Football Weekly: Benfica and Bodø/Glimt Bring Champions League Drama – Football Weekly Extra
Date: January 29, 2026
Host: Max Rushden (A), with panelists Nicky Bandini (D), Lars Sivertsen (C), Nick Ames (B), Archie Rhind-Tutt (E)

Episode Overview

This lively episode dives into a night of electric Champions League action defined by improbable drama—specifically, Benfica’s stunning goalkeeper goal against Real Madrid and Bodø/Glimt’s historic away win at Atlético Madrid. The panel dissects the spectacle and chaos of concurrent matches, the structural shifts in European football, and the ramifications for leagues and clubs, with a humour and irreverence typical of Football Weekly.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Benfica’s Keeper Scores in European Epic

• Background: Benfica needed a dramatic late goal against Real Madrid to qualify, prompting their goalkeeper, Anatoliy Trubin, to move upfield in stoppage time.

• Archie Rhind-Tutt’s Eyewitness Account (from Lisbon):

  • “Benfica could have won this game 8:2… but as you can tell by the fact Anatoliy Trubin had to go up is they weren’t very good at putting their chances away.” (01:38)
  • The match was running late—creating confusion about the required result, prompting last-minute chaos with Trubin scoring (02:50).
  • “I’m watching it and I just see the ball go in, and I’m like, 'The goalkeeper scored? No, no, he didn’t.' ... I just see this swarm of Benfica players invade the pitch…” (03:48)
  • This was labelled a deeply cathartic moment for Benfica, often denied European glory.

• Panel Analysis:

  • Nicky Bandini: “It was actually a really good header. It looked like a striker’s head… 60 seconds before, he’s up there in the penalty area, he thought, 'we’re winning this game, it’s great…'” (05:10)
  • The chaos highlighted communication issues and quirks of having so many simultaneous matches.

Spectacle vs. Substance: The Modern Champions League ‘Event’

• Panelists debate whether the current format—so many huge matches at once—is a positive or a distraction.
  • Lars Sivertsen: “There’s too much information to take in. I was trying to get the helicopter view… it was the crystal maze of football.” (06:39)
  • Max Rushden: “For one evening only, yeah, it’s probably worth it. And this was just such a standout moment.” (06:17)
  • Nick Ames: “It’s clippable football… not the real thing.” (08:45)
  • The consensus: great for entertainment, but it starts feeling more like a media product than genuine sporting competition.

Bodø/Glimt’s Miracle in Madrid — Norwegian Football’s Cinderella Story

• Lars Sivertsen contextualizes Bodø/Glimt’s 2-1 win at Atlético:
  • “Since… October 2024, two teams have beaten Atlético Madrid away, which is Barcelona and Bodø/Glimt. Which is what?” (15:05)
  • Highlights their squad is almost entirely Norwegian and built on local players returning from failed foreign spells—“without big money behind it. It’s built on a local identity.” (15:40)
• Historical Perspective: The panel compares this victory to Rosenborg's famous win over Milan in the '90s, concluding that due to modern financial inequalities, Bodø/Glimt’s triumph is perhaps the greater feat. (17:01)
• Nick Ames: “I think they’re single-handedly saving European football at this point… to show that sound management, steady growth, building, not splashing millions… it’s the most incredible thing going on in European football at the moment.” (18:26)

English Club Dominance and Champions League Format

• Five Premier League clubs in the last eight; six in the top twelve.
• Concerns raised:
  • Nick Ames: “Five English teams in the top eight, six in the top… 12? Something’s not right there.” (27:23)
  • Nicky Bandini notes how Premier League clubs benefit from not playing each other in the league phase, making their routes easier compared to teams like Inter having to play English opposition (30:42).

PSG v. Newcastle Controversy & Handball Law Frustrations

• Newcastle held PSG to a draw but missed a crucial late chance (Harvey Barnes).
• Max Rushden rails against absurd handball decisions:
  • “Sorry, that is abolish IFAB levels for me...He punches the ball into Lewis Miley’s hand… it is obscene.” (24:10)
• Discussion of how the handball law remains arcane and infuriating.

Premier League Sides Recap & Key European Results

• Quickfire panel reflections on:
  • Chelsea’s comeback win over Napoli, with Nicky bemoaning another Conte European underperformance (32:22).
  • Arsenal making 11 changes but continuing strong form (38:45).
  • Liverpool’s 6–0 demolition of Qarabag, with Salah and Chiesa among the scorers (37:39).
  • Tottenham, Man City, and Sporting all highlighted for key performances and tactical choices.
  • Notable moment: Nick Ames celebrates Sporting’s dramatic clinching goal:
    “It was an old-fashioned, old school bench-clearer. People running everywhere, random men in bomber jackets and suits that you’ll never see again in your life… Just pure, pure visual perfection.” (41:25)
  • The importance of goal difference and fine margins in Champions League progression emphasized.

Socio-Political Detour: Potential World Cup Boycott & Greenland Futsal

• Nick Ames discusses the realpolitik of a potential European World Cup boycott in the case of military aggression – “I think military aggression would be the red line there…” (45:15)
• A side-story on Greenland’s futsal team striving for international recognition, highlighting football’s role in geopolitics and identity. (47:08)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Trubin’s Goal:
  “The goalkeeper scored. Anatoly Trubin… What? I just could not. There were so many blurs. I just see this swarm of Benfica players invade the pitch…”
  — Archie Rhind-Tutt (03:49)

• On the night’s chaos:
  “It was the crystal maze of football. This… is the crystal maze of football. We’re gonna get years where there’s even more big things at stake here…”
  — Lars Sivertsen (06:39)

• On Bodø/Glimt’s achievement:
  “It really should be an example – if you're from a smaller country, or supporting a smaller club… Your team can be quite bad. And within a decade... achieve these sorts of things. Even without some kind of shady kleptocrat putting billions into it, it is still just about possible.”
  — Lars Sivertsen (17:50)

• On the new Champions League event day:
  “We now have like an extra event day in the calendar… It becomes like an annual thing that people look forward to. I think from a spectator point of view, it is an event occasion now.”
  — Nicky Bandini (07:52)

Key Timestamps

• Benfica’s Trubin Scores: 01:16–04:47 (Archie’s scene-setting and reaction)
• Debate on football as entertainment/event: 06:17–09:48
• Bodø/Glimt’s win at Atlético Madrid: 14:29–18:26
• Premier League clubs’ Champions League dominance: 27:03–30:42
• PSG–Newcastle, VAR/handball outrage: 23:41–25:03
• Sporting’s dramatic winner and celebrations: 39:45–41:25
• Benfica, Sporting and group-stage permutations: 39:45–43:33
• Greenland futsal and World Cup boycott discussion: 44:47–48:58

Episode Tone & Flow

The episode is upbeat and irreverent, defined by:

• Real-time reactions to extraordinary football drama
• Anecdotes from reporters on the ground
• Humorous jibes at each other (“Speaking of dirty pleasure…”)
• Broader reflections on football’s shifting structural, financial, and cultural landscape
• Frequent segues into broader social and political issues with characteristic wit

Takeaway

A night to remember in European football—the panel revels in the chaos, the underdog successes, the quirks of modern football’s media-driven spectacle, and the ever-widening gulf between England’s elite and the rest. Plus, classic Football Weekly musings on handball law madness, the evolution of club football as a media product, and the glories still possible for the continent’s Davids.

For listeners: If you missed the matches, this episode gives you the drama, context, and plenty of laughs, all while asking: is this football as we want it, or as TV executives want it? Either way, for one chaotic night, it was unforgettable.