Arsenal & Man City Out, Micah’s Moment Of Madness & UCL Final Predictions | EP 109

How do Man City and Arsenal bounce back from Champions League disappointment? Are the FA right to scrap Cup replays next season? Will Cole Palmer be starting for England at the Euros this summer?
Gary, Alan and Micah also predict who will make the Champions League final.
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00:00 - Intro
01:15 - Man City v Real Madrid
14:30 - Bayern Munich v Arsenal
21:55 - Barcelona v PSG
29:40 - Dortmund v Athletico
31:15 - Predictions!
33:10 - Chelsea’s Emphatic Win
39:00 - FA Cup Replays Gone!

[@imagesbirds5066]

Guys, I love your pod. But you have a lot of English football bias. This is simply what Madrid does. They did it twice to us (Liverpool) in two CL finals. They don't f'''ing care about posession or stats. They don't bother to play ugly or destructive. And how come you think Arsenal would be favorites against Bayern: In Munich. After a home draw without the Bayern fans when Bayern scored two away goals. And that loss to Villa. The European pedigree won the day for two absolute European giants against two teams that - despite all their achievements - severly lack experience on the European stage. Don't matter how good the league is in those scenarios. Arsenal and City are still two small clubs compared to Bayern and Real, even if they play better football week in week out.

[@g-e9513]

Pretty bang on tbh and that’s from an Arsenal fan

[@billbaggiotmua372]

​@@g-e9513 A quality striker, and two wingers, your Mob will go and do really great things next season😢 that hurt btw.

[@sharptothepoint]

Finally someone nails them to this. Too much bias for English teams, but also overhyping English players and national team. The quality of the pod would be much higher if they offer a more sober international outlook.

[@JasonEkwueme]

Ok but what do you expect? They are England fans? They are all ex England internationals 2 of them being legends. They also admitted how good Madrid were and how they just win football matches at this calibre. So my question is knowing all this what do you have an issue with?

[@sharptothepoint]

​@@JasonEkwuemeif you wanted to hear biased opinion, you go to the pub. If you wanted ex pro analysis, you play a podcast. They are limiting themselves this way

[@sameershahid2943]

Fun fact for these English pundits: Defending is actually part of the game. Doesn't matter what kind of play style is more attractive or appealing to your eyes. History remembers trophies, not how many passes you made.

[@danmero6864]

Facts

[@emekaoguguo5023]

I love this Well said

[@redaderoua8816]

Exactly, I hate how people brush off defensive masterclasses and undermine football defense. No you were not the better team overall, you were better offensively and in terms of ball possession that's all.

[@MrGerbil_]

I just love that English blokes give Ange sass about not switching up his tactics for different teams or when down a goal or whatever, but when Real Madrid play defensively against Man City they act like RM got lucky or were boring or whatever. They just bitch about anything unless you’re English. Explains why they keep their shit national coach around and have won how many world cups? I mean, Jfc, how did Man City dominate? Possession for possession’s sake, loitering outside the box, recycling the ball while they look for some high xG chance to miss. That’s dominating? RM defensively shut them down. It took RM 12 minutes to figure out and break through MC’s defense and it took MC how long to do the same? Honestly, the PL bias is absurd.

[@bradleylibese5742]

the one thing i dislike about pep football is that now everyone thinks good defending is "lucky". if anything de bruyne's goal was luck from rudiger slipping

[@ongeziwebesi23]

Well said @bradleylibese5742

[@KaidenKnox11]

KDB put it over the bar? Well so did Rudiger. 1. Guardiol, a defender scored from outside the box with his weaker foot. This will not happen in the next 5 years and they know that 2. Silva scored from a Goalkeeping mistake. 3. KDB scored from a Rudiger mistake. 9/10 he would clear that ball. Rodrygo is more likely to score like that in the next 6 months than KDB, Silva, or Gvardiol to score the way they did. So who was lucky? These people are so bitter.

[@ma466]

@@KaidenKnox11 Also two RM deflected goals in first leg we can put in lucky busket too?

[@raxzar]

Fianlly someone said it. Defending is not lucky the great italian Teams won it always on supreme defending.

[@ejohnsondebaufre]

Indeed. Anyone's granny could have made that goal.

[@thariqaziz3676]

In Mourinho’s words “they can take the ball home we’ll take the 3 points”. English pundits bitter about english teams getting knocked out.

[@tharcisse7103]

The 2 legs totalled 210 minutes. City led for 18 minutes, it was a draw for 76 minutes, Real Madrid led for 116 minutes. How is that luck?

