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- [00:00]
A
A lot of the star players in this World Cup. Raphinha now Lamina, Kylian, Mbappe, Mo Salah at the weekend. So many players getting injured at the moment. Carvajala sitting on the bench and he's making like walking signs on his legs. The post intimated that it was towards Trent Alexander Arnold, he's club captain.
- [00:20]
B
You shouldn't be doing that.
- [00:21]
A
It was a little bit meow. Hello and welcome to the rest is football. La Liga episode with Alex Alger, me, Gary Lineker. Quite a lot has happened since we last did an episode because we didn't do one last weekend because there was no La Liga at the weekend. But since then there's been two rounds of fixtures and basically Barcelona have almost won themselves the league a couple of victories, which we'll come to shortly. But first, Alex, I don't recognize where you are.
- [00:59]
B
Wow. It sort of looks like a ski chalet, doesn't it? I'm in Paris for the Champions League. So, yeah, having a lovely time here. The sun is shining and looking forward to the game later on. Psg.
- [01:12]
A
Bayern Munich should be a cracker there.
- [01:14]
B
Yeah, should be a great game. And next week I'll be covering Atletico Madrid at the Emirates. So, yeah, looking forward to these two.
- [01:21]
A
Yeah. So did you.
- [01:22]
B
Have you interviewed anyone yesterday? I interviewed Kviche Kavaskhelia.
- [01:30]
A
Do you know what happened when the Ballon d' or, about two years ago. And I. I came out the hotel the morning after and I was wondering, this little guy was. You've just stood there, wasn't he just chilling with a hoodie on like this? And he goes, hey, Gary, Gary. You know, like this. And Harry was with me. And I went, yeah, hi, nice to see. I just thought it was fun. Harry went, you idiot.
- [01:59]
B
That. Did he go back and say hi after that, did he?
- [02:02]
A
Well, no, he told me quickly enough for. But he did have a hoodie on. I mean, footballers do look very different when that, you know, than. Than you see them on the pitch. But what a player. Nice guy. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
- [02:14]
B
Really, really nice. Really nice. We don't get that long with them. But which language?
- [02:19]
A
In English?
- [02:20]
B
It was English. It was English. He speaks a few languages. Yeah, yeah, it was good. So, yeah, I spoke to him yesterday. Lis. Enrique was there, but we didn't interview him. So. Yeah, we'll see what happens in the game.
- [02:29]
A
Yep. Let'. About. Well, Barcelona to start with two victories, fairly comfortable. One away at Getafe and a goal for Marcus Rashford. Came off the bench again, even with the injuries he still didn't get a start. He's not really getting a look, funnily enough. I actually interviewed Marcus about a week ago.
- [02:51]
B
How is he?
- [02:51]
A
He was in really good form. You could tell. He was slightly frustrated at not starting all the time, but we had a nice chat. It was for a magazine, actually, and Marcus's team wanted someone that he knew to do the interview, so they asked me. So I thought, of course I will, I'll do that. And we had a nice little chat. He's always very engaging, very warm, intelligent. He's clearly loving life in Barcelona. So. Yeah, and I think he'd be very keen to stay. What do you. Have you heard anything?
- [03:21]
B
Yeah, no, I was going to say the talk out there is that Barcelona aren't keen on paying the 30 million.
- [03:26]
A
Yeah.
- [03:26]
B
That he's a good player and he's been good for them. But. Yeah, and he might not be. Be worth that. And I just think we've spoken about it earlier in the season and I was saying it was a bargain, a no brainer, surely, but. And especially if he wants to stay as well, he doesn't want to go back to. To Manchester United, I'm sure. So it's a tricky one. I feel like they should keep him.
- [03:46]
A
United have picked up, obviously, and I think it's probably more an attractive prospect under Michael Carrick than it would have been otherwise because he clearly didn't get on with Amarin. But he came on again and, you know, he got breakaway goal, went from the halfway on one with the goalkeeper and finished it pretty comfortably. So there will be suitors. I. I sense he wants to stay there. Whether they can make that happen or not. I don't know whether, you know, you. You say you've heard, boss, I don't want to pay that much money. And they are restricted, aren't they, in there, over there. It's quite difficult to. In terms of the financial regulations.
- [04:28]
B
Yeah, yeah. But I feel like he's been. He's done what's required of him when it's been asked of him that all season, hasn't he? So. And this was just another example and they've. They've struggled at his halfway as well. It was a comfortable win, but they hadn't won that since 2019. It was three nil, nil draws. I've only scored a goal there since 2019, so it was a hard ground for them to go to and they made it look very easy. Now firmly in control. 11 points clear at the top. But it's an interesting one, because if they win next weekend and Real Madrid lose and they win the title, but if they hold on, it will be El Clasico, and I feel like Real Madrid will hate that. It would be incredible for Barcelona to win the league, having beaten Real Madrid and celebrate in front of their rivals.
