Enzo Fernández's Shocking Suspension

from 30 for 30 podcasts. Brian Padda, senior defensive lineman for Miami. Gun down. The key to this case, it's Brian. Boy, it's grand-dad. An hour before he died, he was on the phone arguing with somebody. This might be a hit. You want the truth. They just want a conviction being placed under arrest. We had a killer amongst us. Murder at the U. Listen now. MUSIC Welcome to the latest edition of ESPNFC. I'm Dan Thomas, joined by Craig Burley and Stephen Nicholl. A great weekend of football on ESPN Plus, including, of course, Athletic Over Madrid against Barcelona. We'll be talking about that a little later on. And, of course, we've got four games in the FA Cup. Now, you think we would start with Manchester City against Liverpool. However, we'll start with a big one, Chelsea against Port Valle. And the reason we're doing this is what happened in Rossigno's press conference today. Let's take you back, shall we, to what Enzo Fernandez said. This was after the defeat against PSG. I don't know. My focus is here for now. We have eight Premier League matches to play in the FA Cup, then the World Cup coming up, so we'll see after that. Now, just last week, he was asked, which city, if it wasn't London, would he prefer to live in? He said, I'd like to live in Spain. I really like Madrid. It reminds me of Buenos Aires. Players live where they want. I'd live in Madrid. I'd get by in English, but I'd be more comfortable in Spanish. Liam Rossigno, then, has given him a two-match suspension because of this. Here's the Chelsea boss. Yeah, I spoke with Enzo an hour ago as a football club. With me, it's part of that process. We've made a decision. He won't be available for tomorrow's game, and he won't be available for Manchester City next Sunday. I think for Enzo, it's disappointing to speak in that way. What I will say about Enzo is, in terms of him as a character, as a person, I've got no bad words to say about him, but I think a line was crossed in terms of our culture and what we want to build. So we had to make a sanction, and that was a decision we've made. So it was a joint decision. I'm saying that the door is not closed on Enzo. That's very important. It's a sanction. You have to protect, especially this football club. This is a winning football club with traditions of success. You have to protect that culture. And I think in terms of that, the line was crossed in the international break. What there isn't, I'll make this very, very clear. There is not a rift or an address in the room. There's not a group of players who are not speaking to another group of players. We are together, and me included. Right, then. Frank LeBuff is with us. Kieran Gibbs as well. In Spain, we welcome in Ian Dark and Luis Garcia. We'll be hearing from them in a moment. But first, in the studio... I can't listen to that. I can't listen to that. Just keep this simple. Is this the right decision for Chelsea Football Club? No, not for Chelsea Football Club. No. What's all this? We're all aligned. We're all... Oh, it's just gobbledy good. I mean, unless we've missed something, he was asked about which city he may want to live in at some point. What is he supposed to say in an interview? I can't give you the name of a city. Because I might be suspended. I mean, how stupid does that sound? So what's wrong with saying Madrid? He didn't say, I want to go to Madrid in the summer. I've had enough of this club. There are a bunch of muppets. They're useless. I want to leave, and Madrid is where I want to go. He didn't say that. I mean, they're just cutting their nose off despite their facing. And that's for Liam Rossignar and his press conferences. They just get worse by the day. And Frank, you said that he just sort of said nothing, not mention Madrid at all. Yeah, don't say anything. You know that's the trick. You know that you're going to fall for it, and you don't say anything. You never mention anything. You say you're going to go back after you carry maybe in Argentina. You're going to live in Buenos Aires. You don't mention Madrid, especially after some days. We live in a world of freedom of speech. Come on, you can't. That's stupid. Yes, of course. But you live in a world of interpretation as well. People have the right to know what you mean when you say you want to live in Madrid. Because four days ago, you said you might go to Real Madrid. That you might go somewhere and you will discuss about it. I hardly believe that's the only thing that he said to have two games suspended. I think he clearly said something about Madrid, maybe Real Madrid. It's what he explained March 18th, that he maybe will talk about something after with his agent and after with Chelsea. But he clearly meant that he wanted to live. I mean, or maybe thinking about it. Unless you have a problem with the club, you don't say anything. If you love the club, shut up. So if he goes in, if Enzo Fernandez or any other player goes in to the manager or the chief executive or whatever one of the multiple spotting directors they've got and says, I don't want to be at this club anymore and here's a written transfer request, which you don't really see many times these days. But what if a player was to do that at Chelsea and make it known they want to leave? Unless he doesn't go public. Is that a suspension? No, because he doesn't go public. Yes, he does. I mean, Liam Roussigno was talking about respecting the club and then when you go