[@Hhammer]

Because they’re English duh

[@kr8s]

Not to mention without Courtois, Alaba, Militao, Tchuamaini

[@user-xg1py3wk8l]

Cause it's English bias by pundits who only care about the premier league. I mean Nacho is the captain of Madrid and been there for over a decade and Micah thinks he's a midfielder when he's never played there in his life

[@thepapadanshow1407]

Because Madrid got a lucky early goal then put 10 men behind the ball for the rest of the game?

[@BiggAlmilky]

​@@thepapadanshow1407so many city have never done that in their history!!

[@lolep7871]

I love the pod and you guys but this whole "the better team lost, Madrid were lucky" mindset is the precise reason why the English NT is internationally irrelevant compared to other countries, despite having the best league. Luck is a one, two, even three times thing, Madrid have done this, especially in the UCL, forever. It's a mentality, a winning gene that is crucial for international success. That and bloody good defending in this case, which is often too underestimated in the PL. The team that played better won, simple. A return leg at home will always have the local team attacking and pressuring more, Madrid knew that and acted accordingly by getting a nice goal and then focusing on good and compact defending to drag the game to the win or, at least, penalties, which are NOT luck either. Meaningless stats, posession, and passes don't necessarily translate to actual good playing and results. Hopefully Bellingham can soak in that winning gene and spread it into the National Team, you very much need it.

[@PatrickCassidy17]

8:40 Nacho has been a defender all his career albeit a utility defender. Not sure where Micah has got the idea that he is a midfielder by trade.

[@tomsawyer7230]

just shows how absolutely clueless this guy is outside of his premier league bubble

[@Profilejc98]

That was really bizarre and I think he got him confused for Tchouameni (suspended for second leg) who's played a lot of CB with Madrid's injuries lately

[@JinxdWinner]

I think he just Googled "Nacho" and the search results brought up Nacho Gil who plays in the MLS, pretty sure Micah didn't read the MLS bit. :) I'm surprised he didn't say, "Nacho, who's a delicious Tex-Mex dish by trade."

[@teza1383]

I bet he was thinking of Tchouameni

[@dajo8723]

Maybe he was thinking of Alex Fernandez, midfielder for Cadiz, one of the nicest people in football, and the brother of Nacho.

[@dipankatalukder4395]

English pundits cannot digest the fact that there are better clubs than pl clubs. They are labeling grit determination and hard work as "Lucky". Man city and kdb got the chance of winning the match but could not. Real madrid's defensive display over two legs is a masterclass. English pundits will never understand playing outside the premier league therefore they always stayed in their comfort zone. Those who went never succeeded. Real madrid are legacy clubs demeaning them will be a big mistake.

[@DaleHarris-hf8js]

Big Meeks not being able to understand why everyone was so happy to see City go out.... Is he not going to mention the 115 charges? Really like Micah but he always seems to go MIA whenever it's talked about.

[@hyywe240]

I don't think any rational adults care if man city paid their staff too much under mancini. Nobody is going to equate that with their current success

[@Kivikesku]

@@hyywe240 But their past overspending has built a basis that helps them now. Of course. Besides, the 2019-2023 breaches are under investigation but have not led to charges yet. Pep cheated as a player, why wouldn't he cheat as a manager?

[@voultronix761]

​@hyywe240 exactly , look at united's spending. More than cities

[@hyywe240]

@@Kivikesku these are things the board have done between 2009 and 2018. Just so you know, nothing to do with pep. You not liking him doesn't matter

[@markmcinerney9513]

Pep took them off doing pep things and is blaming the players he does it all the time KDB looked pissed off after being taken off

[@garethosullivan1412]

I think it’s hilarious to hear people in general, but Gary in specific in this episode, saying things like “defending is an art” or “defending is part of the game”, but then the next sentence criticise Real Madrid for defending and counter-attacking, as if it isn’t valid or part of the game… Gary in this episode, said Man City controlled both legs, especially the second leg. I’m not sure what he means by controlled because Real were winning for the vast majority of both legs. Unfortunately, this is a perfect example of the disparity between pundits and coaches and the way they speak about the game in general. (Especially English ones ;)

[@joseperes2184]

Yeah I came here for this comment

[@waynesewell147]

I know football is all about winning and I get that. But, I pay good money to watch City live, and I can tell you now, I'll much prefer to watch the football we play, and lose, then watch Madrid's type of football. Full stop.

[@em_si]

@@waynesewell147 Do you think Madrid play the way they did against City, all the time?

[@joshpemberton8128]

I do hate how stats have become this big thing to refer to. Only important stat is the score.

[@Stuffthatsfunny1]

Exactly. Actually look at what you saw not the figures after the game on a piece of paper

[@vespasiancloscan7077]

Because the other stats hurt your brain?

