Champions League Takeaway: Nine Goal Thriller in Paris & Penalty Controversy in Madrid

It's time for The Truth! Sam and Dougie are back together to take a look at two different clubs in very different situations, but who both do have decisions to make about who the man in the dugout is going to be at the start of the next Premier League season - Chelsea and Manchester United. Firstly, there's a little chat about Jose Mourinho's rumoured return to Real Madrid, and why we all think that it's a dreadful idea from everyone involved, before diving into the main course.  The Blues are in turmoil. After Enzo Maresca's outburst saw him dismissed at the turn of the year, Liam Rosenior came in from sister club Strasbourg, but lasted just 107 days in the role, so interim manager Calum McFarlane will see out the campaign, before they make a new man permanent in the summer. Chelsea are linked with three names in particular - Xabi Alonso, Andoni Iraola and Marco Silva; but the lure of former player Cesc Fabregas remains as well, and they're not the only ones on the market either.  For United, things are more complicated in some ways, and less so in others. Michael Carrick was appointed as interim when Ruben Amorim parted ways with the club, and he has done a remarkable job steering the club back to the Champions League places, with 'league challenging form' since taking over. But do they appoint Carrick on a permanent basis, especially given next year dealing with squad rotation and UCL football will require more than just a steady hand on the tiller? Or should they turn to someone else - a Julian Nagelsmann, or perhaps even the Man in Black - Diego Pablo Simeone... What are the right calls? Who would lead these sides back to their former glories? And is one manager enough to overcome structural deficiencies when they're staring you in the face? As ever, The Truth is somewhere in the middle... And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad! You know we've got to the business end of the competition when there's only one Champions League Takeaway a week, so here's your big double serving after the first legs of the semi-finals, which brought us two very different games, but with no shortage of drama or entertainment in either.  In Part One we head to the Parc des Princes, where PSG outgunned Bayern 5-4 in an incredibly entertaining encounter - one where both teams' ridiculous offensive firepower was given full licence to fire at will. We discuss one of the best games we've seen in quite some time, as well as questions over the defending, giving out some individual flowers in a game where you could have harvested a full crop, and looking ahead to a second leg where both managers are promising more of the same.  Then in Part Two, we chat through a very different, but no less dramatic game, this time between Atletico Madrid and Arsenal at the Metropolitano in Madrid; where there were some legitimate questions over some controversial decisions in the game, but that didn't overshadow a contest that was more attritional, but still had major swings of momentum and big opportunities for both sides - who will still both fancy their chances of making the final. It's Ranks!  And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's time for The Truth! Sam and Dougie are back together to take a look at the big debate that's beginning to rage on social media, that of who is going to be awarded Manager of the Season this year in the Premier League?  The boys walk through each of the candidates, ranking them on where they would have placed them in the rankings if they were given the power to decide - especially in a year where neither title contender feels necessarily like they might naturally sweep the award. We discuss Arsenal's Mikel Arteta and Manchester City's Pep Guardiola, as well as Aston Villa's Unai Emery, Brentford's Keith Andrews, Sunderland's Regis Le Bris, Everton's David Moyes and Fulham's Marco Silva; and try to find some order in the chaos.  So, is there one correct answer? Do you judge this on individual brilliance, punching above your weight or expectation, or just a team winning silverware? As ever, The Truth is somewhere in the middle... And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad! With just a few games remaining in this season, there's still plenty to play for in so many different places - not just geographically, but at opposite ends of the spectrum as well. We take a look at the Premier League title race and relegation rumble, La Liga's incredibly chaotic survival scrap, some battles in the Bundesliga up and down the table, a potential history-shattering record for Bruno Fernandes and what that means for the Player of the Year conversations, and also the tussles for the title which look very tasty in both Scotland and France.  Before we get into all that though, there's time for a chat about Chelsea - who lost 3-0 to Brighton at the Amex on Tuesday and who find themselves in absolute freefall under Liam Rosenior; and some love for Real Sociedad, who won their first trophy in front of fans in 38 years in an incredible display of how local talent, a magnificent manager and a fanbase united can do wonderful things.  It's Ranks!  And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's time for The Truth! Sam and Dougie are back together in the studio to take a look at what's going on with Arsenal's creation and goalscoring numbers, which have nosedived in recent weeks. The Gunners are top of the table in the Premier League and into the final four of the Champions League, but a sense of unease has perpetuated amongst the fanbase - perhaps partly brought about by the fact that Mikel Arteta's side haven't scored more than once in a single game for a month, and look quite anaemic right now in those forward areas.  We dig into the context of it all - fatigue, injuries, pressure - as well as examining certain players individually, seeing what has changed from earlier on in the campaign, and looking at what Arsenal could do differently in this final stretch; a stretch that could be pivotal for their hopes of winning both domestically and in Europe.  So why are Arsenal struggling in these areas? Is it the overwhelming pressure of being on the brink of something historical? Are the injuries hampering them in a way that no side could deal with? Or are they being tactically set up to try and grind through the most difficult part of the campaign? As ever, The Truth is somewhere in the middle... And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad! It's the second Champions League Takeaway of the week, looking back at Wednesday's action from the Second Legs of the Quarter Finals - where Bayern Munich and Arsenal booked their spots in the final four, albeit in very different manners.  