Three (3) great La Liga stories ahead of the Madrid derby! 🇪🇸

The author of the new book 'Once Upon a Time in La Liga' joins the show.

A whole cadre of La Liga legends lit up Queens on Wednesday night and I was there to bear witness. Jordi Alba was motoring down the left flank, Sergio Busquets deployed some trademark chop-turns to leave his opponents bamboozled in the midfield trenches, and Luis Suárez kept his saliva in his mouth and dispatched a penalty.

Oh, and Lionel Messi scored two and assisted another.

It was my fourth time seeing the little master at work in person, and he has never once disappointed. (I forgot last summer’s Copa América in the intro to this week’s episode when I said this was the third time!) I’ll have a full report on that evening at Citi Field soon enough, but first: this week’s show.

It’s a capital derby this Saturday, Atlético hosting Real Madrid at the Metropolitano, and ahead of the big game we’re getting into some La Liga history. There’s the thrilling story of how two Racing Santander players defied Generalissimo Franco’s fascist regime. There’s a look at Santiago Bernabéu’s right-hand man who did so much to make Real Madrid what it is today, and there’s the tale of how a spectacularly pacy Atléti winger became a Nazi spy.

Each of those is a chapter in Once Upon a Time in La Liga, a new book out this month. Author Brendan Madden joins the show to share that history, talk about his path from data journalist to football storyteller, and of course talk about how the current versions of Atléti and Los Blancos are shaping up coming into this weekend’s marquee fixture.

Get yourself a copy and have a listen here before it all kicks off at 10:15am ET / 3:15pm UK on Saturday:

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Or check it out on APPLE PODCASTS🍎

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A few more matches worth your time this weekend…

CHELSEA vs BRIGHTON

Sat @ 10am ET, 3pm UK

The Madrid derby kicks off 15 minutes later, but the Premier League fanatics out there may choose to stick with what they know. This should be a good one between two teams with designs on the European places, one of which has become a very well-compensated feeder club for the other.

There’s also CRYSTAL PALACE hosting LIVERPOOL in this window in what might be a tough test for the reigning champions. Will they have to pull another rabbit out of the hat after 80+ minutes? It’s worked alright for them so far…

JUVENTUS vs ATALANTA

Sat @ 12pm ET, 5pm UK

Is the Old Lady back for good? Are Atalanta still the real deal after ex-manager Gian Piero Gasperini’s departure? There’s only one way to find out: Watch this game.

ASTON VILLA vs FULHAM

Sun @ 9am ET, 2pm UK

The Villans have been poor — very poor. Unai Emery’s side are mired in the relegation zone with just one goal scored in five matches, and they’ll feel fortunate to even have that one. (It was a bit of a gift from Sunderland keeper Robin Roefs.) Fulham have been scoring and conceding freely, though, so this could get lively at Villa Park.

NEWCASTLE vs ARSENAL

Sun @ 11:30am ET, 4:30pm UK

This is the runner-up for game-of-the-weekend, because these two don’t like each other at all. There’s no love lost between managers Eddie Howe and Mikel Arteta, or between the two sets of players — Bruno Guimarães and Joelinton vs Arsenal’s midfielders is always fireworks — or between the two sets of fans. It’s become a sort of cultural derby that can get quite nasty.

MILAN vs NAPOLI

Sun @ 2:45pm ET, 7:45pm UK

Here’s another pulse-check in Serie A. Following a poor season last term, A.C. Milan have taken nine points from 12 to start this campaign and find themselves in an early third place. They host the defending champs, who’ve started off perfectly. Napoli have popped in nine goals already, while Christian Pulisic has three on his own for Milan to co-lead the league. If he can continue his fine form here, it could make for a major statement from the Rossoneri.