Podcast Summary: The Athletic FC Podcast

Episode: Champions League Preview: Who Can Topple PSG?
Date: September 16, 2025
Host: Ayo Akinwolere
Guests: Jack Pitt-Brooke, Tom Williams, Thomas Hill Lopez-Manero

Overview

This episode offers a comprehensive preview of the 2025–26 UEFA Champions League season. The panel examines last year's historic PSG triumph under the new league-phase format, debates the merits and drawbacks of that format, assesses the favorites, and spotlights both English clubs and emerging challengers from across Europe. The hosts also discuss the expanded competition’s impact, fresh faces, and what it now takes to win in Europe.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

The New Champions League Format

[02:45] – [06:23]

• Format Recap: The new 36-team league phase (introduced last season) sees all teams play eight matches, with the top 24 progressing to a knockout phase.
• Diminished Jeopardy:
  • Jack Pitt-Brooke laments that many matches feel inconsequential—"I didn’t enjoy it because I think lots of the games just don’t matter as much. Like PSG had four points from five games last season and they still went through and…won the whole competition." [02:45]
  • Tom Williams and Thomas Hill agree that the format provides a “buffer zone” for big clubs, allowing them to underperform early without serious consequences.
• Playoff Round Surprises: There were still memorable upsets, e.g., Bruges knocking out Atalanta, PSV beating Juventus, Feyenoord over Milan, and Celtic nearly eliminating Bayern Munich.

PSG’s Journey: From Mid-table to Champions

[06:23] – [09:44]

• Soft Landing for Elite Teams:
  • The format enabled PSG to recover from a rough start ("PSG finishing 15th and still winning…probably proves that."). [05:20]
  • Jack Pitt-Brooke: "PSG example is the ultimate proof of how the new format creates a…soft landing for big teams who start very badly." [06:31]
• Luis Enrique’s Transformation:
  • Tom Williams credits Enrique with forging a true team ethic. "He turned PSG from a gaggle of overpaid individuals into a proper team…where all the players ran around…pressed, harried, and tackled." [07:45]
  • PSG's resilience under pressure—especially Donnarumma's saves vs. Villa and a tense run-in culminating in a dominant final—stood out.

The Significance of PSG’s Title and "Newness" in the UCL

[12:59] – [17:04]

• Fresh Winner, Fresh Narrative:
  • Tom Williams: "Helpful for UEFA that it was a new winner…creating this impression of a new start." [13:43]
  • This PSG team was "the most likable PSG team of the Qatari era."
• Breaking Predictability:
  • Jack Pitt-Brooke: "The biggest weakness…in the last five or ten years…was the predictability…To get a different team…did give it a sense of newness, but…that newness was needed because of the stratification…rather than…because of the format…" [15:57]

Assessing the Favorites and Contenders

[17:04] – [19:13]

• Spanish Clubs:
  • Thomas Hill: Barcelona "really on a roll" under Hansi Flick and unlucky not to reach last year's final; may feel slighted by pre-season odds. Madrid seen as "transitional," while Atletico, Villarreal, and Athletic Club are outsiders. [17:30]
• PSG’s Injury Woes & Squad Depth:
  • PSG has made minimal signings and is now dealing with injuries to key players (Dembele, Desiree Doué, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia, Lee Kang-In, Lucas Beraldo).
  • Tom Williams: "They already had quite a small squad last season...now…there are injuries everywhere. They’ve got a really tricky start—Atalanta, then Barcelona…" [19:29]

English Clubs: Can Anyone Dethrone PSG?

[22:17] – [26:18]

• Arsenal:
  • Close in recent years ("quarterfinal exit to Bayern, then a semi-final exit to PSG"), but balancing UCL and Premier League ambitions could be difficult. [22:39]
• Liverpool:
  • "Good enough to win…will come down to a combination of priorities, injuries, and the draw." [22:39]
• Spurs:
  • "Huge amount of learning to do…new, less experienced squad, but favorable fixtures—should make a decent fist of it." [24:10]
• Other English Sides: Newcastle's home advantage is noted as intimidating, especially after thrashing PSG at St. James's Park last season.
• Which English Teams Scare PSG or Madrid Most?
  • Thomas Hill: "Liverpool are the team that Madrid really will fear facing given what happened last year…Arsenal…City." [25:12]
  • Tom Williams: "Newcastle…is probably still the low point of the Luis Enrique era…" [26:18]

