Football Weekly: Why Are English Teams Dominating the Champions League? (Jan 22, 2026)

Podcast: Football Weekly (The Guardian)
Host: Max Rushden
Panel: Lars Sivertsen, Paul Watson, Johnny Liew
Episode Theme: Explaining the persistent dominance of English (Premier League) teams in the Champions League, exploring both causes and consequences, and discussing this season's competition format and notable matches.

Main Theme and Purpose

The panel investigates the overwhelming success of English clubs in this season's Champions League, as five of the top eight are from the Premier League and only Arsenal are thriving domestically. They break down the factors behind Premier League superiority, question the impact and quality of the Champions League’s new Swiss Model, and reflect on notable matches and moments from the latest round of European fixtures.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. English Clubs’ Champions League Dominance

[03:13] Max Rushden:

• All six Premier League teams are in strong positions with one game to go; Arsenal top with a 100% record.
• Questions whether this "domination" means an English team will likely win the competition and ponders if it’s a healthy sign for European football overall.

[03:27] Paul Wilson:

• "The standard of the Premier League in this competition… is finally a bit of a product of the financial dominance that the league has enjoyed for quite some years."
• Newcastle’s wage bill is cited as three times PSV’s, underlining financial clout as the main competitive difference.
• Upsets (like PSV beating Liverpool earlier) are now the exception, not the rule.

[04:23] Lars Sivertsen:

• Emphasizes Newcastle’s physicality, noting that many continental teams struggle against the intensity and direct play of English sides.
• Example: Bodo Glimt changed their training after being "physically thrashed" by Spurs.

2. Champions League Swiss Model – Fun or Farce?

[07:25] Max Rushden & Panel:

• Second season of the 36-team "Swiss Model" brings complexity and chaos to group standings.
• [08:07] Johnny Liew: Admits missing the old format for clarity and narrative, noting the new standings (26th place, etc.) feel alien and hard to contextualize.
• [10:31] Paul Wilson: Sees benefits: more compelling matchups, a broader spread of "drama" because teams lower in the table can still qualify late.
• However, "the product still suffers from context:" Too many simultaneous games make it hard to follow as a coherent story.

3. Game Reviews and Tactical Talking Points

Liverpool’s Easy Win Over Marseille

[12:06] Discussion:

• Key Moment: Szoboszlai’s clever free-kick under the wall (missing a "draft excluder"/crocodile, [12:20]).
• Johnny Liew: "It was a brilliant free kick… by all rights, Liverpool should have struggled here and they really didn’t. They played excellently."
• Liverpool’s system (box midfield/4-2-2-2) praised for bringing the best out of new arrivals and fitting multiple attackers in.
• Marseille seen as erratic and emotional: "You never have any idea which Marseille you’re going to get." ([17:44])
• Discussion on picking the "draft excluder" under the wall: "Is it length? Is it girth?"
  "Messi has been [the draft excluder]." ([14:37])

Newcastle 3–0 PSV

[19:32] Johnny Liew:

• Newcastle’s intensity too much for PSV, who are dominant in the Eredivisie but "haven’t been tested like this" (physically and in terms of pressure).
• Result sets up a dramatic final group game vs PSG; Newcastle’s injuries, especially Bruno Guimarães, are concerns.
• "If Whisper had been fit from the start of the season, they might have six more points and be fourth." ([21:16])

Chelsea 1–0 Pafos

[25:03] Paul Watson:

• Chelsea’s display seen as frustrating, saved only by Casadei’s late goal (78’) against a Pafos team whose entire squad is worth less than one Chelsea player.
• Huge praise for Pafos and their keeper, Jay Gorter. “Between 50 and 70 saves,” jokes Watson.
• Pafos: Formed just 11 years ago; their near-draw "would have left Chelsea fans livid."
• On Chelsea’s manager Liam Rosenior: "He starts from a position of weakness with fans… the knives are out for him a little bit. There is a narrative being built already that the job is too big for him.” ([26:43])

Barcelona and Bayern

• Barcelona 4–2 Sparta Prague: Typical of Flick’s Barca—brilliant in attack, vulnerable at set pieces. "At least let them be fun. They’re never boring." ([35:51])
• Bayern: Tipped as Arsenal’s main rival. "They can win games in lots of different ways… I’m excited to see what they do in the second half." ([35:59])

Notable Penalty Miss

[37:03] Johnny Liew:

• "I’ve rarely seen a penalty go as wide as Pavlidas’s for Benfica... the camera couldn’t even track it!"

