On The Continent - A European Football Podcast

The four favourites for this season's Champions League met this week, with Bayern Munich taking on Arsenal and PSG hosting Barcelona. With those four sides now clearly ahead of the rest in the pecking order, can we really expect a winner from outside that set?

Lars Sivertsen joins Dotun and Andy to discuss that. Plus, Andy's been on his travels to see Galatasaray take on Lille at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy. Are the Turkish side genuine contenders to go deep in this season's competition?

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After a fresh round of enticing Europa League and Conference League ties, we wanted to bring you all the latest – and when both Lyon and Marseille are involved, who better than Andy and Jonathan Johnson to guide you through it?

Andy joins JJ from Lyon after watching them conquer Crystal Palace last night in a game that was just Lyon all over. But did this show an exciting future for their frontline? Meanwhile, why is Marseille's manager Bruno Génésio all but abandoning European football, just like he did at Lille? And Ruben Amorim might have...

José Mourinho received a hero's welcome on his return to the Stadio Olimpico on Wednesday night. In the end, and after a few twists and turns, it was his Real Madrid side who came away victorious. Is there still a touch of the José about Gian Piero Gasperini's Roma?

Lars Sivertsen joins Dotun and Andy to debate that. Plus, it was a disastrous night for Fenerbahçe as they sunk to a 6-0 away defeat at Villa Park. Andy was at the game and gives his thoughts on İsmail Kartal's aging squad. And it's been a bril...

The footballing gods do have a funny way of throwing up some intriguing fixtures at the perfect time. Abu Dhabi's Manchester City vs Qatar's PSG in City's first home game after being found guilty of breaching the Premier League's financial rules is certainly one of those.

Miguel Delaney joins Andy to take a deep dive into the complicated ownerships of both clubs, and what City's sanctions might mean for European football going forwards.

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One of world football’s most promising talents is barely getting on the pitch at Real Madrid. So should Endrick persevere, or find a way out?

Dotun and Andy are joined by David Cartlidge to get their heads around this confusing mismatch. Elsewhere, Troy Parrott’s release clause at Real Betis, the cost of the international break for Dortmund, and a mercifully simple explanation of what's going on with Dani Carvajal’s doomed move to Getafe. And why is it ‘a match made in hell’?

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Cristiano Ronaldo managed to outlast every Portugal manager until Jorge Jesus came along. His dramatic exit, followed by a mind-blowing statement, makes it look like Ronaldo has played straight into Jesus’ hands. Has it cost him any chance of a fond farewell like his lifelong rival, Lionel Messi? And why are Portugal actually better for his exit?

Dotun and Andy are joined by David Cartlidge to dig through the rubble of a fiery few days in the Portugal camp. Plus, will Kylian Mbappé ever truly fit the mould of a Real Madrid superstar? And what do new...

All eyes are on Manchester City as the fallout from their guilty verdict continues to unravel. With the Premier League's dominance under renewed scrutiny, is this a chance for Europe's other top leagues to close the financial and competitive gap they’ve been chasing for so long?

Jonathan Johnson joins Andy and Dotun to assess how the continent is reacting. Plus, has Zinedine Zidine's willingness to bring in new players been a welcome change for Les Bleus? Why have Greece been so good during the international break? And, after a vociferous celebration by the aforementioned France ma...

It's been 23 years since Cristiano Ronaldo made his Portugal debut. 234 appearances and 146 goals later, his time as a Portugal international might now be over. After abruptly leaving Jorge Jesus' camp, have we seen the last of him in a Portugal shirt?

Jonathan Johnson joins Dotun and Andy to discuss the fallout to that. Plus, Lamine Yamal continues to shine for Spain and Jürgen Klopp risks becoming the first Germany boss to lose his first three games in charge of the national side.

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The emergence of Khvicha Kvaratskhelia as one of European football's modern greats has been well-told at elite club level. After leaving Napoli for PSG in 2025 he hasn't looked back, winning two Champions League titles and becoming a firm contender for this year's Ballon d'Or.

But at international level, the story is very different. Andy and Lars head to Kvaratskhelia's native Tbilisi to find out just how much of a significant figure he has become.

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It wasn't just Jürgen Klopp who was starting his fresh project last night, but his opposite number too! Xavi's Netherlands side were the first to try their luck against Klopp's Germany, and in the end the points were shared. But what exactly did we learn from the former Liverpool boss' first game in charge?

Kevin Hatchard joins Andy to discuss that. Plus, Jorge Jesus keeps Cristiano Ronaldo in the fold for his first game in charge, but only for 67 minutes. And Erling Haaland's brace helps Norway to victory over near neighbours Denmark.

