Football Weekly Extra: Atalanta’s Stunning Comeback and Juve’s Costly Near-Miss

Date: February 26, 2026
Host: Max Rushden
Panel: Barry Glendenning, Lars Sivertsen, Mark Langdon

Episode Overview

This lively, insightful episode takes a deep dive into a dramatic week across European football, centering on Atalanta's breathtaking late surge in the Champions League, Juventus’ heroic yet futile fightback, and a roundup of top European and domestic fixtures. The panel, with its trademark blend of informed humor and sharp analysis, dissect controversial refereeing and the evolution of footballing identities, with particular focus on Serie A's changing image, VAR's impact, and the unpredictability of teams like Galatasaray and PSG.

Key Match Discussion Points

1. Atalanta 4–1 Borussia Dortmund: Decisive Late Penalty in Bergamo

[01:06–09:54]

• Panel lauds Atalanta’s comeback, climaxing with a controversial and high-pressure last-minute penalty.
• Penalty debate: Was it reckless high foot or low head by the attacker?
  • Mark Langdon argues: “If it’s a foul inside the penalty box, I think penalty is the right decision... when you connect your studs to the forehead of an opponent, that's very difficult to say it's not a foul.” [01:21]
• Execution under pressure:
  • Barry Glendenning: “Smashed it into the top corner. Unsavable if it’s on target. It takes cajones to do that... massive confidence.” [03:09]
  • Unlucky night for Bensebaini: heavily involved in every Atalanta goal, including the late penalty and scoring blunders.
• Dortmund collapse:
  • Lars Sivertsen calls it “the sort of dumb nonsense that we do, but [Dortmund] have been more solid this season. They just completely abandoned them on the night.” [06:39]
• Atalanta representing Serie A:
  • Mark Langdon: “It helps the league… Atalanta try to do things the right way… a mix of experienced players and one of the best youth systems in the country.” [07:44]

2. Juventus’ Near-Miracle vs. Galatasaray: VAR, Red Cards, and Grit

[10:32–18:36]

• Juventus, down 5-2 from the first leg and to 10 men, fight back to level on aggregate, but falter in extra time.
• Galatasaray’s collapse:
  • Lars: “What are you doing? There was so much of this game where they were just behaving unsensibly... they couldn't put their foot on the ball or stay solid or do any of these sensible things.” [10:59]
• Key moment: Lloyd Kelly’s contentious red card.
  • The panel dissect VAR and refereeing standards, applying “careless, reckless, dangerous” adage for foul assessment.
  • Barry: “It does seem unfair... I thought he was unlucky.” [13:55]
  • Mark (providing referee’s logic): “If you think the game has to be stopped now when somebody’s got a head injury... there will always be somebody looking to bend whatever kind of laws there are.” [15:38]
• Missed Juventus chances highlighted; the match is described as "chaotic" and thrilling, “a brilliant game.” [10:59]

3. Real Madrid 2–1 Benfica: Convincing on Results, Not Performance

[21:14–23:57]

• Vinicius Jr. scores the decisive goal and celebrates with a pointed dance after recent abuse incidents.
  • Barry Glendenning: “He scored the decisive goal, did a dance... which went down very well with the Bernabeu crowd.” [21:14]
• Real Madrid miss Bellingham, Mbappé, suffer injuries, struggle with cohesion and control.
  • Lars: “Real Madrid currently not more than the sum of their parts, distinctly less.” [23:57]
  • Mark: “They lack somebody to control a game… that is what Toni Kroos did.” [24:06]
• Concern raised over Mbappé’s fitness amid a packed calendar.

