Talking Fussball

FC Bayern München are back in front by four points after RB Leipzig found the going a bit too tough against Eintracht Frankfurt. Borussia Dortmund -along with fellow European aspirants VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Union Berlin - had a  positive week for themselves. And while it may sound hard to believe on a weekend during which they lost 5-0, FC Schalke 04 may have  hit a bigger jackpot than both of them after reports emerged that Ralf Rangnick looks set to join as Sporting Director. Matt and Nik talk through it all, an Reiss Tigwell drops by to pull an ol' rescue-o-rama. Enjoy!

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It's that time of the season - the one where your best-laid plans for the perfect line-up fall apart through no fault of your own. Amine Harit's late-breaking injury before Schalke's game against Mainz threw a monkey wrench into Flo's team last week, and you can be sure that a player or two you were counting on will do the same sometime soon. Listen in as the Fantasy Fussballgott and JT give you the good word on how to make your team a little less vulnerable to the slings and arrows of outrageous injury... 

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Erling Haaland tried to make it a game. The strapping Norwegian opened Der Klassiker by scoring two goals inside of ten minutes, and BVB's bunkering act was nearly as good for the remaining 80. But you know what they say about nearly men. Suffice it to say there was a lot to chew on following the big game, and Matt and Nik are determined to gnaw out as much flavor as they can. Tune in for all the best (and rest) of match  day 24, plus a check-in on doomed side Schalke with Marie Schulte-Bockum and another edition of Reiss Tigwell's Rescued from Oblivion.

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All eyes in the  Bundesliga are on Der Klassiker - which shouldn't come as a surprise considering the history, the hype, and the circumstances surrounding the fixture this season. But as any good fantasy manager knows, many of the biggest points are in the more out-of-the-way corners of the league. JT and Flo answer all your questions ahead of MD24.

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This one's a treat. When we heard the biggest German player in North America's top soccer league was starting a podcast, we had to find out more - by the time we got him for an interview, the show had just been born. Listen in as Julian Gressel tells Matt about Zee Soccer Podcast, his new show with fellow MLS kraut Fabian Herbers (Chicago Fire), his undying love for one particular Bundesliga club, how he came back from being cut loose by Greuther Fürth at age 15, and what his hopes are for the coming season at DC United. Enjoy!

And if you (like Julian) are looking to start a podcast, consider submitting your Blue Wire Hustle application here: http://bwhustle.com/join

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What in the world? FC Schalke 04 have just about topped their own lofty standards for chaos this time - firing no less than five key sporting-side employees in one fell swoop. Mind you, they're not alone in head-scratching personnel moves. With just 11 games left, Arminia Bielefeld are making a coaching change - one they say is to preserve their chances of long-term success.  Meanwhile, with der Klassiker looming next week, it's RB Leipzig who appear most poised to take advantage of a BVB win, should the Schwarzgelben manage to pull that off. Listen in as Matt and Nik take it all in.

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Last week was a bit patchy for Fantasy Fussballgott Flo (a fact that JT is not about to let go unnoticed), but this week's fixtures have plenty of promise. The episode is a little shorter than usual - JT was set to meet up with with some Young Boys in Leverkusen later that evening - but rest assured, you'll get all the fantasy advice you need ahead of match day 23.

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This one's a break from the norm: A look at a form of football culture that transcends the Bundesliga (though it's a force there as well). James Montague comes on the show to talk about his book 1312: Among the Ultras: A journey with the world’s most extreme fans. 

Nik and James talk through the origins of the Ultra movement, its political and social dimensions, and why it has spread across the globe. In Germany, Morocco, Argentina, Indonesia - just about anywhere the world's game is played - ultras are hugely influential in football and how we consume it. 

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We're happy to report an uptick in excitement at the upper reaches of the table. FC Bayern München are slipping up, RB Leipzig are  looking steadier by the week, and  Eintracht Frankfurt have a rocket strapped to their back. Matt and Nik look at those teams' success, Borussia Dortmund's beatdown of the hapless FC Schalke 04, and Reiss Tigwell drops by to heap praise on VfL Wolfsburg.

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A lot to think about ahead of Match Day 22. We've got big scorers on both sides of the ball on Saturday as  FC Bayern München visits Eintracht Frankfurt - who do you put in your team? Borussia Dortmund come into weekend with a Champions League victory wind in their sails, but the Revierderby has thrown up weird results before - can FC Schalke 04 pull off a surprise? And with Coronavirus cases present in at least two squads this week, will there be some  last-minute scratches in store? Listen in as JT and Flo sort it all out...

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