- [05:15]
A
I think maybe we should talk about Lamina as well. Obviously he didn't feature. He got injured, didn't he? It looked like he got injured at first from taking the penalty, but actually was clearly injured in the tackle on him for the penalty and he clutched his hamstring at that point, and then he probably just thought he maybe got a whack and then stood up, took the penalty and then collapsed to the ground. He's not on his own either, is he? That's Rafinha now. There's him. Lamina Mal, I hear killing Mbappe. It's just been announced that he's got a hamstring injury.
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B
Yeah.
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A
There's a lot of the star players in this World cup the weekend.
- [05:53]
B
Yeah.
- [05:54]
A
Another one, Javi Simons. So many players getting injured at the moment. It's really worrying for. Because you want. We want our big stars. I mean, they've got time, just about eight, depending on the gravity of a lot of hamstrings, depending on how serious they are. Barcelona have said, haven't they, they're going to do conservative treatment. I presume that means that they're not taking any chances with him and they're going to wait for the try and get it right for the World Cup.
- [06:22]
B
Yeah. Not rushing back if. It would be a real shame if he wasn't fit for the World Cup. So I guess that's the priority now, isn't it? Especially with the league wrapped up. Well, more or less wrapped up. Not. Not playing in the Champions League. There's. They don't really need him if he's not fully fit.
- [06:38]
A
Do you think he's been overplayed this year? I mean, you've got to take into. We know how good he is and he's probably one of those. When you're that good, you want to play all the time. But, you know, he's. He's still incredibly young. He's.
- [06:51]
B
Are you more susceptible to injuries when you're that young?
- [06:53]
A
I. I don't know. I'm not a doctor, a physician, but I do know that that period of 16 to 18 is very much for. For many young men is a growth time. So if you grow in, then, you know, you feel into your body. We've seen similar circumstances With Pedro, thankfully, seems back to his best now, but he had a lot of injuries, didn't he, after being played an incredible amount of football at a very, very young age. You know, if you look at even the likes of Messi and Ronaldo, let's say, for the two greats of our generation, this generation, when they were that young, yes, they played some football, but they. Nothing like Lamina Mal or Pedri did. So I wonder. I don't know, it's just. I'm just thinking out loud whether that's had an effect. And we, you know, we need to be. I think there's a debt of responsibility towards these young athletes and. And you can understand why you want to play them in every game, because so bloody good. And I bet he wants to, too, but sometimes we don't know what's best for us as kids.
- [07:55]
B
Yeah, exactly. And if he plays to Cristiano Ronaldo's age, What, he's got 20 years left in him, man. More so. So tranquila.
- [08:04]
A
You look at someone like Raheem Sterling, for example, who played and played and play when he was 16, 17, child superstar. I don't know whether it's one of the reasons that his career has kind of petered out at a relatively young age, like late 20s, it started. I don't know whether that's anything to do with that. Probably isn't. I don't know. But I just wonder. I do wonder.
- [08:24]
B
Yeah, well, we hope not, because it'd be a real shame if Lamina Mel didn't keep going. You know how he is at the moment. So fingers crossed he returns soon.
- [08:33]
A
Yeah. Barcelona have been linked with one or two strikes. I think Lewandowski obviously is coming towards the end.
- [08:40]
B
Yeah. He didn't play midweek, did he? But he didn't come off the bench.
- [08:43]
A
No. And he's been left out a little bit now, but he did start in the last game, so I wonder, you know, they've been linked with. Saw a lot of. And also Alvarez, both Atletico Madrid players, which is interesting. I don't know there's any truth in those rumors.
- [09:00]
B
Yeah, well, we know what Eric thinks of Sorlot, so critical of him. Yeah, he has. He's changed his shoes. He's been brilliant, hasn't he, for Atletico Madrid, as has Julian Alvarez. So they'd be. I think that will be Barcelona's priority, won't it? In the summer, they'll start. They'll spend big on. On a striker, and we'll see what happens with Lewandowski, who Has had a great season, by the way.
- [09:24]
A
I mean, he's incredible. Obviously he's coming towards that stage of his career, but what a goal scorer he's been. One of the absolute best number nines of his generation. Let's take a break. When we come back, we'll discuss the ongoing problems with Real Madrid. Welcome back to the rest is football La Liga with Alex Aljo and me, Gary Line. Even though we've not done an episode for two weeks, I actually saw you last week. We did a little gig, didn't we, at some house. We did the Q and A.