public, you don't respect the club anymore. And again, if you have no problem with the players, you are the vice captain, you don't open your mouth. You don't say you want to leave. Frank, don't you think you just brought up its interpretation, right? Don't you think the problem is the people who are doing the interpreting? They're the ones that have decided that he's talking against the club. Nobody else, anybody who's been involved in football knows, has seen this and heard this story a thousand times and know that it's a catch. He's maybe said the wrong word. But these people, all of a sudden, for some reason, because there's maybe some noise around this, think they're going to have to do something. And the reason that they're doing the wrong thing is because in general, they don't know what they're doing. Every time they make a decision, every time they make a move, it's usually the wrong one. And yet again, they've done it. So Frank, would you have suspended him for two games? Stevie, I just want to... Just the question, would you have suspended him for two games? No, I think they went too far. No, they went too far. They should go public and say, next time you shut up and go ahead, because they need Enzo Fernandez on the field. The best of Enzo Fernandez, for sure. But they went too far. I agree with that. But do you really think that the guy who has the question to Enzo Fernandez, what do you want to leave soon, doesn't know the answer? That he doesn't feel the guy's going to answer to it? And so what if he says Madrid? That's not a point. What if he says Madrid? He's got an agent. The point is there. The media, they want to go, Craig, I'm sorry, the guy doesn't do it randomly. He knows where he goes, he knows where, how Enzo is going to answer, and he's going to fall for it, and he's going to be, we are talking about it. He's breaking news. Well done. Well done, the journalist, and well done, Enzo, for answering what the guy wanted you to say. And meanwhile, a hundred agents are behind the scenes, all squabbling and getting players' moves and making all this money and doing all this gold, I agree. But that's OK. But you can't answer a question. And it results in you're going to miss. Port Ville's fine. It should be fine. But you're missing a huge game that's going to determine your Champions League in terms of if you're going to be playing the Champions League next year. That's cutting your nose off despite your face over something that's very... Nonsense. Very down. It's not a big thing. Kieran, do you think the two-game suspension is right? I think it's a bit excessive, honestly, Dan, looking at their position in the league and the importance of that second game. I don't see why he should have given him a two-game ban. I think... I agree with Frank. I think he's walked into a clever or cheeky journalist with the question. And I think it's a little bit of naivety that he's going to answer it. I think a part of him must have known that when you say these things, they're always going to get blown out of proportion. So, I think the two matches is excessive. Would he have said the same answer if they had gone and beaten PSG? They just came off of the back of a heavy, heavy defeat in the Champions League. I've been there. It hurts your pride. It hurts your ego. And you become emotional and reactionary. And he has walked into the journalist question there. I think it's a big learning curve. But I also think it stems from Chelsea's hierarchy and it comes... He's not answering that question if he fully respects the club. He's not answering that question if you ask me. OK. So, no-one on this panel as yet believes that the two-game suspension is the right call. Ian and Louise? Well, let me come in first here. I'm not sure about the two-game suspension. That does seem a bit excessive. But let's not pretend here that Enzo Fernandez is some huge victim, that he's some naive kid. He's quite an experienced player now. He knows when he gives interviews that there will be consequences from the answers. And with the world as it is with social media, everything's global. It'll go back to England. It'll go back to London. It'll go back to Chelsea. So, when you say I'd love to go to Madrid and live in Madrid, he knows what he's saying. He's saying I'd quite like Real Madrid to come and sign me. Whether Real Madrid want to sign him is another fact about I don't agree with Craig that he's somehow the victim in all of this. He isn't. He knew what he was saying. He wants to move to Real Madrid. I never said he was the victim in all this. I said he's well within his rights to answer the question. Yeah, that's OK, Craig. But you kind of said that I mean, don't you agree that he's kind of saying come and sign me, Real Madrid. I'm out there if you want me. Well, that's how I read it. Well, yeah, and listen, he's well probably within his rights to throw that in if he wants, because as we well know, if he wants Real Madrid to come and sign him, all he's got to do is throw that out there or talk to his agent. So, you know, it's like I think we're blown this way out of proportion. There's lots of players at lots of clubs that are unhappy and frustrated. And there's lots of players that give interviews and say things. If you've gotten to suspend people every time they say something that may be deemed they're trying to leave a football club, then you'd be suspending people all the time. He was asked a question, I don't deny that