[@SimBir08]

@@Stuffthatsfunny1 Football is being Americanised. American's are obsessed with random stats, constantly bringing up irrelevant stats during games. And now the FA are brining in sinbins, another American concept.

[@willtallis5275]

It’s like the stat that everyone keeps going on about with United in shots faced you could face 50 shots a game and 45 of them could end up in row z so actually only faced 5 shots on target but the stat stays the same there just nonsense

[@SFM35.8]

City also CHEATED and still lost. They dont deserve to even play real madrid, should be playing against port vale, grimsby

[@kavsoc]

Barcelona guy and man city guy are salty... not surprised.

[@kavsoc]

"miles better" cry more

[@shay00795]

RealM were efficient in front of goal. City wasn't. Simple as that. City clearly better in stats but that means nothing when you can't convert them into big chances and score...Haaland is honestly being exposed. He is basically non existent in all big games in UCL and League.

[@nihilsacrum]

I didn't even notice the RM superstars upfront, nonexistent as well. RM as always, deal with the devil again and again, like cocroaches surviving the apocalypse :) It defies logic.

[@ma466]

The problem is that Pep only know to play one dimensional football which is winning trophies while playing pretty football. Two of those things rarely goes hand in hand. Pep need to think out of the box sometimes. For example, he could instruct his players to play deep and defensive when MC was leading 12 minutes to go in Bernabau. I am sure City would win the game by changing the tactic . Rather they were trying to to press high and keep playing the same style. But RM change their skin in CL always. They play differently way

[@charlielad6124]

​@@nihilsacrumRodrygo scored with a Vinicius Jr assist. What are you on about?

[@neildeeley4177]

Efficient? It was 1-1 lol

[@shay00795]

@@nihilsacrum you sound like the English media. When RM keep doing it year after year it's not a coincidence or luck. That's just how they are playing under Ancelotti.

[@hunsler1006]

I know what people mean when they say the best team lost. But I find it hard to agree. Man city couldn't beat them in either leg. Real were leading for the majority. And grinding out results is not only a massive part of the game, it's a skill. You make your own luck in football. And when a team have possession and not many chances, if feels to me the defensive team were dictating where they allowed man city to have possession.

[@AreJayCee]

This might be sacrilege but I find peps city team boring to watch

[@hunsler1006]

@@AreJayCee I know what you mean. It's a side effect of how dominant they are. When quality teams can have a go they can be involved in great games (like Chelsea this season).

[@samuraiyemo]

To paraphrase the late Franz Beckenbauer: "The strongest team doesn't always win, but the one that does is strong." Arsenal and Man City are strong teams, but so are Bayern and Real Madrid (and Bayer Leverkusen and Atalanta for that matter). You can underestimate and look down at other leagues and their teams -- but don't act surprised at the schadenfreude when your teams crash out.

[@alexmac1847]

1:37 I wonder how they’ve got so much better over the past 10 years 🤔 115 comes to mind

[@leehammett8717]

There will always be an asterisk against their trophies in the majority of the publics opinion, until the charges are seen and answered then City fans will just have to live with it

[@hyywe240]

It's just sad fans who support a premier league team who have lost to city in the past. I don't think anyone who doesn't support a prem team would care. Same thing happened with Chelsea. They are not part of the established elite so they are looked down on. Like rich old people complaining about new money

[@Stuffthatsfunny1]

Don't forget the doctor whose been done for doping in Italy

[@leehammett8717]

Rules are there for a reason, they are understood and apply to everyone - just ask Everton or Forest fans. If City are found guilty then it will always mean the trophies won will be suspect

[@TheMan-cz5mu]

@@hyywe240 pretty sure many low income clubs envy man city bcz they got sheikh to fund them without any success or achievement, clubs like Everton and forest see that they get points deducted but nothing happens to city , if u think what city did is right then any billionaire can come invest lots of money and make it successful remember my words if city get away with it it will happen again and again and nobody would be able to stop them bcz there will be an example of city getting away with it

[@sheyndenizov181]

Since when did Man City go above Real Madrid in the European pecking order? You’ve won one UCL since Pep has been in charge. Real have won four in that timeframe. It’s almost like you’re trying to rewrite history based on last season. Your dubiously overpriced and overcoached team lost, it’s simple. Passion and grit is what matters most in football. Atalanta showed that quite well also.

[@bravoanane]

If my defence is better than your attack and my attack is better than your defence, then who was REALLY better? 😂

[@rudrajitsinha3175]

The amazing part is that this Real Madrid team is full of skilled players who never play low block. To make these players play defence for 120 mins is a managerial masterclass.