- [09:56]
B
We did.
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A
Not to mention that the start which was.
- [09:58]
B
Met my mum and dad.
- [10:00]
A
Yeah, I met your mum and dad. We had a little bite to eat afterwards.
- [10:03]
B
Loved your Gaza Stories. So, so good. You can have a whole pod just on Gaza Stories.
- [10:10]
A
Well, we had him on. We had him on. He told most of those stories when he, when he came on. He's, he's in great form. So not heard from him from a couple of months, which is actually normally a good sign. We go, so that's a good thing. Hopefully he's all right because whenever he calls it's always on. On a mystery number. It's one of those. And you go. And then he leaves a message, it's Kaza. So you call him back and he's. Sometimes I've had a few. So when I don't hear from him, it's quite good. But it's always on a new number, different number every single time. It's mad. I mean, I try and get all of him. You can't, you can't.
- [10:47]
B
That's so funny.
- [10:48]
A
Let's move to Real Madrid. They be alabaster 2:1 on Tuesday, didn't they? So they got that result and then obviously they, they needed to win all their games to have any kind of chance, including the Classico. And then Real Betis, they got ahead but there was a last minute goal and. And I think that's it.
- [11:06]
B
Yeah, they started well. Yeah, started really well. Vinicius Jr. Scoring first and then Jude Bellingham had a really good chance in the 34th minute. But yeah, Betis came alive in the final few minutes of the game and it was a.
- [11:23]
A
I know Bayarin, another friend of the podcast actually interviewed him 18 months or so ago. A very intelligent, reflective person. I liked him a lot.
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B
His English is amazing, isn't it?
- [11:33]
A
Well, yeah. He spent a lot of time at Arsenal as well.
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B
Yeah.
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A
And he's got like a very English accent. Yeah, yeah,
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B
yeah.
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A
So he doesn't say a station or Spain.
- [11:47]
B
Yeah, they struggle with that, don't they?
- [11:48]
A
Because it's brilliant. I love it.
- [11:50]
B
Yeah. It's so funny. But, yeah. He scored it in stoppage time, virtually the last kick of the game. Terrible result for Real Madrid. Arbolo wasn't happy. There was penalty shout for handball by Ricardo Rodriguez and Alvar Arboloa said it was a very clear penalty with a hand open not even close to the body on a shot by Brahim. So he wasn't happy about that. He said it's something very basic in the world of football. It's not the first time this has happened to us. I believe it significantly influenced the match. So. Yeah. But not a good result for Real Madrid. It's been a. It's been a really disappointing season overall, and we didn't see it going this way. You look at the players in that. In that team, and they should do better.
- [12:32]
A
I'm not sure. I'm not sure there's much of a togetherness there. Yeah, there was another little thing. You sent it this morning, actually, I had already seen it. A little social media clip where they cut to Carvajal and he's sitting on the bench and he's making, like, walking signs on his legs. The post intimated that it was towards Trent Alexander Arnold. Whether that was the case or not, I don't know. I mean, I felt a little bit like, pathetic.
- [12:57]
B
And he's. He's club captain. You shouldn't be doing that. He's obviously annoyed that he's not playing as much as he'd like to be. He's apparently, rumor has it fallen out with Alvaro Arbolo. So he's clearly not in a great place. But still. Come on. It's a terrible look, isn't it, when you're doing that on the bench? When I first saw it, I thought, because everything's AI these days, I was thinking, oh, that's not even real. Then I realized. Then I realized it was. Was. And I think it's pretty clear what. What he's.
- [13:23]
A
What?
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B
He's.
- [13:23]
A
It was a little bit.
- [13:25]
B
Yeah. Pathetic.
- [13:27]
A
Yeah. I thought it was. Madrid. Don Bape. What are they saying about his injury?
- [13:38]
B
I read out until the rest of the season, out for the rest of
- [13:41]
A
the season, out for the rest of the season. And. But okay. For the World cup, it's not.
- [13:44]
B
We hope so.
- [13:45]
A
I mean, I hope so. I mean, we mentioned it in the first half, but. But yeah, we want the stars, particularly Killian Mbappe and. Yeah, yeah. And Lamina Ma. We want those two fit.
- [13:56]
B
So 41 goals in 41 games for Mbappe this season in all competitions, in a.
- [14:01]
A
In a tough season, in a season where he's had a lot of criticism
- [14:05]
B
and the team's underperforming.