there is something in wanting to go to Spain. And I don't deny either that the fella might want to take his family and live in Madrid. But I think he's fully entitled to say so. Luis, you get the last word on it. It's not the last word. I got my opinion, my way of seeing how this happened. And I think that we are missing something. There is something that we are missing inside there. But there's no point for a team that is challenging and fighting to get in the top four. Something that on these days is massive, huge that you put one of your best players just at two games. But there is something we are missing probably because there's been a talk between Enzo and Real Madrid and he's been clear or at some, sorry, Real Madrid or Atlético de Madrid. Something that we are missing there because just a player mentioning that he would like to live in Madrid. We would like to live in Madrid. Doesn't make any sense that a club takes a decision to ban him for two games. They have no sense at all. So there's something we are missing. There's no player. You don't know? Are you inside of the dressing room? Are you inside of the boys? If you tell me the conversation. Enzo Fernandez said, well, Aviapastore said that they were talking about renewing the contract and they couldn't find any deal and then maybe that's the problem. I agree with you. We are missing maybe that point. Maybe we didn't take that point in account. But really I really think that when I say naive and Karen said the same we don't want to say stupid. We want it to be nice. But I think it is not purpose. Do you know what they have done? Listen to go back to the point about being the victim I don't know about you guys opinion but I admire him as a player but he annoys me as an individual when he's on the field. So I'm not really holding a candle for him to be honest with you. But if you want to really annoy your top players, if you want to lose them, if you want to lose them you try and muzzle them. If you want to lose them you suspend them for big games. That's not how you get players back on board. That's how you get players to go to the agent and go whatever happens get me out of here. And who could blame some of these Chelsea players because of the way the clubs run like Stevie said because of the way the manager talks because of some of the results I don't agree with everything people say but they're entitled to come out and say stuff. As long as it's not derogatory to the club, the manager or any personnel within the club which this is not. Players come and go and agents work behind the scenes to get players moves. This goes on every week, every month of the year and whether Enzo Fernando has been clever about it or not, suspending a player you're only driving him away and by the way you send a warning to other players basically the unity shut up otherwise we'll sanction you. Now of course Enzo Fernando hasn't been the only one that's been speaking out during international week. We discussed this yesterday just to remind you what Kukarela has said on Chelsea's transfer policy. Signing young players only might complicate fighting for major trophies against PSG we lack players that had gone through situations like that. I understand this is part of the club's policy and that they want to take the direction signing young players and looking to the future of us who are still here and want to win big things moments like this make you feel discouraged. Nen, he went on in the athletic to say when a manager gives you that confidence and offers you a platform to fight for titles you die for them the moment Muresca left it's a big impact on us these are decisions taken by the club if you ask me I would not have made this decision. To make a change like that the best thing is to wait until the end of the season the instability around the club comes from this in a nutshell so inevitably we're waiting to see what sort of punishment Kukarela would be given Racinha gave him none here's what he had to say fantastic conversation with Mark yesterday half an hour in my office the disappointing thing for me what we're trying to create here might I have only been here for three months I can't speak I'm enjoying it even the difficult moments I want players I've said to them from day one if they've got any issue with how we do things to come and speak to me and speak to the sporting directors my disappointment in Mark's interview is where it went to I think he should have spoken to us first about the things that he's feeling I want players to feel that they can speak openly and honestly for the benefit of the football club I think for him he did an interview a long interview where he spoke with passion he spoke his mind yesterday while I was in the office with him for half an hour to remind him you can come and speak to me you can be honest with me and you can be honest with the club about what you want but that takes time I've been here for two and a half months we played 20 games so to build those relationships and those connections takes time but Mark is fully committed he wants to be here he's made that very very clear to me and he actually believes in where we're moving forward so the inevitable question is why is Cuccarella not punished and Fernandez is when Cuccarella's come out and said to me I wouldn't have thanked the manager because you don't know what they're doing they don't know what they do to sit there and say what he said about Enzo Fernandez and