[@anthonysalgado-nava3715]

The best team won. Don’t forget defense is a big part of the game. Real Madrid played incredible defense. No starting goal keeper. 1 CB coming back from injury, their other starting CB out, no Tchouameni their starting CDM, no actual 9. Yet, they went to the Etihad and won. The better team won that game.

[@mindsai7]

City had 33 shots with 23 inside the box, 9 of those were not blocked or saved but were simply missed by city. I would not consider that good defending, being opened up nine times to the point you can only hope your opponent misses. City lost because they choked, RM did well to score with limited chances and deserved to win the shootout especially after that hilarious stationary save on silva.

[@jamielee5695]

​@mindsai7 they had lots of shots but the eye test tells you that none of those chances were clear cut. RM defended in such a way that meant City had to resort to half chances

[@edmack124]

@@jamielee5695you could say exactly the same about the first leg for arguably all of madrids goals (especially the deflected ones.) Man City did have clear cut chances because clear cut chances are not just tap ins especially since all involved are the best of the best.

[@lolep7871]

​@@mindsai7stats don't translate to anything meaninful if those "23 shots inside the box" were absolutely not a threat at all due to Madrid's compact and effective deffending. This blind, one-dimensional usage of 'stats' is worthless for proper analysis of the game.

[@jamielee5695]

@@lolep7871 Exactly. Stats tells half the story

[@adazdzz4483]

115, that's all that Micah needs to know

[@KPFN_Footscast]

Grow up are you a lawyer

[@dazamanday]

​​​@@KPFN_Footscast I mean from what I've been told by City's armchair lawyers they're just going to tell the judge to cry more and they will win 😂

[@HGulp]

@@dazamanday City's lawyers sent death threats to UEFA, they're hardly "armchair".

[@KPFN_Footscast]

CoffeeKittyGrey read the charges and see If most of them even make sense

[@waynesewell147]

@CoffeeKittyGrey They are allegations based on evidence, Charges that are unproven. But if you like your way, maybe live in China.

[@teza1383]

The lack of respect on Madrid’s performance over 2 legs is baffling. 3-3 thriller at the battle of bernabeau then hold out for pens & win. RM doesn’t care as long as they win.

[@jammybizzle666]

The reason people celebrate city getting knocked out is 115 charges

[@fintylark]

that's cap. WE all hate how successful city are. Nobody really gives a damn about charges because you can clearly see how they play ,how they've revolutionized football {inverted fb and cb playing cm etc} and how individual players rise up..kdb, rodri, dias etc. I just hate how successful they are. Even if they are guilty {most likely}..we will all agree the football city has been playing was one of the best football regardless. Barca have been in scandals with paying refs in the messi xavi and Iniesta times but we all saw what those guys did on the pitch and we respected it. That's just my POV.

[@jammybizzle666]

@@fintylark what a load of bollocks

[@wiselettuce8715]

Posession and attacking is not the only style, defending is also football. 2 games, 90+120 mins for city to come out on top, and they fail to do so. Stop coping with "the better team lost", because it's clearly not.

[@mdilham5237]

such terrible takes from these 3 regarding UCL... Pep has made football boring to watch!!!

[@danm2756]

City had two games to defeat RM. And they couldnt. Thats not luck

[@bendodsworth2373]

Anyone else taste lemon in the first 10 mins of this??? Absolutely bitter, its glorious

[@dwyanewade3superstar]

Love the podcast but disagree with Lineker here. Possession doesn't give you the right to win the game per se. Thierry's analysis on CBS was spot on, defending is part of the game. Carlo is an Italian after all. Like Micah said, City didn't even create that many clear cut chances. When you have Vini, Rodrygo and Man City like to play a high line, of course you're going to play on the counter. Arsenal set up more defensively at the Etihad which Real used as a reference, and it was called a defensive masterclass but now it's 'unfair'. They also weren't outplayed in every leg in 2022, you don't win the Champions League 14 times and reach another semi-final through 'luck'. I'd rather go through in a cup tie specifically than play a certain way. Barcelona were up 2 goals on agg at home in the second leg and still lost, so go figure.

[@Nofacenocasemiro]

Big chances created: Real Madrid: 5 Man City: 3 Qualified: Real Madrid Played 30 minutes more at home: Man City Where is the domination exactly?

[@themandlaziman]

Bitterness is so sad to see. Good defending is also 'good football'

[@AlexeiRamotar]

Most people are happy that the English teams are out because of how English commentary is so arrogant. Pep made a mistake in taking off Haaland. When Haaland came off the extra defender was used to shut down Doku. Extra time was pretty even.