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It's the dawn of a new era for both Italy and France on the international stage. Roberto Mancini, at the second time of asking, is set for his first game back in charge of the Azzurri. Can an old face bring fresh ideas to a nation so desperate for success?

Nicky Bandini joins Dotun and Andy to preview what his second spell in charge might bring. Plus, France begin their new venture under the man, the myth, the legend Zinedine Zidane. Can he do what Didier Deschamps couldn't and finally put Spain to the sword? And...

Even Mohamed Salah couldn't have dreamed up a better first outing against Galatasaray. A hat-trick and an assist later, are we witnessing the start of a beautiful partnership with Thomas Reis?

Andy is joined by Turkish football expert Engin Kehale to unpack a dominant Trabzonspor performance and a sobering reality check for Galatasaray. Did Victor Osimhen's absence just expose Okan Buruk's over-reliance on his star striker? And why can't Gala’s wealth of attacking options fill the void?

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The unfolding humanitarian crisis in Ceuta has made headlines all over the world, and some clubs in La Liga wanted to make their feelings known. But what happens when their own players want to carry a different message?

Dotun and Andy are joined by Tom Allnutt to unpack the situation. Elsewhere, why have recently high-flying Lens sacked their manager already? Has Liam Rosenior found his new home in Paris? And can Deportivo de A Coruña continue their early season charge?

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There's something of the Kevin Keegan about Hansi Flick's Barcelona. 33 goals scored in their opening seven games of the season. Yes, you heard that right. Thirty-three! Their goalscoring exploits are without doubt the best in Europe, but their ability to keep the ball out of the net? Well, that's a different question...

Tom Allnutt makes his OTC debut alongside Dotun and Andy to take a look at Barcelona's entertainers. Plus, it's a winning start for Sunderland in the Europa League, but will this be the year that English dominance of the competition comes to an end...

Welcome to Elversberg, make sure you’re wearing sturdy footwear and please mind the scaffolding.

It was a proper David vs Goliath story in the Bundesliga this weekend as Bayern Munich travelled to new boys Elversberg. Today, Andy is joined by Archie Rhind-Tutt to assess what Bayern’s 2-1 win means for both sides. Plus, despite the romance of the Elversberg story, does the Bundesliga need more of the traditional big clubs to return to their former glory?

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Thursday night Champions League fixtures do still feel a little bit weird, and that weirdness was matched on and off the pitch last night. After Fenerbahçe's 1-1 draw with Roma, their manager İsmail Kartal announced his resignation in the post-match press conference. Unfortunately for left-back Archie Brown, nobody gave him a heads up.

Lars Sivertsen joins Andy to dissect Thursday night's action, including Bayern Munich's demolition of Bodø/Glimt. We all know they're good, but will they finally make that count in this season's competition?

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Ladies and gentlemen, the Champions League is back! Unfortunately for Napoli though, their opening night defeat to Arsenal makes it three losses on the bounce for Max Allegri. At a club as unforgiving as Aurelio De Laurentiis' Napoli, might he already be nearing an exit?

Miguel Delaney joins Dotun and Andy from Naples to give us the lowdown. Plus, José Mourinho gets his first Champions League win back at Real Madrid, but their performance left us with more questions than answers. And it's a European breakthrough for Ireland and Real Betis' Troy Parrott. A flash in t...

our years without lifting the scudetto is far too long for a storied club like Milan, but six years for Juventus really does take the biscuit. Now, with the table reset, a summer transfer window finished, and fresh faces through the door, can we expect something more from these two giants of the Italian game who have been down on their luck for the last half-decade?

Nicky Bandini joins Andy to break down their 1-1 draw at the Allianz Stadium, and also a thriller between champions Inter and potential challengers Napoli. Can anybody stop Cristian Chivu's...

Rafael Leão has been the first name on AC Milan's team sheet since the early 2020s, but there’s always been a feeling that he hasn’t reached the heights many predicted for him. Will his move to Galatasaray change that?

Lars joins Andy and Dotun to discuss. Also, what will Ibrahim Mbaye offer Aston Villa? Why did Folarin Balogun's move to Everton fall through? And to round off our look at deadline day, which player desperately needed a move away, but didn't get one?

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It was a deadline day of decisions for young Malick Fofana who ate breakfast thinking he was going to Arsenal, sipped his French onion soup at lunchtime eyeing up a move to Crystal Palace, but ended up having dinner in Sunderland.