- [14:07]
A
It's mad, isn't it, really?
- [14:08]
B
That is a lot of goals, isn't it?
- [14:10]
A
It is, you know, a mathematical wizard. I am, actually, so I work that out as a goal again.
- [14:20]
B
But where do they go from here, really? I just think.
- [14:22]
A
Well, I think it's coach who's going to coach them next season is the interesting one, and it's going to be unlikely to be him. Klopp's the one that's been rumored a bit.
- [14:32]
B
Not that my opinion counts, but I think it would be a really good fit. I can see Jurgen Klopp at Real Madrid, I really can. He's got the right mentality and the players would listen to him. They respect him.
- [14:45]
A
I think if Jurgen was interested in going back into management, I think Real Madrid would probably be the most likely club to do it. But I think if Jurgen wants to do that job, I'm sure they give it to him. I mean, I think he'd be perfect for them now because he'd get them together, he'd get the crowd behind them. He's. He's got such a. An amazing personality, Infectious enthusiasm.
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B
Yeah.
- [15:10]
A
I think the fans will really buy into the players, buy into. Obviously knows someone like Trent. He knows. I think you bring out the best in the big superstars. If it is Jurgen Klopp, then I think he's a strong enough personality to say to the president, right, he needs to go. Yeah, he needs to go for the good of the side. We need to be united as one. I'm not. I'm not the person to say which player would say would move out. And he's not easy because you've got superstars there on very big contracts, no doubt, as well, and. But yeah. Or, I mean, Klopp being Klopp, he'd probably get them all together and.
- [15:51]
B
Yeah.
- [15:51]
A
You know, bang their heads together.
- [15:52]
B
Get them on the same page.
- [15:53]
A
Yeah, get them on the same page.
- [15:55]
B
And in terms of signings, what's a priority? I know that you've spoken about the midfield this season, haven't you? Do they need Enzo Fernandez in there? We know Enzo wants to go. He's in Madrid at the moment, by the way. I was thinking, don't do that. He's got two days off and he's gone to Madrid. Yeah, but he's he's gone to the tennis, he's gone to the Madrid Open. But still it's like, come on, Enzo, just as you got the captain's armband back, you've scored at Wembley. Don't fly to Madrid on your day off.
- [16:21]
A
Do you know what? Apparently he was wandering around and around the burner bell.
- [16:25]
B
Yeah. And that's what he was focusing. So funny.
- [16:36]
A
I didn't know. I think midfield's definite for them because I think that's personally where they miss. Apart from the fact that they don't seem to be entirely together and obviously they've still got the issues up top. Cuz you've got, you know, Vinicius and Bape don't really love defending, let's put it that way. And I think that that becomes an
- [16:56]
B
issue when Trent's playing as well, if you say that.
- [17:01]
A
But I think you get away with one forward that doesn't want to track back. But two is difficult and the balance of the side and all that sort of stuff needs regulating. But I think midfield is. They need some kind of control again, which they've not. They've not had since. And understandably so. I mean any. You've lost an entire midfield.
- [17:21]
B
Yeah.
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A
Casemiro, Cruz and Modric all gone pretty much within the space of 18 months.
- [17:28]
B
That midfield was ridiculous, wasn't it? If you think about it.
- [17:32]
A
So good. I was watching United last night actually. Casemiro, even though he's finishing the end of. I mean he was so good. He's a proper player. You can see why I had so much success at Real Madrid.
- [17:42]
B
Yeah.
- [17:43]
A
I mean he was such a good player. So anyway, we should discuss Atletico. Big Champions League game for them against Arsenal coming up. Of course they've had a mixed week or two because they lost obviously the copper Del Rey. Amazing scene.
- [17:58]
B
Incredible crazy couple of weeks for them. Like knocking Barcelona at the Champions League and then losing the Cop de Rey final. Losing to Elche in the league and then beating athletic club 3.
- [18:09]
A
What's Eric said about it?
- [18:10]
B
What's Eric saying? He's been sending videos because he was at the Copa del Rey final. Yeah, he sent a video from Sevilla. Looked incredible. The atmosphere. They were under one of these bits. Big flags. T the T4. Yeah. He said the only good thing was was the food in Sevilla, which they look like. And I think we've got clams.
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A
Oh, clams.
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B
Yeah, I think they're clams. They look like clams. Anyway, so he had good food but obviously very disappointed about the Copa del Rey. Final. And then we were just speaking about the Arsenal game. He said, yeah, Arsenal are favorites as we look bad at defending, set pieces and crosses. Oblach, just back from injury, looked rusty. Muscle is a lottery. I would prefer all black at 70 than a fit. Yeah, muscle, who's obviously the deputy. But yeah, I think he's saying Julian Alvarez isn't 100 fit, but it could be mind games.