[@thomasgandon8338]

It’s their own fault if everyone hates the English. No other Country in football is so arrogant than the English. The Italians won in 1990 all 3 competition but never said the other leagues are farmers leagues. They respected every league.

[@willtallis5275]

@@thomasgandon8338did you see hummles tweet after the games taking the piss about us calling it farmers league if any league is farmers league it’s the prem

[@justtim785]

this pod is one of the best, together with the overlap. But it feels like the guys dont understand why people are happy man city loss.

[@Sunno94]

They have to know, you can’t be on socials and not see what people are saying

[@rmzidann]

Last I checked, defense is also part of football !

[@outlawfly664]

The amount of biased narrative from these English pundits is laughable. Man City looked toothless. All that possession and set pieces, and they kept shifting the ball from flank to flank without capitalising. Their crossbar hit was basically their only clear cut chance, their goal came from a individual slip, while Madrid in the first leg created far more clear cut chances. Such a team doesn't deserve to go through to the semifinals. Real Madrid played a masterclass great defense. "Dominated"? So controlling a game with great defense is not part of the game all of the sudden? Over the two legs, Madrid even held lead for over 115 minutes while city in less than 19 minutes, go figure. Never mind Madrid missing so many key players in key positions including their first choice goal keeper. Yeah so much for city "dominating" 😂🤦‍♂

[@GRIMMDOOM1]

Just because City had most of the ball, does not mean they controlled the game. Madrid were defensively SUPERB. Luck had absolutely nothing to do with it. This is the Champions League, this is Madrid's house.

[@MaxFlow591]

I'm sorry but defending not a part of football? It's great that Pep has "reinvented" football by having center backs, fullbacks, and even goalkeepers are involved in city's attacking style of football but there's no shame in defending against the likes of City and get a result.

[@shadowSephiroth]

Really surprised and disappointed that a defender and players from 90s don't appreciate defending anymore. Calling it lucky when real lead for the most time. People have become slaves to stats nowadays like it means everything in football.

[@LorriLuring]

English teams losing = other team is lucky. English teams winning = the other team stood no chance.

[@okformadrid]

Critical with Madrid winning, hyping only the English player there. Exactly what the bubble of a typical English fan looks like and that s why England will never win any major trophy 🏆😂

[@marv8868]

They want to be pretend like football experts, but they even don’t know what’s pronounced Ronald Araujo surname. Typical English.

[@shaneoconnor8597]

Yeah i thought he was nowhere near his best in the 2 legs. Kroos put on a show in that second leg I thought and nobody is mentioning him

[@okformadrid]

@@shaneoconnor8597 exactly 💯

[@marcushillen8680]

If you're a billion dollar team and you can't beat a low block you deserve to lose. They fouled every time we counter attacked like schoolboys. We wouldn't have played defensively if we didn't score 12 minutes in, and if they'd have scored first they would have played the same way. It's how you're supposed to play when you're winning on aggregate AWAY in this most important competition in the world. Were we supposed to be wide open and let them score like some dogshit pizzashop bottom half prem team? It's bullshit, and you have people like Micah talking about how there's a "narrative" or "divisive attitude" AGAINST FFP FC, like they're not pedaling this narrative about how it would be "better for all of them" if English teams had went through. Wtf does that even mean? What's better for everybody is the actual best teams going through. City LOST, which means they're not one of them Try again next year. "If we still had the away goals rule" yeah but you don't. Get over it.

[@flickchic238]

Micah, the only people who like City are City fans.

[@willtallis5275]

And half of them don’t actually support the team well I imagine booing your own players for being a goal or 2 down at half time after everything they’ve won for them and still they win the match in the end anyway plus most of them came form Chelsea when Chelsea stopped winning things there go back to Chelsea eventually lol

[@vaannebilim]

Most of them are barcelona fans

[@shashwatrathore9897]

"England has the best number 10s". Germany with Wirtz, Musiala, Gundogan, Muller, Brandt, Reus😅

[@OllieSach]

I don’t know how Micah can say the fact that Madrid have won it 14 times holds no weight. We’ve seen it time and time again in the Champions League with Madrid, they can win out of nothing and I believe that their status does carry them through games

[@walkkwithhme]

Love hearing English-biased pundits crying for City. Especially enjoyed it when Linekar could not hold back his envy towards Real Madrid. After of a sudden he is talking about away rules that would take City to the next stage. On the other hand, the English pundit thinks Nacho is a midfielder by trait. Well done expert pundits.

[@rajeshrai165_]

You can debate as much as you can but the team that scores more (and wins the game) is THE best team. Period.