Lars Sivertsen joins Dotun and Andy to detail the extraordinary story of Fofana's move to the Black Cats. Plus, is Borussia Dortmund the right move for Ethan Nwaneri? How long will José Mourinho's honeymoon at Real Madrid last? And how far can the Norwegian sides go in this season's Champions League?

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Liverpool have finally got their man - but do they actually need him?

Kevin Hatchard joins Andy and Dotun to get into that. Also, what kind of reception did José Mourinho receive at the Bernabéu? How did LASK pull off their Champions League comeback against Celtic? And, of course, we ask Kevin for his favourite stadium in the Bundesliga.

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It's never exactly a hot take to suggest Bayern Munich might come away as Bundesliga champions, and that's very much the case for this season once again. With Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen both in transition, might this be the season where Vincent Kompany's side surpass even the lofty heights of Pep Guardiola's time at the club?

Kevin Hatchard makes his debut on the show to discuss that prospect. Plus, Donyell Malen and Paulo Dybala link up three times to lead Roma to a 4-0 thrashing of Fiorentina. Can Dybalen, as some are calling them, take...

While the so-called 'traditional curtain-raiser' may not get much respect in England, in Germany it carries much more weight. This season, the German Supercup was a trophy that both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund wanted to win. So clearly, this wasn't one Andy could possibly miss.

He spent the weekend in Dortmund to watch Niko Kovač's BVB take on Vincent Kompany's double-winners.

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The start of Ligue 1 this weekend sees Davide Ancelotti begin his first managerial job in Europe. And it's with a huge club competing in this season's Champions League: Lille.

Dotun and Andy are joined by Nicky Bandini to discuss Ancelotti's credentials and whether he's ready for the jump. Elsewhere, Nicky reflects on Gennaro Gattuso's disastrous start at Lazio, while Andy explains why Jobe Bellingham needs more patience, not more expectation. And there's honourable mentions for the incredible array of British talent in this season's Serie A...

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Inter's domination last season has left us wondering who on earth can beat them. AC Milan, Napoli and Juventus still have plenty to prove, so should the focus be on a recently unified Roma, or perhaps even a Como project that is more coherent than Inter's...?

Nicky Bandini joins Andy & Dotun to offer her expertise. Plus, why a win against Málaga still hasn't eased Diego Simeone's fears of an unprepared Atleti, and Vincenzo Italiano's mission to bring Beşiktaş back into the Süper Lig title race.

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Travel back twelve months, Mo Salah was a Premier League champion and had just signed a new two-year contract with Liverpool. How come he ended up signing for Trabzonspor just a year later on a free transfer?

Today, Andy speaks to Melissa Reddy, who maps out Mo Salah’s last twelve months, from feeling undervalued at Liverpool to choosing Türkiye. Join us to learn the full story.

Buy a copy of Melissa’s book, Only Mo Salah: An Intimate Portrait of Liverpool’s Egyptian King HERE

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A year on from his move to Monaco, Paul Pogba's contract could be terminated any day now. What went wrong? And can he still find a landing spot for the final days of his career at the top level?

Dotun is joined by Andy and David Cartlidge to discuss that – plus, what we expect from Djed Spence's exciting move to Inter, why Xavi as Netherlands head coach could be a match made in heaven, and Andy and David get very excited about some new La Liga away days this season. Come join us!

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Spain are first out of the blocks this weekend, but with none of the big three involved, it's a great chance for some of the dark horses to take the stage - chiefly, Villarreal. Dotun and Andy are joined by David Cartlidge to dissect Villarreal’s ambitions, whether Sevilla can halt their unbelievable fall from grace, and some concerning trends in the transfer market.

Elsewhere in España, Julián Alvarez tentatively made his way back to Atlético Madrid training with Barcelona's interest becoming impossible to ignore. So, what's next? And we are somehow at the b...

While being the best midfielder in world football has it's perks, it also comes with one major headache: choosing between Barcelona and Real Madrid. But which of Spain's two giants would get the most out of Rodri?

Jonathan Johnson joins Dotun & Andy to answer that and more of your questions! Is Kvicha Kvaratskhelia a realistic Ballon d’Or contender? What does Andy make of Roma ahead of the new Serie A season? And are we surprised to see Charlie Cresswell sign for Rennes?

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Silly season is well and truly upon us. Who could have predicted Mohamed Salah would end up at Turkish Süper Lig club Trabzonspor? Well, perhaps it makes more sense that it first appears.

Jonathan Johnson joins Dotun and Andy to break down why Salah chose Trabzon as his landing spot. But before that, man of the moment Ferran Torres still has his future up in the air. What do Barcelona do with him? And it's all change at Ajax with Míchel at the helm. But will this be their year?

