ‘Haaland: The incredible story behind the world’s greatest striker’ is out this week, so he joined us to chat about his compatriot’s amazing story and how he went about writing the book. We discuss the sacrifices he made as a child to give him the best chances of success, his forensic approach to his career progression and how he’s since emerged as one of football’s most formidable forces.

Buy a copy of the book: https://smarturl.it/HaalandLars

Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected].

For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/continent Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee!

***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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dotun, Andy and Miguel Delaney dive into the mailbag for another round of Ask OTC - join us!

We wonder how FC Basel have found themselves at the bottom of the Swiss league despite regular European jaunts, while Union Berlin and Benfica also disappoint domestically. Plus, will Diego Simeone find any more success at Atletico?

Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected].

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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dortmund had too much European experience for Newcastle but are they losing their famous identity?

Today, Miguel Delaney joins Dotun and Andy to discuss that and explain why Serie A is poised to become Europe’s second best league behind the Premier League. Plus, Ajax and Lyon: are they really too big to be relegated?

Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected].

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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dotun, Andy and Nicky Bandini open the floor to you lovely listeners once again, as we start with a look at some Euro 2024 dark horses. No Turkey, please Andy.

We also wonder if Jose Mourinho will leave Roma at the end of the season - is that Antonio Conte lurking in the shadows? Plus, what can Rangers fans expect from Philippe Clement and we discuss how difficult it’s proved for footballers to publicly comment on the war in the Middle East.

Ask a question for next week's show on socials: Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, or email us here: [email protected].

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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Dotun and Andy are joined by Nicky Bandini to look back on an unhappy return to Wembley for the Azzurri – and a very tricky week for Italian football in general. While there are green shoots for Italy under Luciano Spalletti, the panel also discuss what awaits Sandro Tonali and Nicolò Zaniolo as an investigation into alleged betting breaches continues apace.

Plus, we assess the reality behind Portugal’s incredible qualification campaign and look ahead to Real Madrid’s reunion with an old friend and a stunningly dysfunctional Sevilla side at the weekend!

Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected].

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!***

On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.