The Road to Nowhere European Football Podcast

Alasdair, Barlow and Michael discuss and analyse the latest European football news. The boys look at Lucien Favre's second dawn at Nice, Roma's tantalising squad dynamics, Micky van de Ven's promising trajectory at Wolfsburg, and the wider significance of Takefusa Kubo's permanent move to Real Sociedad. 1:31 - With Luka Jović looking to rediscover his goalscoring form of yesteryear, why might Vincenzo Italiano's Fiorentina represent the perfect destination for the 24-year-old? / 18:05 - Taking into account the emerging trends over the last few transfer windows, how close are we to the almost universally unpopular European Super League project becoming a reality? / 37:53 - Holistically speaking, where does Monaco's most recent European setback leave the eight-times champions of France? / 53:52 - Following Wolfsburg's FIFA Career Mode-esque summer transfer business, what should our expectations be this season for the 2008/2009 Bundesliga champions?

Alasdair, Barlow, and Michael are joined by Patrick Caskie (tactical expert of Scouted Football and Breaking the Lines fame) and Byron Hutchinson (Recruitment Analyst at Viking FC, and Social Media Lead at the Bundesliga) to discuss and analyse the latest European football news. The boys look at the striking similarities between Valencia's current direction of travel and Deportivo de La Coruña's well-documented decline, Juve's rather evocative approach to recruitment, the impact of Robert Lewandowski's departure on Bayern Munich's style of play and European aspirations, and the wider significance of PSG's seemingly trend-reversing appointments of Christophe Galtier and Luis Campos. 2:48 - Having reached consecutive Champions League finals and won the league under Rafa Benítez shortly after the turn of the century, why do Valencia now find themselves in such an alarming state of flux? / 20:06 - Do the summer personnel changes at Paris Saint Germain represent merely a temporary deviation from their typically lavish approach to hoovering up trophies, or are we seeing a genuine shift towards a more permanent culture change for the ten-times champions of France? / 34:44 - Tactically and more generally speaking, what can we expect from Julien Nagelsmann's Bayern Munich in the post- Lewandowski era? / 46:23 - Focusing in particular on the recent signings of Ángel Di María and the returning Paul Pogba, in what sense can Juventus perhaps look back to look forward?

Alasdair, Barlow and Michael discuss and analyse the latest European football news. In announcing their alternative end-of-season awards, the boys look at Sanjin Prcić's mesmeric play-making at the base of Strasbourg's midfield, Serie A's scandal of the year, Hamburg's perpetual misfortune, the opening scene of Carlo Ancelotti's sophisticated biopic and more. 3:05 - Which LaLiga club's president's remarks landed him Spanish football's "Bitterest Ex" award? / 16:59 - Who is Serie A's most quintessential journeyman? / 34:53 - Which three iconic moments defined Bochum's memorable first season back in German football's top flight after an eleven-year hiatus? / 45:16 - What makes Teji Savanier such a worthy recipient of the RTN Ligue 1 Cult Hero Award?

Alasdair, Barlow and Michael discuss and analyse the latest European football news. The boys look at Genoa's numerous false dawns, Clermont Foot's architecturally anomalous Stade Gabriel-Montpied, Bayer Leverkusen's resplendent Rückrunde, Espanyol's apparent short-sightedness and more. 3:04 - Following Levante's and Alavés' relegations to the Segunda, what conclusions can we draw from their respective seasons as a whole? / 19:47 - Just how remarkable an achievement is Clermon Foot's Ligue 1 survival in itself, and, holistically speaking, what factors have enabled the club from southeast-central France to defy the pre-season odds? / 30:31 - Which aspects of Patrik Schick's game make him such an effective goalscorer, and, more generally, how do Bayer Leverkusen play in order to harness the 26-year-old's full power and potential? / 40:24 - How will Genoa's relegation affect Serie A next season, and can we expect the nine-times champions of Italy to make a swift return to the top flight?

Alasdair, Barlow and Michael discuss and analyse the latest European football news. The boys look at 22-year-old Nico Schlotterbeck's intimidating aerial prowess, Carlo Ancelotti's peerless coaching experience, Monaco's idiosyncratic place within the wider Ligue 1 ecosystem, Salernitana's heroic Serie A survival bid, and more. 2:50 - To what extent has AC Milan's resilient character enabled the Rossoneri to find themselves within touching distance of a first Serie A title since 2011? / 18:31 - What would the potential departure of their Sporting Director, Paul Mitchell mean for Monaco, and, more generally, what does the future hold for the principality club? / 35:14 - Which factors have made this year's Copa del Rey one of the most captivating editions of the competition in recent memory? / 50:22 - Why have Freiburg been so devastatingly effective from set-pieces this season?

