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Here comes a peculiar Clasico - Real Madrid v Barcelona ... in Saudi Arabia.

Here's what I think about the circumstances around the Supercopa clash and then, as I wrote for ESPNFC, a little something about the connections between the two men in charge, and the power balance between these two titanic rivals.

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Mark Hateley’s new autobiography Hitting The Mark brilliantly defines the extraordinary career of a truly great British centre-forward.

In part one of an in-depth, fascinating Big Interview, Mark tells us how trying to better his late father Tony – himself a successful striker – was his major motivation as he relentlessly drove himself to improve.

His father was furious that Mark chose a move from Coventry down a division to Portsmouth. But the gamble paid off with 24 goals in his first season at Pompey, and he also enjoyed success with England including a winning goal against Brazil in the Maracana.

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Welcome to our Big Interview Icons series where we shine a light on a legend whose name has lit up some of the conversations I’ve had with my guests over the years. This episode focuses on Pep Guardiola.

Rio Ferdinand reflects on Manchester United’s two Champions League final defeats to Pep’s Barcelona and is bighearted enough to wax lyrical about Pep’s genius. He is gutted that he was not brought in to manage at Old Trafford.

Germany midfielder Ilkay Gundogan loves playing for Guardiola at Manchester City. He’s not an easy man all the time, but ultimately you know that he has got your back, that he adheres to an almost familial sense of personal loyalty.

Namesake and Liverpool assistant manager Pep Lijnders considers Guardiola as one of the best coaches ever, because he is a master at drilling teams to their maximum potential in training, but does so while never impeding the individual class of great players.

When Guardiola took over at Barcelona, experienced Catalan coach Domènec Torrent was one of his trusted lieutenants. They endured a sticky start but the golden Barca era soon dawned, and Domènec gives us engrossing insights into what it was like behind the scenes.

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Welcome to part two of our annual Oscars show, where our listeners - as well as Graham and Pete - decide who wins categories including lifetime achievement and best original song.

It's the only review of 2021 that comes with red carpet, evening wear and tapas.

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Welcome to our annual Oscars show, where our listeners - as well as Graham and Pete - decide who wins categories including best performer in a lead role and best director (of football).

It's the only review of 2021 that comes with red carpet, evening wear and tapas.

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

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Scot Gemmill is currently a very successful manager of the Scotland under-21 team. In part two of this absorbing Big Interview, you’ll hear how he hadn’t planned a transition from playing to coaching, and got there through his own initiative, effort and a little slice of luck. He expanded his coaching brain by observing how it was done at Barcelona, Espanyol… and Paisley. And we hear how Scot nurtured Scotland’s most brilliant young talent, Billy Gilmour.

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Being the son of Scotland and Nottingham Forest legend Archie was normality for Scot Gemmill when growing up, but having Brian Clough critiquing your performance for a Sunday youth side was downright surreal in anyone’s book.

Despite his initial self-doubt, Gemmill jnr. went on to play for Cloughie at Forest and nowadays he realises the spell the great man cast on him when he coaches footballers. He learned to play like you mean it, like you are competing in the last game you will ever play.

Also in part one: indie gigs and New York, New York.

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Welcome to our Big Interview Icons series where we shine a light on a legend whose name has lit up some of the conversations I’ve had with my guests over the years. This episode focuses on Paul Scholes.

Michael Carrick describes how when he arrived at Manchester United he was slated for passing to midfield colleague Paul too often – but why wouldn’t you utilise the talents of one of England’s greatest-ever players?

Another former Old Trafford team-mate, Owen Hargreaves, rated Scholesy so highly – not least his game intelligence – that he places him in the pantheon of true footballing greats.

Darren Fletcher says that Paul was technically one of the best players of all time, so much so that the Scotsman had to redefine his own role as a midfielder at Man United.

Quinton Fortune says it was sheer joy playing with Scholes, who he believes taught World Cup winner Paul Pogba everything he knows.

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In part two of my extraordinary conversation with Graeme Le Saux, we hear about dressing-room bigotry and bullying, and the seismic culture change that needs to occur at a club in order to smash the conspiracy of fearful silence that sustains it.

If Graeme felt like an outsider at Chelsea, at Blackburn Rovers he was part of a band of brothers whose incredible work-ethic and self-belief narrowly won them the league against the mighty Manchester United in 1995. It was Graeme’s finest hour, and he lauds the leadership of Kenny Dalglish and his assistant Ray Harford.

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com

Hola!

Here's my latest column for ESPN, for your listening pleasure. 

With four of Spain’s teams in danger of getting knocked out of the Champions League there's lots for Simeone, Emery and Lopetegui to learn from Rayo Vallecano and Iraola. 

Enjoy

G

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revistadelaliga.substack.com