4. PSG vs Monaco: Holders Squeak Through, Vulnerabilities Exposed

[28:18–33:31]

• Monaco unlucky after playing much of both legs with 10 men, yet nearly snatch a last-minute equalizer (Valt Fass misses a big header).
  • Barry: “He just didn’t make contact with it... you got to at least get your head to it.” [30:04]
• PSG’s defensive weaknesses noted; loss of Donnarumma’s shot-stopping is “a low-key big point.”
  • Mark: “There's a greater vulnerability to their defense, which’s not just individually the defenders, but the way the midfield and attack isn't working.” [31:27]
• Lars: “I still probably back PSG to win the tournament just because the ceiling is super high. But this was kind of alarming.” [31:16]

5. Chaos Magnet: Galatasaray

[18:39–20:43]

• The panel revel in Galatasaray’s unpredictability, calling them a “mystery box”—capable of beating top teams or capitulating spectacularly.
  • Lars: “There is really no telling what happens when Galatasaray start a football match. As a neutral, that’s an admirable quality.” [20:04]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Dortmund’s defensive disaster:
  Barry (on Bensebaini): “He really was the standout performer for all the wrong reasons. I’m surprised he even lasted as long as he did.” [03:09]
• On pub bores and refereeing knowledge:
  Lars: “You can be the one asshole in the group that goes, actually, I think you’ll find reckless means something else. You can see why I get invited to many parties.” [06:09]
• On Serie A stereotypes:
  Mark: “There will still be pundits... referencing the sort of dour and the tactical greatness of Italian football and how they play for 0-0, and it just hasn’t been like that for such a long time.” [07:44]
• On Galatasaray’s chaos:
  Lars (on next round): “They can beat both of them and they can lose 6-0 to both of them. I swear to God.” [20:10]

Referee and VAR Chat

[12:30–17:08]

• Extended discussion on how VAR and letter-of-the-law refereeing has removed “spirit of the game” assessments.
• Rory Smith (via Barry): “Var means that referees are now just doing everything by the letter of the law, but not in the spirit of the law.” [13:27]
• Panel expresses nostalgia for common-sense officiating amid technological overreach.

Other Highlights (with Timestamps)

Real Madrid’s Midfield and Mbappé Incertitude
[24:06–26:40]

• Concerns over midfield balance, unresolved Camavinga role, and anxiety about aggravating Mbappé’s injury before the World Cup.

PSG’s Defensive Dropoff, Donnarumma Missing
[33:31–34:15]

• Lars: “One of those parts of the (PSG) equation is missing now... and that, in the knockout games especially, can really hurt them.”

Norwegian Domestic Players in National Team
[34:56–36:13]

• Lars reflects on Norway’s squad selection, Bodo/Glimt’s limited representation evoking '90s debates and current passport intrigue.

English Championship and Cup Roundup
[42:01–44:10]

• Sheffield Wednesday’s failed takeover, and their fans’ ongoing frustration.

Premier League and Domestic Preview

Arsenal v Chelsea & Leeds v Man City

• Arsenal–Chelsea highlighted as the weekend’s marquee fixture, Chelsea’s defensive approach noted.
• Man City’s late trip to Leeds analyzed, “Ellen Road under the lights” compared to “Tuesday night at Stoke” for home advantage mythology.

Spurs, Villa, Wolves

• Tottenham’s relegation funk detailed; upcoming key fixtures identified as “four games where Spurs will probably find one or two wins.”
• Wolves expected to give Villa a tough encounter in a Midlands derby.

Scottish Premiership

• Old Firm derby previewed, intrigue over Hearts benefiting from rivals dropping points.

Closing Tone

Panel closes with playful camaraderie, a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness about their “pub bore” tendencies, laughter, and gentle ribbing, while keeping analysis sharp and accessible to a broad football audience.

Podcast Panel

• Host: Max Rushden
• Panelists: Barry Glendenning, Lars Sivertsen, Mark Langdon

Timestamps of Key Segments

• Atalanta–Dortmund Match & Penalty: [01:06–09:54]
• Juventus Comeback, VAR, and Ref Chat: [10:32–18:36]
• Galatasaray Chaos, Next Round Speculation: [18:39–20:43]
• Real Madrid–Benfica: [21:14–23:57]
• PSG–Monaco, Defensive Woes: [28:18–34:15]
• Championship/Lower Leagues: [42:01–44:10]
• Premier League Preview: [44:35–48:13]
• Spurs’ Relegation Battle: [48:23–51:28]
• Scottish Premiership Old Firm Preview: [51:28–52:13]

For full context, deep dives, detailed match breakdowns, and behind-the-scenes laughs, listen to the episode in its entirety on The Guardian’s Football Weekly feed.