then just come out and say what he said with Cuccarella how are you supposed to take anything that he say is serious or truthful or honest because that's absolute garbage and then Enzo Fernandez or I'm in the dressing room I'm sitting going what's going on here hold on a sec how come one guy actually comes blatantly out and say you could argue that what Enzo Fernandez said apparently according to everybody else he's actually said that but he means this and he means that and he means that where Cuccarella just spewed the beans and said exactly what he thought and how the players feel in the dressing room I mean if that doesn't tell you the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing I mean it's just absolute garbage Enzo Fernandez has made an interview he has been you know been clever with the Madrid things not so much because he's been suspended but I'm sure he'll sit back and have a cup of tea when his teammates are running around and think well you know I'll get play time somewhere else but he basically he basically intimated according to everybody else that he'd like to go and play somewhere else and Chelsea took umbrage at that and have suspended him Mark Cuccarella has basically said the people running this club have no idea and the decisions they make are poor and yet he plays so it's okay to question the leadership of this club and basically say I think they're clueless but it's not okay to say you know I'd like to go and live in Madrid one day and maybe play somewhere else that's what they're saying with these two decisions Frank well I think maybe the only explanation is you can say maybe Enzo Fernandez said it twice and Cuccarella only said once maybe after the second time you're going to get punished and Cuccarella said it's not for next season it's for maybe within three years it's why maybe they're going to suspend it within two years maybe before he leaves to Barcelona I don't know really it doesn't make any sense I agree with the guy in that matter if Cuccarella again don't go public you can decide you can talk with your agent secretly to any club you want to go and say after yeah I want it to live because it's impossible to work with Chelsea ball or Chelsea coach whatever but don't say it now and Cuccarella should have been suspended or maybe not like Enzo Fernandez shouldn't have been suspended doesn't make any sense but player shouldn't talk How's that dressing room feeling with this news do you feel Kieran how are the other players feeling Well that's what I was going to say Dan I think there's just you know the timing of the comments there's no coincidence that it came straight after crushing defeat against PSG and the Champions League and again I go back to the point of being an emotional reaction and this just has no benefit on the team whatsoever so I can't understand why you would come out publicly at a time like that and listen I think Cuccarella is a top player and he's always a player that I don't doubt his commitment when he steps on the pitch but also I don't feel that you know he is a player that really deserves to come out with those kinds of comments I look up Cess Fabregas for example when he left the club in 2011 or 2012 whenever it was and you know he was itching to get out to Barcelona and we all knew that he had a deep relationship with the club and a deep connection and when he left it was in sour taste but he was the best player for us for the three seasons before that by far he was the best player and so you know there's part of you that can understand you know when a player wants to leave and get out and you know sometimes it's not in the best circumstances but I don't think that's the case with Cuccarella I don't think he's been their best player for the last three four years and really warrants coming out with comments like this it does no benefit to him it does no benefit to the players and I'm sure that you know if there's there'll be players like Rhys James I'm sure he's you know who's someone who loves the club inside out has been there since he's a kid he'll probably be looking at that and thinking you know what are you doing there I just don't think that this is the it was the right time for him to come out with comments like that especially at such an important time for the in the clubs position that they're in so if Rhys James was asked a question as an England international and as a big player for Chelsea if he was asked a question about where he wanted to live one day maybe perhaps outside the UK and he said Spain or Italy or whatever he's quite within his right to do that because maybe he wants to to taste that and take his family to see a different culture is that a suspension I mean is that the waters that we're treading in it just seems very childish it seems unnecessary yes players talk yeah people get annoyed sometimes managers get annoyed but suspensions only come around to me when you have said the most derogatory things about the manager the staff or the players or there's been physical violence all the other stuff has been going on since day dot so it's a very dangerous road to go down you know the weird thing down so as a head coach of a football club we you understand as a head coach that when players step out of line or are deemed to have stepped out of line that you have to find a way of making a point and you have to find a way of some discipline but the very first thing you do and the very first thing you think about is