4. Broader Consequences and Culture

Recruitment and Club Culture

Chelsea:

• There’s a cultural mismatch between Chelsea’s demand for "strong, rugged men" as per tradition, and their hiring of young, ideas-driven managers like Rosenior and (previously) Potter.
• "The reason it so rarely works is that going to Chelsea is, in a sense, the first compromise." ([31:46])

5. Surprising Stories

Karabag’s Late Win

[32:34] Paul Watson:

• Azerbaijani team Karabag score a stoppage-time winner vs Frankfurt, potentially making playoffs.
• "Karabag are the surprise package."

Bodo Glimt’s Win Over Man City

[38:41] Lars Sivertsen:

• "It is either the biggest or the second biggest result in Norwegian club football history."
• They adapted their approach, sitting deep and counterattacking—a style unusual for them domestically.

6. Premier League Preview (Super Sunday & Relegation Battles)

[43:07] Johnny Liew:

• Arsenal vs Man United: Carrick’s United have "a puncher's chance"—momentum but less quality and depth.
• Man City vs Wolves: Wolves have improved under Rob Edwards, but beating City is "a step too far."
  Paul Wilson: Speculates Erling Haaland could use a rest.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

"The coefficient is being hoisted around the room on the shoulders of its teammates."
— Max Rushden ([03:13])

"Physicality… I mean, this is a cliché, but I'm sorry, it's true. Newcastle are physical in a way that a lot of continental teams don’t enjoy."
— Lars Sivertsen ([04:14])

"I miss the old format…my brain just will not compute seeing a team listed as 26th or 33rd."
— Johnny Liew ([08:07])

"It feels more like a game show than a sporting event."
— Max Rushden ([09:37])

"What is the draft excluder called in France? … The crocodile."
— (Collective joke, [14:01])

"Going to Chelsea is, in a sense, the first compromise."
— Johnny Liew ([31:46])

"Karabag are the surprise package of this whole phase."
— Paul Watson ([32:34])

"It’s either the biggest or the second biggest result in Norwegian club football history."
— Lars Sivertsen on Bodo Glimt beating Man City ([38:52])

"A puncher's chance? That’s basically a shit boxer against a good boxer…but you can still get a lucky punch through."
— Max Rushden ([44:33])

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Champions League English dominance: [03:13] – [04:14]
• Swiss Model Format Debate: [07:25] – [12:06]
• Liverpool–Marseille Recap and 'Crocodile' Free Kick: [12:06] – [14:50]
• Chelsea–Pafos & Liam Rosenior’s Challenge: [25:03] – [31:46]
• Karabag’s Winner and Surprise Story: [32:34]
• Bodo Glimt’s Shock Win Over Man City: [38:41]
• Premier League Preview: [43:07] – [51:07]
• Greenland’s International Football Struggles: [51:07] – [55:34]
• Closing Tribute & Listener Email: [55:34]

Tone

The show maintains its typical irreverent, witty, and conversational style, with a blend of intelligent analysis and banter—never shying from poking fun at football’s absurdities, whether in tactics, administration, or punditry culture. The hosts are relaxed, sharp, and open to light-hearted digressions, but always return to smart football commentary and insight.

This summary captures all the central topics, memorable quotes, and critical debates for listeners who want to know why English clubs are top dogs in Europe right now, what it’s doing to the competition, and what else is making headlines in football.