Alasdair, Barlow and Michael discuss and analyse the latest European football news. The boys look at Lyon's defensive friability, Gian Piero Gasperini's Sword of Damocles, Union Berlin's derby dominance, Real Madrid's bouncebackability and more. 2:49 - What was the mood like in the Olympiastadion before, during, and after the most recent edition of the Berlin derby, and, tactically speaking, where was the game ultimately won and lost? / 16:49 - How has Ivan Jurić moulded early-season relegation favourites Torino into one of the most effective defensive units in Serie A? / 30:27 - Having upset the proverbial apple cart with their characteristically boisterous approach against Manchester City, how are so-called pantomime villains Atletico Madrid generally perceived in Spain? / 44:40 - What has been the root cause of Lyon's Ligue 1 tribulations so far this season, and, on a more positive note, which two OL youngsters look destined for stellar careers? 

Alasdair, Barlow and Michael discuss and analyse the latest European football news. The boys look at Ligue 1's riveting recent battle of the wing-backs, 22-year-old Beto's endearing journey from Lisbon's district leagues to scoring a Serie A hat-trick for Udinese, the perhaps inevitable impact of Julen Lopetegui's desired playing style on Sevilla's ageing squad, Hertha Berlin's latest left-field roll of the proverbial dice, and more. 2:38 - Where was Strasbourg's weighty Ligue 1 clash with RC Lens won and lost, and how did Julian Stéphan's side cope so admirably without the influential midfield duo of Adrien Thomasson and Sanjin Prciç? / 14:27 - Which particular aspect of new RCD Mallorca head coach, Javier Aguirre’s personality might play a key role in the islanders’ bid to avoid the drop to the Segunda, and, more generally, what style of management can we expect from the former Mexico boss at the Visit Mallorca Estadi? / 31:53 - Tactically and stylistically speaking, how might we explain Juventus' damaging recent defeat to Inter Milan? / 48:23 - What does Felix Magath's CV tell us about the 68-year-old's ability or otherwise to steer Hertha Berlin away from the Bundesliga's relegation zone?

Alasdair, Barlow and Michael discuss and analyse the latest European football news. The boys look at Carlo Ancelotti's faltering job security, Borna Sosa’s irresistible partnership with Sasa Kalajdžić, Lazio’s Derby Della Capitale wake-up call, Jonathan Clauss’ professional pilgrimage and more. 2:10 - How might we explain Stuttgart’s inability this campaign to replicate last season’s impressive Bundesliga form? / 14:07 - What was the wider, long-term significance of Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Real Madrid in the most recent edition of El Clásico, and, tactically speaking, where was the game won and lost? / 32:03 - Holistically speaking, what have been the principal factors behind a rather dismal season in Europe for Italian club football? / 46:47 - Why was Jonathan Clauss’ recent call-up to the French national team so decidedly wholesome?

Alasdair, Barlow and Michael discuss and analyse the latest European football news. The boys look at Dortmund's shortcomings on and off the field of play, Alexander Blessin's unbeaten start to life as Genoa manager, Nantes' inconsistently electric front three, Valencia's Copa del Rey euphoria and more. 2:26 - Tactically speaking, what were the key factors behind AC Milan's recent win over Napoli? / 20:36 - Following their calamitous exit from the Europa League, where do Borussia Dortmund go from here? / 29:30 - Why might there be a substantive argument to be made that Nantes' 23-year-old captain, Alban Lafont merits a call-up to the French national team? / 37:38 - Which players have been integral to Atlético Madrid's partial rejuvenation?  

Alasdair, Barlow and Michael discuss and analyse the latest Europe football news. The boys look at Spezia's influential academy graduates, PSG's ominous reliance on Kylian Mbappé, Real Betis' defiance of our early-season expectations domestically and in Europe, RB Leipzig's fruitful shift away from an intense approach to pressing and more. 2:26 - Notwithstanding PSG's recent Champions League success, why is the outlook not particularly rosy at the Parc des Princes? / 15:46 - Tactically speaking, how might Real Madrid look to overcome their one-goal first-leg deficit in their Round of 16 tie with PSG? / 36:10 - What steps has Domenico Tedesco taken to enable RB Leipzig to recover so impressively from what was the club’s worst start to a Bundesliga season? / 46:37 - What served as the catalyst for Inter Milan's nightmarish February?