right how do we do this without hurting ourselves that's how you that's how normal teams and normal normal boardrooms think how do we how do we make a point without harming ourselves and because they don't know what they're doing they've actually done more harm to themselves than anybody else because he's not going to play against man say and it's going to affect the chances of getting in the champions league again they don't know what they're doing in louise take us home yeah well my view of is I mean the overall view of Chelsea with all this with two senior players rocking the boat going public why are they doing it why is Kukareya holding about the way the clubs run about whether Muresca should have kept the job about the policy of young players what the heck has he got to do with him frankly he should not be doing that it's a bad impression and just an impression you get is that Chelsea isn't a happy camp they're trying to patch it up I don't agree with the too much suspension if and if Fernandez gets it so should Kukareya for doing the same thing but that's kind of by the by this isn't what Chelsea need is it going into the end of the season the climax of the season and trying to get a place in the champions league next year yeah the one thing that that I'm sure is that this could have been handled a lot a lot better I think that we understand that the timing is wrong that the words that they came from from the two players are at bad and the decisions have been bad this could have easily erased by not first of all have a talk the same way that I feel Liam the coach said that he had a fantastic chat with Kukareya you could have go to Enzo and and and have the same conversation listen you shouldn't have done this with the two players at the same time no I've go further than that you got the whole team you talked about it listen guys don't go outside no one is gonna help because this kind of conversation is being forever in in the dressing room the outside is always the bad thing in the moment that you go outside even if you got a good relationship with with a journalist and you think that they are gonna look after yourself that's never gonna happen you have to look for what is happening inside the dressing room you go you sit down everyone inside there and you talk to them listen from now on please stop talking about what is happening with the with the board what are the decisions are making what is the thing that we are missing or we need because in the end we are not gonna help us at all from now to the end of the season and you try to keep it close close and try to the dressing room and in closing to the club but what we've seen is like all of you have have been talking about the connection between the board the manager because I'm sure and the way that Liam talks is is like we decide we decide there is two games but we decide I don't think that he decided at all I think there's someone told him listen this is gonna Enzo is gonna be banned Kukareya can't stay because I don't know the decision that we they've made but that's the way have done because for now now what they got they need these results and they need Kukareya and they need Enzo and they know every single player so the decision of banning Enzo Marecka doesn't help anyone so easily this could have been a lot better just with a chat with a talk and maybe with a find you can find the reason to you and you're gonna pay 100,000 indoors and that money is gonna go to charity is gonna go for a meal for the players with a meal for the whole of the club whatever it is because that happened every single time but you keep it indoors in the moment you allow everyone else to talk about what we are doing right now they are in trouble he was told to go to he was told as Louie said he was told what was happening and he was told to go to press conference and he was told to swallow it and he did with all that stuff now if I'm in that dressing room and we've all played at the high level there's not a player alive going into big games doesn't want the best team on the field I'm in that dressing room I'm pulling Rocinha to the side and say what the hell is going on I want to go to Man City with my best 11 so you're alienating everybody you're alienating the players that you've talked to whether you deemed them the right or wrong and you're alienating the rest of the experience in the dressing room because they're gonna be annoyed because they're going into one of the toughest games of the season against when this broke I honestly thought they were playing Portvale and Wolves they must be two dobbles of a game and then I realised one of the games was Man City and I was like this is just utter madness which I suppose is a good way to sum up the way this current ownership have ran Chelsea since day one when they signed him, when they made Liam Rocinha the manager we sat here and we said this looks like a puppet right that's what exactly what we all said and this just makes it even worse and actually looks as though that's exactly what he is a puppet that's going to be told what to do Chelsea against Portvale live then on ESPN plus tomorrow before that it's the little matter of Manchester City against Liverpool everyone has gone for a Manchester City victory with the exception of Kieran Gibbs and Luis Garcia Stevie what's the paper? Liverpool Echo Liverpool legend Liverpool will fail back in it you can't look at both these sides the way they are playing, the