[@noahhh_4]

You really can’t say “Real Madrid are lucky” no one has ever won the champions league Back to Back…Real Madrid did a 3 peat…You can’t be lucky to win it 14 times…it’s mentality, they always say “We are Real Madrid”…listen to Thierry Henry after the game

[@osamashaheen972]

Interesting podcast, but please tone down the English bias. It's seriously disgraceful to say that Real Madrid played like Luton. Manchester City did not have a clear chance in 210 minutes, except for the one that De Bruyne shot over the bar. Otherwise, they needed to score three world-class goals in the first leg. Yes, Real Madrid defended, but it was very organized and consistent defensive play. On another note, the fact that De Bruyne and Haaland asked to be substituted says a lot, perhaps explaining why City lost. Have you seen Carvajal? Have you seen what he sacrificed? I expected a much more decent analysis.

[@Bears84]

The English bias is getting a bit annoying to be honest...

[@lesliemasoso23]

You say Madrid were playing like Luton but they were ahead for 76 mins over 2 legs and Man City only 17. Madrid knew how to win and they did what they had to to win and they won.

[@mdkramster]

Man City fan here. We might have played better but we didn't score. Or Real Madrid didn't let us score. Penalties raise my blood-pressure and we weren't as good as them when taking them. C'est la vie. We move on.

[@david83ryan]

The tears in this from Jugs and Meeks are just delicious

[@mervynpeters]

Shocking these top pros dont recognize there is an art to defending. Man C have bought the best players. There is only one way to beat them. Defence.

[@mervynpeters]

Where is the value of playing so many passes and so much possession...and failing to get many shots at goal? Liverpool is opposite to Man C they pass high risk and have many shots but can't finish. So in between Pep and Klopp is the balance of approach.

[@matthewmaguire71]

Are you all actually clueless?!! No one likes City because they are an absolutely soulless football club with 115 charges against them. Speak with some honesty lads. Mind boggling

[@user-yu7ko6do4k]

Well said sir

[@sayan7912]

What a horrible analysis. If City couldn't beat Real at home in a shootout, trailed at home for most of the match, got lucky to score the equaliser after the ball deflected off Rudiger, how was the match 50-50 & Real got lucky. Just because you have the ball means nothing, Real knew how they could hurt them and did it perfectly. If Walker wasnt there it would've gone bad to worse for City in no time. No wonder people talk about the English bias. Didn't expect this from these guys. And Gary, if Barcelona could play like Real Madrid and defend well they wouldn't have become a choker & a laughing stalk in UCL. They have bottled leads throughout their history in the UCL. Its in their DNA, just like Real has winning at all cost in their DNA.

[@denisako6493]

Bellingham grew up in a foreign culture that's why he's so well rounded. If ge stayed in England he'll be another Deli Alli

[@leaodaestrela5250]

Carefull guys, we love your pod because you are not biased, and because you speak based on experience in a fun and informative way... madrid and bayern deserved to win. Just get over it

[@Wolfgang-li9bx]

The shame pushed on defending is why Barca and Pep have failed so many times in UCL. Defending is part of the game and been part of war strategies. This arrogance is delusional~!

[@tommcmorran7276]

He won it twice with Barca what are you talking about

[@abdelhafedhbuhaibehalmurad1319]

Well he didn't do a 3 peat like us did he, good for them but they were not as successful as us in UCL ​@@tommcmorran7276

[@flexermc4333]

With the greatest team of all time and prime messi. Any freaking tactic would get that team the UCL

[@tommcmorran7276]

@@flexermc4333 the same players were there the seasons after he left and they weren't as good, if pep was holding them back why was that the case?

[@willtallis5275]

@@tommcmorran7276they won’t he treble not that many years ago pep only just win the champs league again and needed an club that cheated to get to the top again and haaland he was good in Europe with Barca but hasn’t been with anyone else

[@Spygoal]

Just because you have possession doesn’t mean you deserve to win the game …. How are fans unbiased

[@BrockLove-mb2cc]

Love you guys and love seeing Micah on CBS, but Nacho is not a midfielder at all. Tell me you don't watch LaLiga without telling me you don't watch LaLiga!!!!!

[@realgems24]

Possession doesn't mean dominating. You can dictate defensively

[@derekhamilton7275]

Lol

[@jamielee5695]

Thank you!!! You can be in control of a game whilst being out of possession. RM were completely comfortable with City being sat on the edge of their box, they had almost every player in their own box, there was no way through. The perfect away performance

[@rajuthevocalist7288]

It's true . Spurs had 73 percent possession against Newcastle and still lost 4 0. Brazil had more possession than Germany and lost 7 1

[@kagisomonareng]

The whole "Real Madrid is lucky" narrative is getting old

[@bl4ckkn1g8t5]

Micah getting everyone single one of his quarter final predictions wrong.