What It Takes to Win the Champions League Today

[27:37] – [30:20]

• Jack Pitt-Brooke:
  • "You need a really deep squad...ability to play in different ways...a manager able to adapt...You need a lot of luck. You need players not to get injured…luck with…VAR, bounce of the ball…" [28:04]
• Thomas Hill:
  • "Also mentality...having a never say die attitude...and the right blend of experience and youth." [29:12]

Notable Quotes and Moments

"[PSG] finally got their hands on the trophy. So what should we be expecting this time around?"
— Ayo Akinwolere, [02:03]

"I did think PSG were brilliant to watch in the second half of the season...they kind of elevated the competition by being that good. And I have to say, I did really relish watching their games."
— Jack Pitt-Brooke, [06:31]

"What Luis Enrique did was…he came up with a blueprint and turned PSG from a gaggle of overpaid individuals into a proper team, in which all the players pressed, all the players harried and tackled."
— Tom Williams, [07:45]

"Helpful for UEFA that it was a new winner. And I think…because UEFA is trying to convince the big clubs not to break away and form a super league…So the fact we got a new winner was helpful in terms of creating this impression of a new start for Europe's top competition."
— Tom Williams, [13:43]

"The biggest weakness of the Champions League in the last five or ten years is…predictability…everybody knew that Real Madrid were probably going to end up in the final and Manchester City were probably going to be there or thereabouts…"
— Jack Pitt-Brooke, [15:57]

Other Teams & Underdogs to Watch

[32:45] – [41:05]

• Marseille:
  • Energetic, tumultuous club atmosphere, "fantastic games to look forward to," not likely to go deep but always entertaining. [32:58]
• Napoli:
  • Under Antonio Conte, with signings like Hoyland and De Bruyne, generates curiosity. [34:50]
• Athletic Club (Bilbao):
  • Philosophy of using only Basque players; “a real achievement” even to qualify, great stadium atmosphere. [35:39]
• Bodø/Glimt:
  • Small Norwegian club with big ambition and a distinctive, enterprising style under coach Kjetil Knutsen. "Really good story…made that place a very difficult place to go." [36:46]
• Karaty Almaty:
  • Noted for its "near-Arctic" conditions—"Madrid’s closer to both New York City and Bridgetown in Barbados than it is to Almaty." [37:41]
• Union Saint-Gilloise:
  • Belgian club, data-led success, Tony Bloom ownership, seen as "poster boys" for the new, expanded Champions League. [39:21]
• Pafos FC:
  • Cypriot minnows featuring David Luiz; "nothing to lose…a huge amount of curiosity." [40:07]

Conclusion

This Champions League season promises continued unpredictability, with PSG moving from perennial underachievers to defending champions thanks to a new format that rewards depth and resilience. The English challenge remains formidable, especially from Arsenal and Liverpool, while fresh faces like Bodø/Glimt, Union Saint-Gilloise, and Pafos FC add a much-needed sense of discovery. As the guests agree, squad depth, tactical flexibility, experience, mentality, and a good share of fortune remain the keys to European glory in the modern era.

Timestamps by Major Segments

• [02:03] – Kickoff & Reflections on new UCL format
• [02:45] – Format criticisms and impact on "jeopardy"
• [06:23] – How PSG adapted and ultimately triumphed
• [12:59] – PSG’s title and the meaning of a “new” winner
• [17:04] – Assessing traditional favorites and Spanish outlook
• [19:13] – PSG’s squad depth and injury concerns
• [22:17] – The English clubs: potential and pitfalls
• [27:37] – What it takes to win in today's Champions League
• [32:45] – Under-the-radar contenders and newcomers
• [36:46] – Bodø/Glimt's story and Karaty Almaty's frozen home games
• [39:21] – Union Saint-Gilloise & Pafos FC: Cinderella stories

Panel:
Ayo Akinwolere | Jack Pitt-Brooke | Tom Williams | Thomas Hill Lopez-Manero