form they are in you got one team coming off a cup final victory, you got one team coming off a horrendous result that's not a surprise anymore there is not a thing that I can come up with and give you a real good, honest reason why Liverpool are going to go to Man City and win I can't do it Luis Garcia what is that reason apart from obviously your allegiance to the side which Stevie threw away years ago because because as you know I am very positive and I cannot see any way why Liverpool could not go there and win it or Man City or win it because if you tell me that Man City has been the most consistent team in the whole year I would agree that say we are not going to win it but the way that I see is that these kind of games are so difficult to go and so difficult to predict and if you tell me that 100% you are sure that Man City is going to win it ok I will give it to you Man City was battered by Real Madrid no longer go and we have been commenting on Real Madrid for such a long time and we know what Real Madrid is all about why can't Liverpool win Man City so I prefer to think that they can do it to one, I am not saying that it is a five one so that is my belief and I cannot show you that you cannot tell me either way that Man City is going to win it don't start pointing your finger and getting knocked you said it is Kevin Keegan back in the day they were shocking last time out again against Brighton I mean shocking and he said two weeks where the players have been away maybe that will help them I don't know but it is certainly not when two weeks he could put right the wrongs of the performance away at Brighton because they were all over the place they were under siege in the second half so I just don't see anything apart from Galatasaray at home and I think that was more down to the fact that it was a good night at Anfield there was a lot of energy, great atmosphere but Galatasaray I put it and I think that was more about them than more about where Liverpool are and yeah I agree City can be up and down at least they have been up and down this year Liverpool have just been kind of down I cannot see it I cannot see defensively or even in the middle of the park where they have really struggled and the full back positions where City are particularly strong be it Dockers or Semmenyou or whoever it is I cannot find a pathway for this current Liverpool side particularly for the Brighton game is the barometer to win this match I just can't that was me go on, kiss a death there Kieran actually there is more of a method there is more of a method to my score I haven't been the most accurate this year when it has come to predictions and I think if Man City win I actually prefer Man City to win because it will mean that they have more games because if Arsenal win tomorrow that means that their Premier League games will get rearranged so that is a bit concerning for me because then if if City go out that means that they will play their games ahead of Arsenal and we will have games in hand and I worry that they will start creeping closer to the top of the league so I am hoping that City win but because of my predictions this season I have been wrong I went for a Liverpool win family houses there you are killing me you are killing me desperate time desperate time because what is Manchester City to win Ian you are a professional still not held one reason why the Liverpool win let me give you a couple of stats I know Craig will take them Mickey because I am commentating giving you stats Manchester City are 18 games 18 games unbeaten at home in domestic games Liverpool have been atrocious away they have lost their last three away games the last one at Brighton I covered them at Nottingham Forest recently I could not believe how bad they were in that game so they are going to have to be quite a big turnaround from Liverpool away from home to get anything at Manchester City why don't you tell Louise those stats before we came on out no that is it three games in the FA Cup for you tomorrow live on ESPN plus it starts early for Stevie a man who only got out of bed at three o'clock this afternoon Manchester City against Liverpool 730 Chelsea Port Vale then without end zone and then Saints against Harce we are on here at 715 kick off 745 I have been told 730 there you are West Ham Leeds making mind up an extra 15 minutes in play lovely there you go at EDF I would just encourage you to use less electricity we actually reward you for it that is why when you use less during peak times on weekdays we give you free electricity on Sundays how you use it is up to you EDF change is in our power ESPN what games have they served up so far of course Atleti with the upper hand in the Copa del Rey but also with that 3-1 victory in La Liga here is Hansi Flick ahead of kick off it is always tough against them because they have a fantastic team and also they are one of the best coach in the world so I appreciate a lot what I see when they play football they have an individually fantastic player Chris Mann is a miracle unbelievable how we play football it seems so how is the light everything it is always like he is dancing and I like a lot how he is playing football so now I say they have a fantastic team in every position and the great coach and of course the atmosphere there is also fantastic Ian Lewis in Spain ahead of kick off this is all about Atleti trying to be party poopers isn't it well it is this is the start of a trilogy the