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Vinícius Júnior is this summer’s biggest talking point as his Real Madrid future remains uncertain. Arsenal's interest combined with growing questions from the Bernabéu hierarchy begs the question: should he stay, or should he go?

Lars Sivertsen joins Andy and Dotun to discuss that and answer your questions! Would Bradley Barcola thrive in Liverpool’s attack? Does Endrick have a future under José Mourinho? And have we found the perfect next club for Marcus Rashford?

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It's not the first time FIFA president Gianni Infantino has sparked an outrage, but might he finally have taken it one step too far? Lars Sivertsen joins Dotun and Andy to explain why FIFA's move could change international football forever.

Plus, a perfectly smooth transition from Didier Deschamps to Zinedine Zidane for France, but a calamity for Italy as they return to Roberto Mancini after three spins of the dice. Also, Real Madrid are putting their backing behind José Mourinho, but will the changes at the Bernabéu be enough to challenge Barcelona?

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Shakhtar Donetsk are a football club like no other. Displaced from their home, they still compete at the top level of European football and dominate domestically. But that's just half the story.

In this special edition of On The Continent, Andy Brassell takes you inside this extraordinary club to watch Shakhtar's season unfold and follow its latest crop of Brazilian talents – Pedrinho, Alisson and Eguinaldo – as they develop under their head coach, the legendary Arda Turan.

You'll hear from players, people on the ground in Ukraine, and sporting director Darijo Srna. Join us for...

Carlo Ancelotti, Julian Nagelsmann, Ronald Koeman. These managers have proved themselves at club level, but why do they falter in international football? What are the biggest differences between coaching a national team and a club?

Dotun, Andy and David Cartlidge are here to answer your World Cup questions! Which players have boosted their chances of a big move this summer? Was the 48-team format a success? Could regular club matches be split into four quarters?

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It's sweet victory for the European continent at this year's World Cup, with Spain taking the honours. Congratulations to them and the team Luis de la Fuente so brilliantly built. So, just how did he do it? And might they be the side to dominate international football for the next decade?

David Cartlidge sits down with Dotun and Andy to discuss that. Plus, how do we reflect on the tournament as a whole? Are we pleased with the performances of our European sides at the World Cup? Are we witnessing a re-forming of the hierarchy in...

Our 2026 World Cup final is locked in. An incredible performance by Luis de la Fuente's Spain sets up a tantalising final against Argentina.

Nicky Bandini joins Andy to break down what went right for Spain and what went very, very wrong for Didier Deschamps and France. Plus, as Lionel Scaloni's side battle past England, we debate whether they should be starting Lautaro Martínez or Julián Alvarez alongside Lionel Messi in the final.

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The semi-finals of the World Cup are upon us! First up is a clash which really could be a final in itself, France vs Spain. Will Lamine Yamal take it up a gear, or will the enduring force of Kylian Mbappé and Michael Olise prove that the French have more firepower than the Spanish?

David Cartlidge joins Dotun and Andy to preview that ginormous fixture. Meanwhile, two of the tournament's main underachievers have already moved on to their new shiny things. Are Jorge Jesus and Jürgen Klopp the right men to improve Portugal and Germany's re...

It's a week of reunions over these World Cup quarter-finals. First up, a repeat of the 2022 World Cup semi-final between France and Morocco. It's funny how much (and also how little) can change in four years. Plus, Borussia Dortmund's two great exports of recent times face up as Erling Haaland's Norway prepares for battle with Jude Bellingham's England.

Nicky Bandini joins Dotun and Andy to dive into those two fixtures. Elsewhere, Belgium face their toughest test against Spain, while their former coach Roberto Martínez leaves Portugal. Has he really wasted two golden generations?

Well, would you look at that! Norway, appearing at their first World Cup since 1998, have knocked five-time world champions Brazil out of the World Cup. But... are we really in a position to call that a shock?

Jonathan Johnson joins Dotun and Andy to debate that and discuss the problems they may cause England in the quarter-finals. Plus, the French juggernaut keeps on moving, despite Paraguay's best efforts, and we have a proper battle of the big boys as Portugal take on Spain tonight.

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Belgium were down and out... until they weren't! Romelu Lukaku was the man to kick-start the Belgian revival in Seattle. But are they doing anything more than just covering the cracks?

David Cartlidge joins Dotun and Andy to dissect last night's action. Plus, Kylian Mbappé's brilliance shines through once again and we have our first major European casualties! Despair for Germany as they lose on penalties to Paraguay, but can anybody really say they're surprised? And after Ronald Koeman's Dutch exit, will we see similar from Julian Nagelsmann?

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