⚽️El Clásico (Feat. GRAHAM HUNTER)
⚽️El Clásico (Feat. GRAHAM HUNTER)
Many legends have contested this match, but there are deeper layers to the disagreement between BARCELONA and REAL MADRID.
It’s quite a week when A.C. MILAN vs INTER can’t get top billing, particularly when the blue-and-blacks can secure the Italian title with a win over the old enemy. But somebody decided to schedule that one on a Monday, and besides, there’s no bigger game than El Clásico.
REAL MADRID and BARCELONA are among the world’s true glamor clubs, and for years this was a contest to decide which was the premier footballing institution on the planet. Maybe it’s no longer at the stratospheric levels of Messi-and-Ronaldo yesteryear, but it remains a titanic match with roots that run deep into the modern social and political history of Spain. These are two outfits from different regions, with different philosophies, and they really do not like each other.
Joining the show to discuss it all is Graham Hunter, a writer for ESPN.com and host of The Big Interview podcast. He’s lived in Spain for decades covering La Liga, and he’s full of insight on the intricacies of this feud:
You can also check it out on Apple Podcasts and Acast.
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THE HEADLINES
⚽︎ It was a bit of a bloodbath for English teams in Europe, as Arsenal and Manchester City crashed out of the Champions League and Liverpool and West Ham faltered in the Europa League:
Real Madrid will meet Bayern Munich in one Champions League semifinal, with Dortmund and PSG clashing in the other.
⚽︎ Liverpool were defenestrated by a remarkable Atalanta side. Manager Gian Piero Gasperini has led a team featuring a number of reclamation projects who were unloved by other clubs to a Europa League semifinal, all at the expense of a European giant.
⚽︎ Aston Villa was a rare success story for the Premier League in Europe thanks to an extraordinary pantomime-villain performance from Emiliano Martínez. The Argentine goalkeeper was whistled throughout by Lille’s fans for his behavior and his history denying France the 2022 World Cup, and he somehow avoided getting sent off for his shithousery in the penalty shootout. He was shown his second yellow card of the match, but apparently, per the official rules of association football, the first yellow did not carry into the spot-kick phase. Villa would otherwise have been without a keeper for the shootout, but as it happened, Martínez saved two and won the match for them.
⚽︎ Bayer Leverkusen survived a serious test from West Ham to go 44 games unbeaten this season, a new record for a team in Europe’s top five leagues.
⚽︎ Bastian Schweinsteger joined Gary Neville on The Overlap and told the story of how José Mourinho froze him out at Manchester United. It’s not a flattering picture, but it is a reminder that for all his gargantuan success, the Portuguese coach could be petulant and vindictive.
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SATURDAY
LEICESTER CITY vs WEST BROM
7:30am ET / 12:30pm GMT
The Championship is one of the best competitions around at the moment. Leicester City occupy the second automatic promotion spot, a point behind Ipswich in first and one ahead of Leeds United in third. To stay on track and avoid the playoffs, Enzo Maresca’s side need victory against fifth-placed West Brom, who are hunting a playoff spot for themselves.
LUTON TOWN vs BRENTFORD
10am ET / 3pm GMT
A big win over miserable Sheffield United last weekend just about secured safety for Brentford, who are seven points clear of the drop zone with five matches to go. But Luton Town are the team they’re clear of, desperately trying to claw somebody down into relegation hell to take their place, and the right results this weekend could see Rob Edwards’ plucky side leapfrog Everton, Nottingham Forest, or both.
MAN CITY vs CHELSEA
12:15pm ET / 5:15pm GMT
It’s a moneybags melée in the FA Cup semifinals. City will be out to rescue a league-and-cup double after the treble disappeared when they were dumped out of the Champions League on Wednesday. Chelsea are trying to reach a second cup final of the season and secure a tangible prize for Mauricio Pochettino—who’s still yet to win a trophy in England—in what’s otherwise been a sorry season. Chelsea have drawn both league meetings with City, however, and Cole Palmer will be eager to show his former club what they’re missing. Not that they haven’t noticed already: he’s even on Premier League goals with Erling Haaland.