first of three games between these two clubs in 11 days can't wait because they have been great value as you have been saying Dan back in the studio and the game at the Metropolitan earlier this season Atletico are 4-0 ahead they have ripped Barcelona's high line defence to shred what do you think Luis it is a bigger game for Barcelona because they have got to defend their lead at the top they can't take their foot off the gas I wonder whether Atletico and Simeone are thinking I might just keep the power to dry for these Champions League games because we have got a right chance to play at the Champions League I think right now the mind of Simeone even though I think he is very competitive I am sure that the momentum the atmosphere and the spirit of the team needs to continue exactly you can send to your team saying listen this is a good game but the important game is on the Miigwe game in Champions League that will be a wrong message you need to go ahead and try to do the best in the league I am curious and you mentioned what is going to be the 11th for Simeone for Barcelona it is all about trying to bring the best continue winning, continue keeping that gap with Real Madrid they will play earlier against a team that is needing on points so at the moment Barcelona is in need it is a might win this game because they need to have that gap even bigger they have a great home record at the Metropolitano they have 40 points at home and 17 away the difference is monumental between the performances I think the clue will be is Alvarez in the line up if he is not that will give us a clue even so I think that Alvarez has shown during the whole season that they can manage in two teams because if he is not Julian Alvarez he will be Griezmann and Solov he will be Almada they have so many options they can deliver a good game in a competitive game that is very difficult to think that if Julian Alvarez is not there Simeone is trying to hide something difficult to call this game once again half of them are playing for Argentina this week should be a good game Trinit any of them talking about living in London what are they talking about what are they talking about Bristol, Connecticut Luis I am intrigued to know who you would replace Rafinha with out for a month after picking up that injury for Brazil it is a great question I think it is difficult to answer the best I would say with Rasmussen trying to bring the best of him on the left side maybe another option is to maybe with Fermin Lopez getting to that position of Dani Olmo that has been replaced before so Dani Olmo playing on the left side and Fermin getting into the middle so it is very difficult but the most important is how to bring into the game the aggressiveness, the leadership of Rafinha it is not about only the technical and what he can bring on the field technically or tactically it is the personality, the character of Rafinha when he is into the field and we saw what happened with Barcelona when he was involved we were missing that leadership, we were missing that high pressure that he brings and that is something that I am sure is a big concern for Hansif Leicke it is times like these that Rashford was brought in for to cover primarily cover the injuries to make sure the quality does not drop off too much and he is capable of doing that with his pace, he is not going to have a season like Rafinha's had over the last year but that is why he was brought here he would have wanted to have played more and play these part and at times like these business end of the season league title up for grabs it is still relatively tight, you are away from home one of your superstars is injured it is time for him to come in I think and be consistent for at least a month or so what prediction do we have see, this is a really difficult game to call isn't it I think Barcelona is going to win this game it seems to me that every time Athletic home Madrid get them to win the position without them being favourites to win a game, a big game they somehow seem to always let you down so I am going to go for a bascala and win here there is a recipe for, as Ian said with their home form and against bascala, there is a recipe for them how they have really destroyed this back line particularly early on in that Copa del Rey semi-final first leg and you would always sit here and look at it and go, right does Hansyflick look at that and learn the lesson and try something different and the answer is no so those opportunities are going to be there again particularly early on it is whether Athletic home Madrid can reproduce that those moments, those passes those runs, those finishes that really certainly destroyed them in that first leg I mean it was close in the second leg in the end I thought it was always going to be but the blueprint is there how you really get at this this side at home the big question is whether they can do it again do you trust them to do that? I don't trust them but I don't trust Bassa at the back and I don't trust Bassa to try and change the way they do things because he has already said a million times or a hundred times they will not it is whether they can reproduce the possession and the guile that they had brilliantly in that first 45 in the Copa del Rey I think it is an intriguing match prediction gentlemen you got one Luis I think Barcelona need the points more, I think Athletico will have half an eye on the Champions League so I think Barcelona to edge it