[@cali8621]

I love the English when they talk about football. How many times have we heard "Man City were by far the better team but... England were by far the better team but..." yeah, yeah Gary. You guys are the best, it's unfortunate that you rarely win anything. You lot have been saying City has been the best team in the world for the better part of a decade yet they have won 1 champions league, very strange.

[@vijayarneja7973]

I love this pod so much but its crazy how they are saying how much of a better team city were when they couldn’t score more than one goal against a 30+ year old nacho fernandez and 30+ year old carvajal…

[@jamieyoung271]

Wasn’t Gary very recently saying it’s unfair that the team in the 2nd leg gets to play an extra half hour at home ?

[@ull4h]

Good point; perhaps we should give him that question on their next Q&A’s haha! City had the advantage and still lost 🤷🏽‍♂️!

[@canonogic]

I disagree massively, City weren't the better team by "MILES". Madrid outsmarted City with their defensive structure, just cause they didn't play open and expansive football does not mean they weren't the better team

[@aayanbhadoria9147]

Hilarious reductive analysis, city created half chances only, they created 2.7 xg from 33 shots that comes out as 0.09 xg per shot i dont know if any of these people know that it amounts to a shot going in only 9% of the time which tells us that city were unable to create good chances like they usually do.

[@ongeziwebesi23]

Micah just said Nacho is a midfielder

[@user-qq5oj3gw2e]

played them off the park still conceded 4 goals

[@Spygoal]

This is why one reason everyone hates city cause this kind of punditry!! Madrid were lucky?!? Defending away from home at quarter final… come on… plus city didn’t have many clear cut Chances to be labeled they were so good and dominated. This why one reason why people hate . Because of the media basied

[@user-qq5oj3gw2e]

take a look at real madrid record in european cup since 2010 must be a lot of lucky games

[@ongeziwebesi23]

You can waffle all you want but the most important thing is the final score. You can keep your ball possession and crosses.

[@John-fw2bp]

Great analysis and nice football chat. Keep it going guys

[@desalage]

Man City leads for 18 mins vs Real Madrid for 116 mins. Played them off the park? Linekar has dementia hahahaa

[@mattnicholls6763]

Slating real Madrid for playing valid tactical counter attacks, or should we all pass out from the back and bore every one to death. Stop pretending like peps way of playing is the only way, as real Madrid proved,it's not. Well done Real Madrid!!!! Gary went a few mins this episode without mentioning Barcelona. Well done Gary. Let's try 5 minutes next week!!!

[@emekaoguguo5023]

If it was an English team who played like RM did , the story would be about how brave the English team were and how they were tactically brilliant

[@FOOTBALLisKNOWLEDGE]

City payed fantastic but madrid defened better. Why would they come and play an open game against city? They would get destroyed. You all say how good city are so it makes no sense to go toe to toe with them.. very few can teams can

[@Stuffthatsfunny1]

2:30 115 charges and a stadiums of empty plastic seats micah

[@ongeziwebesi23]

Luck doesn’t exist in football. The team that scores the most goals always wins

[@raplita4417]

Tired of this narrative of 'this team played better or they didnt deserve to lose' the only thing that matters at the end of the day is whoever won and lets not forget that defending is a crucial part of the game. The team that attacks may seem like they are playing better but if they cant put their chances onto the net it deserves a lot of credit to the other team. Winning no matter what is the mentality some teams need to be even greater. Btw love the pod but just had to disagree on that front.

[@kernowchris]

A disgrace getting rid of replays in the FA Cup. As a kid I was able to go to White Hart Lane and Anfield as an away fan in a replay. I would never have experienced these stadiums were it not for my club earning the replays. Prem and a weak FA pandering to the top 6.

[@IanRossDavies]

I get the bitterness toward City. As a Forest fan especially, with those un-answered, un-accounted for 115 charges. The CLUB have a lot to answer for/to. But I don't get the hate against the TEAM. They're fabulous. And to me, it was a shame to not see that team go on to win it again. And yes, I know the team only exists due to the rule breaks.

[@shaneoconnor8597]

See I look at that Madrid team and just love it. They just find ways to win games. It’s all a bit chaotic but so effective. I think people like the idea of this perfect football not winning.

[@IanRossDavies]

@@shaneoconnor8597 I get that too. Totally. And I think Madrid is an incredible club, as well as team. Love the way they play just as much. Just would have been something to see City clean up again.