WOLVES vs ARSENAL
2:30pm ET / 7:30pm GMT
Speaking of redemption tours, Arsenal crashed out of the Champions League the same night as City and are just trying to hold onto their title push. You wouldn’t know it from the way everyone (including me) is talking, but the North Londoners are just two points behind Man City with six games to play. Going to Molineux is no joke, however, even with Wolves’ injury problems and indifferent recent form.
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THE KITMAN
Jürgen Klopp did not enjoy his Thursday night as Liverpool departed another competition and he coached his last match for the club in Europe. But I very much enjoyed his jacket:
This one is coppable at Nike for $125—not a steal, but moderno-80s color-block beauties like this don’t come cheap in this day and age.
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SUNDAY
EVERTON vs NOTTINGHAM FOREST
8:30am ET / 1:30pm GMT
It’s the Deduction Derby, the PSR Playoff. Both of these teams are in serious trouble now they’ve been docked eight points (Everton) and four (Forest) respectively. The latter is just one point clear of Luton Town and the relegation zone. Everton is another point better off with a game in hand, but this is desperation time for all involved. It should get scrappy as all hell.
ASTON VILLA vs BOURNEMOUTH
10am ET / 3pm GMT
It’s terrific times in Birmingham. As it stands, Villa have a ticket to the Champions League next season after Tottenham faltered at Newcastle last time out and the Villans went down to North London to beat up title-chasing Arsenal. Bournemouth have had an up-and-down season, but they can play on their day. They could jump up into the top half of the table if results go their way.
There’s also a London derby in CRYSTAL PALACE vs WEST HAM in this match window, though the Hammers may be gassed from their efforts against Bayer Leverkusen this week.
COVENTRY CITY vs MAN UNITED
10:30am ET / 3:30pm GMT
Here’s an FA Cup classic in the making, as the (nominal) giants of Manchester United meet Championship Coventry at Wembley. On paper, all signs point to the Red Devils storming through to the final, but you never know what you’ll get with Erik ten Hag’s side and their opposition here were in the Championship playoff hunt until recently. Now their season hinges on this—and so, maybe, does ten Hag’s future.
DORTMUND vs BAYER LEVERKUSEN
11:30am ET / 4:30pm GMT
The Bundesliga is cooked, and Leverkusen did the cookin’. Xabi Alonso’s side wrapped it up last weekend, and they simply do not lose matches. Borussia Dortmund represent one of the major remaining hurdles between the Company’s Eleven and a perfect season. Florian Wirtz and Co. will have to get past the Yellow Wall, which just this week watched the black-and-yellows see off Atlético Madrid to book a place in the Champions League semifinals.
If this one gets snoozy, though, you can watch LIVERPOOL try to keep their title chase alive against FULHAM at the same time.
REAL MADRID vs BARCELONA
3pm ET / 8pm GMT
The big one. Get the full preview above!
MONDAY
ROMA vs BOLOGNA
12:30pm ET / 5:30pm GMT
Serie A Monday kicks off with a scrap over who will represent Italy in the Champions League next season. Bologna are four points clear of Roma with six matches to play, though Daniele De Rossi’s side have a game in hand and a new lease on life since he took over from José Mourinho.
A.C. MILAN vs INTER
2:45pm ET / 7:45pm GMT
It should be illegal to schedule the Derby della Madonnina on a Monday, much less the same (extended) weekend as El Clásico. Won’t someone think of The Football Weekend? Inter have long since wrapped up the Scudetto—they’re 14 points clear with 18 left to play for—but this is the opportunity to make it official with a victory over the old enemy. The Nerazzuri are a formidable outfit, winning 26 of 32 league matches with just one loss and 17 goals conceded, and it’s almost hard to believe they aren’t still involved in the Champions League.
Things are quite a bit less cheerful for the red-and-blacks. A.C. Milan departed the Champions League at the group stage and were turfed out of the Europa League this week by Roma. It was Juventus that provided the only real (and relatively brief) challenge to Inter in Serie A this term, but Milan have put together a decent back half of the season and will be desperate to get a result here to slow the procession for another week. What an opportunity—an obligation?—to call in sick at work.⚽︎