- [19:02]
A
Yeah.
- [19:03]
B
To be fair to him, he said, rail saucy. Dad deserved it. They deserve to win. But yeah, big, big win at the weekend. They needed that.
- [19:09]
A
It's great for Real Softidad, though, wasn't it? I mean.
- [19:11]
B
Yeah. And the American manager as well.
- [19:13]
A
Yes, saw that.
- [19:15]
B
Yeah.
- [19:15]
A
He's got quite a career, hasn't he? He's done. It's amazing what he's achieved. Isn't he the first American to win a European competition in the top five leagues? Yeah.
- [19:24]
B
Amazing. So good. So, yeah. But Atletico, Yeah, funny old season for Atletico, but they could go and win the Champions League. They could. I honestly think that they could knock Arsenal out, I really do, because I think Diego Simeone and Mikel Arteta are both very emotional managers. Right. But I feel like Diego Simeone, the way he is, doesn't affect his players. And what. It does affect his players, but in a positive way. Whereas I feel like the way Mikel Arteta is actually affects his players in a negative way. Do you think? Yeah, I really do. I think they get nervous and anxious and at the moment in the league.
- [20:01]
A
Yeah, that's definitely the case. Yeah. I was talking to Micah. Micah thinks are actually better equipped to go well in the Champions League rather than perhaps the league at the moment, because they defend so well and good on set pieces, etc. But we shall see on that one. We'll talk about that, no doubt, next week. There's quite a lot of games for the roundup, Alex.
- [20:23]
B
Okay, well, let's round up the rest of the games. Sevilla remain in the relegation zone after a damaging 2:1 defeat at Osasuna. They took the lead in the 69th minute thanks to Neil Mope, but Raul Garcia levelled in the 80th and Alejandro Catena bagged the winner in the ninth minute of stoppage time. Elche moved four points clear of the relegation zone thanks to their second win in a week. Goals from Pedro Vilas and Gonzalo Villa were enough for the points against bottom side Real oviedo. Valencia moved six points clear of the bottom three thanks to a 21 win at home to Girona. Laji Ramazani and Umar Sadiq with the goals for Los Che Raya. Vallecano were 31 down at home to Real Sociedad with six minutes left to play, but goals from Florian Le jeune and a 99th minute equalizer from Alain MAU saw points shared. Villarreal kept up their hopes of finishing in third place with a 21 win over Celta Vigo. Gerard Moreno and Nicola Pepe on the score sheet. Alaves beat Mallorca 21 in a crunch relegation encounter. A brace from Tony Martinez gave the home side the points and leaves Mallorca just one point outside the drop zone. And it was all square on Monday night as 10 man Espanyol played out a goalless draw with relegation battlers Levante, who remain in 19th place. Espanol haven't won a game all year, by the way. Bleak times. And they started. They were in fifth at one point.
- [21:50]
A
They were going really well early in the season. Complete collapse. Complete collapse. I got this cracking name in there, Alex, Not Largey, although it's very similar. Pedro, Big Ass, which is Large. That Peter. Big Ass, we call him.
- [22:14]
B
What a name.
- [22:15]
A
What a name. Okay, well, enjoy the game.
- [22:20]
B
Thank you.
- [22:21]
A
Enjoy the game. And a night out in Paris after, no doubt.
- [22:25]
B
Yeah, well, we had one last night as well.
- [22:26]
A
Oh, really? I thought you looked a bit worse.
- [22:29]
B
All right. Don't say that.
- [22:30]
A
Just kidding. Just kidding.
- [22:32]
B
Yeah. Yeah. Alan was ordering the wine, so. That's when it gets dangerous. It was nice wine, though. It was good wine, too. Nice.
- [22:39]
A
That's good.
- [22:39]
B
Happy place to be for. Yeah.
- [22:41]
A
Hope he was paying.
- [22:42]
B
No, no, no, he wasn't. No.
- [22:43]
A
All right. Okay.
- [22:44]
B
It was on Prime. Yeah, it was on Prime.
- [22:47]
A
I think they could afford it.
- [22:49]
B
They could afford it.
- [22:50]
A
All right, Alex, enjoy the game.
- [22:52]
B
Thank you.
- [22:54]
A
And okay, that's it for this episode of the Rest Is Football La Liga. Goodbye from me.
- [23:01]
B
Goodbye from me.