[@willtallis5275]

@@IanRossDaviesyour not a Forrest fan there’s now way other clubs want another club to do really well what crap are you taking nobody in world football wants to watch Man City win everything again

[@Huwandahero]

One of the best things about the game is revelling in the demise of your peers. Never ever ever listen to this drivel to support English team in European competition, the tears of my enemies are my motivation, it’s in my soul

[@Zoro-en5jo]

Micah doesn't understand why rival fans are happy to see City go out..

[@mezzala1014]

They didn’t say the same things when it was Arsenal at City despite Arsenal not even scoring. RMA was defending a goal what was Arsenal defending the whole game at City?? Didn’t see them laugh at Arsenal. This is KO football … one goal also away from home is massive. And before the Rodrygo goal… RMA was open and in extra time they had better chances than City.

[@palashrawat401]

Gary Linekar is a shameful bitter Barca fan

[@Eros7Black10]

He isn't lying tho, he may be bitter but he ain't lying

[@j.e.4610]

"Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win."

[@mk22vids37]

Real Madrid*

[@lawrencebaker1811]

This kind of bias is why we will also flop in the euros. The league is weak this season, my team Liverpool are two points off the top and we have been poor most of the season. Lets be humble for a change.

[@tomeggleston367]

Letting Gundogan and Mahrez go without properly replacing them has been the key for City. Those 2 have scored so many clutch goals for them last few years - even off the bench. Doku and Grealish not at same levels yet.

[@manishdh]

RM has knocked ManC out in UCL competition twice across three years. Its all about winning that counts. If you need to defend in order to win, so be it & that's why RM knows how to grind a result either through offense or defense. Don't know if any other club plays in a different style than they normally do inorder to grind a result.

[@virtualinsanity2457]

Got to blame pep for trying to pass it into net and not playing to haalands strengths.

[@picklerick7872]

Micah surely cant be surprised why everyone is elated that City got put out. You mention Man Utd and Liverpool but they are proper clubs unlike City. You also said they have came a long way in 10 years, making it sound like theyv had to fight tooth and nail to get there. Theyv been playing football manager for 10 years on a cheat code

[@vitanus]

Hasnt Madrid reached 12 out of 14 and Bayern 8 out of 14 Championsleague semifinals since 2010? I guess that´s what they call "Football Heritage". Meanwhile Arsenal reached two semis in their history...

[@manishdh]

When clubs cannot beat RM in UCL competition, they term them as lucky but it needs to be understood why are they so lucky in UCL. Is it luck alone that has fetched them 14UCL championships, nah. They know how to grind a result. Have you seen any other club playing a different style of play to get a result, sometimes its necessary to adapt according to the needs of a situation in the match. RM relied on offense in 1st leg & offense initially in 2nd leg & later relied on defense to grind a result. As a football club, you need to play offense & defense well to WIN. ManC were just not clinical in 2nd leg nor they were good in defense over two legs in comparison to the dominant force they were when they won UCL, Haaland was a placeholder across 2 legs.

[@lj4434]

The best team always find a way to win regardless of the situation

[@user-dq6zq3lk5f]

Before Manchester City, Barcelona and Bayern Munich used to control the ball a lot in games, but they were both knocked out by Real Madrid. It's because Real Madrid is good at changing their game plan, unlike Barcelona, city and Bayern who stick to one way of playing which is tiki taka. Madrid can adapt to how their opponents play, which makes them very flexible and sometimes hard to beat.

[@chilton7853]

All of that about not understanding the enjoyment of Arsenal and city being knocked out and trying to claim “it’s good for the league the longer they’re in it”, no, it isn’t at all, I for one will very much enjoy laughing at their failures this season, like every club does to one another, welcome to football😂

[@willtallis5275]

Esactly

[@mezzala1014]

English people 😂😂 … When the score was still 0-0 RMA were playing they started defending after they got the lead. Also in extra time RMA had the best half chances and a massive Rudiger chance. City had 0 chances in extra time. Point is RMA can play ball they just parked the bus when they had the lead.

[@amratmohamed2382]

This is why football is the best sport in the world there is no jury two decide who deserves to win the last man standing wins

[@Samafterhours]

Rudiger waved his arm to his goalie from the centreline to dive right for Kovacic , his ex coll at Chelsea The goalie did, and saved it

[@rowan2828]

How does Micah not understand why everyone hates City? His bias is clouding his judgement obviously, they are a small club pumped full of oil money with no fans, no atmosphere and no reason to be successful aside from breaking every rule in the book to pump money into a shit club with no revenue or fan base to support the level of players and talent they were bringing in. They have bought the league and turned it into a one-horse show at the detriment of competitive & financial integrity. They have then benefitted from FFP preventing other clubs such as Newcastle from doing the same thing they did, so yeah I'm very happy they lost, I hope they never win another game and get deleted from the EFL & premier league. HALA MADRID