At the Allianz, Bayern came out the right side of a 4-3 thriller against Real Madrid, that ended up with the Bavarians prevailing 6-4 on aggregate, but it wasn't as comfortable as that scoreline might suggest. Los Blancos took the lead after just 35 seconds, wiping out Bayern's first leg advantage, and in a topsy-turvy first half the game swung wildly from end to end. Bayern did calm things down in the second half, but it took a chaotic last 10 minutes for them to seal the deal - with Eduardo Camavinga sent off, Luis Diaz put Bayern ahead in the tie and Michael Olise finished things off with a beautiful last kick of the game.   In Part Two we head to the Emirates, where Arsenal held a 1-0 lead over Sporting coming into the second leg - and that's how it stayed, to see Arsenal through into the final four. It's history for the Gunners, who have made back-to-back Champions League semi-finals for the first time in the club's existence. Job done, but no more than that - this was perhaps not the performance that fans at the Emirates were looking for to soothe some of the nerves that have spread across the fanbase in recent weeks. Although, a clean sheet after some difficult defensive displays will no doubt be some tonic.  It's Ranks!  And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad! It's the first Champions League Takeaway of the week, looking back at Tuesday's action from the Second Legs of the Quarter Finals - where both Atletico Madrid and PSG booked their spots in the semis, albeit in very different ways.  We start at the Metropolitano, where Barcelona won 2-1 on the night but Atletico held off the storm to qualify 3-2 on aggregate. In one of the great first halves we've seen this season, Barça stormed into a 2-0 lead to tie the match on aggregate, but an Ademola Lookman goal just before the break handed Atleti back the advantage - one which they held onto over the second 45 to make it to the final four for the first time since 2017. In Part Two we head to Anfield, where just as in the first leg, PSG ran out as 2-0 winners over Liverpool to make it a 4-0 aggregate scoreline - but this was a very different encounter to the first leg. The Reds, backed by a raucous Anfield, came out of Arne Slot's self-proclaimed 'Survival Mode' to give the reigning champions a game - something that very much wasn't the case in the first leg. PSG however, march on, clinical in killing the game and defensively steely - this looks far more akin to the side that conquered the continent last time out. Could they do it again? It's Ranks!  And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

It's time for The Truth! Sam and Dougie are back together (although sadly not in the studio) to take a look at just how well things are going at Bayern Munich right now for Vincent Kompany (and company). After winning 2-1 at the Bernabeu to record their first away win against Real Madrid in 25 years, many people have them as the favourites to lift the Champions League title at the end of the season, and there's plenty of reasons to be positive around Bayern right now.  The scintillating form of their front three - Luis Diaz, Harry Kane, and Michael Olise - has led to the trio scoring 87 goals between them this season already, and 52 assists for good measure. There's the age-defying quality of Manuel Neuer in goal, a formidable midfield spearheaded by veteran Joshua Kimmich and rising star Aleksandar Pavlovic, the introduction of Jonathan Tah has been a masterstroke in the middle of defence, and the pace of Alphonso Davies combining with the guile of Konrad Laimer at full back.  To top all that off, there's a late-stage rejuvenated Serge Gnabry flying in the middle, the mind-bending talent of Jamal Musiala returning from injury, and the prodigious teenage sensation Lennart Karl popping up with crucial moments that have many in Germany arguing he should go to the World Cup with the National Team.  So, right now, are there any weaknesses in this Bayern side? Can this growing team now match up to an Arsenal side that beat them in the League stage? And could PSG be the wildcard in the pack as they attempt to go back-to-back in the Champions League? As ever, The Truth is somewhere in the middle... And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad! It's the first Champions League Takeaway of the week, looking back at Wednesday's action from the First Legs of the Quarter Finals - where PSG and Atletico Madrid both won by a 2-0 scoreline, albeit in very different ways.  At the Parc des Princes, PSG took Liverpool to the cleaners for much of the 90 minutes - and will be somewhat disappointed that their lead that they will take to Anfield is only two goals - some profligate finishing and some excellent goalkeeping from Mamardashvili holding them to just the two goals, but this was one-sided in almost every sense. Liverpool went to a five at the back, and still couldn't contain the reigning Champions, and Arne Slot has a lot of questions to answer ahead of the reverse fixture at Anfield.  In Part Two we head to Catalunya, where Atletico won at the Camp Nou for the first time in 20 years, and for the first time under Diego Simeone. It was a game of big decisions - VAR intervening to send off Pau Cubarsi for a last man challenge, whilst at the other end Marc Pubill got away with handling the ball in the box whilst on a yellow card. Hansi Flick was deeply concerned about the decision making, but he can be pleased with a lot of this performance from his side - who remain, deeply watchable partly due to their vulnerabilities. Atleti were clinical and resolute though, and will feel very good about the fact that they return home with a comfortable lead to defend.  It's Ranks!  And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Hello Rank Squad! It's the first Champions League Takeaway of the week, looking back at Tuesday's action from the First Legs of the Quarter Finals - where both away teams found a way to win, albeit in very different fashions. At the Bernabeu, Bayern won the European Clasico, triumphing at the Bernabeu for the first time in 25 years - it's been a while since Élber scored the only goal in May 2001!  This was a classic in many ways, living up to the billing, and both teams have reasons in the aftermath for both happiness and regret, given the way that this played out. Bayern were much the better team, and will be a little frustrated they didn't kill the game, but it's still a win at one of the toughest places to go in Europe; whilst Real Madrid will be frustrated by the defeat but also pleased with the fact that they're still in this given at one point they felt on the verge of collapse.  In Part Two we head to Lisbon for a different type of away win - this time by Arsenal, who needed a late Kai Havertz strike to smash and grab their way to an important win at the Jose Alvalade against Sporting. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't much fun to watch, but it was a crucial win for Mikel Arteta and company in a place where Sporting have been absolutely sensational this season. Sporting will have regrets on this one, but a combination of David Raya in outrageous form and some profligate finishing have left them a mountain to climb at the Emirates.  It's Ranks!  And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon? Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.