for me though I wouldn't be surprised to see another four-hole draw I think that is what I write, Athletico Madrid having an eye on the Champions League game it is true that in the Copa del Rey it was perfect and executed what Siméoni wanted how they deliver those fantastic movements those run from Julian on the right side it was perfectly executed and that is not something that is easy when Barcelona brings the best of them it brings that high intensity and I think that they are going to need that so I think that Barcelona has got more on the stake to play for and they will go for it I can't believe you didn't let Ian take your coat Luis considering how cold it is coming up to midnight now I'm to respect your elders it's not cold at all it's a heat wave here Ian loving like what are your plans now it's just kicking off midnight in Spain oh yeah we will be hitting the clubs till 6am down to Joy Luis Budapest we are back at that restaurant remember that where was that nice one in Barcelona oh I'll get my coat sorry so coverage starts we all get against Real Madrid 10am brilliant day of football on ESPN Plus put it back and enjoy 9-1-1 where is the emergency it's the middle of the night in a small town on the Jersey shore someone reports an abandoned car a bridge a search gets underway for the missing driver 19 year old Sarah Stern is it a missing person is it a suicide at this point nobody knows old friendships buried cash and a sinister plot that was once pitched as a movie plays out in real life I'm Juju Chang from 2020 and ABC Audio listen now to bridge of lies wherever you get your podcasts and watch the next one on ESPN Plus Friday night action in France PSG defeats Luz by 3 goals to 1 that puts him 4 clear of lance sitting in 2nd Frank do you have a word on this I've got here it's very interesting to see how D'Ambelé is getting back into his best and it's crazy because we don't know if he's a right footed or a left footed and the first goal that he scored it's simply amazing I mean that's so delicate at the same time it seems to be so easy doing that and maybe one of the only ones in the world we can not even think about is it my left foot my right foot no I don't care I go for it and it works that's amazing now goal keeper wise I'm gonna be worried Safonov made some mistakes today like 2 especially on the goal that he's considered but just before he made he went out and he made the header he missed the sorry a header and he was lucky that the defender went to the rescue but otherwise nothing much to say they were serious some rest for some players they're ready for the fight and we all know that if Paris Saint-Germain is at its best it's gonna be difficult for the opponent good man thank you very much Frank just a reminder ESPN FC throughout the week as we'll be counting down to those big Champions League matches including PSG against Liverpool keep going you're doing it that's the sound of Sam learning to swim in a Hilton resort pool oh that's delicious and that's the sound of Sam and his family enjoying dinner in the hotel restaurant good evening welcome back with stays in your favourite destinations and everything taken care of you can savour what's important when you want your holiday to feel like a holiday it matters where you stay book now at Hilton.com Hilton for the stay not the biggest surprise in the world Catooso has stepped down as the coach of Italy after of course for the third year, first third tournament in a row well, blah should we do that again, oh we're live, okay for the third tournament in a row Italy failed to qualify more on Catooso, stepping down on the website Gavin Jules if you haven't checked it out be sure to do so where it all went wrong for Italy in this qualifying campaign I felt Jules quite enjoyed laying into Gavin Jules the other night definitely enjoyed it definitely got that vibe that's it, that brings us to the end of today's show where do you want to live? where do I want to live? say that for extra time Keir, and Frank back to answer your questions welcome welcome into the next edition of extra time live from Paris Frank is with us from LA Keir joins us as well because Keir will be doing our FA coverage from LA with Shakka and Alexis Keirin you up at 4am to watch Liverpool no I'm not going to do that one tomorrow Dan, I'll have you take that out for me where's your professionalism, Frankie all right you're going to have to talk about it you're going to have to meet reference to it when you're on air so you need to get up or should I say come in from whatever club you're at it cannot come in it cannot come in because night clubs are closing at 2am Frank how do you know that? you have a problem because I was going out I was single baby in Los Angeles don't worry I'm going to be single baby again here we go Keirin if you could live in any city in the world for a year where would it be and why I'll probably go Connecticut West High none of them are setting shit he doesn't want to get suspended from the ESPN he wears that as a tone Frank where would you live? I would love to go back to London for you I loved living in London I would love to go back to London only for you because after I will escape from the weather barely I'm going to see Cape Town Sydney still here Stevie, if you'd go anywhere Boston here you go Boston Keirin does what happened in the Carabinocup final add more pressure on Arsenal to win the FA Cup the next game is more scrutiny when you've lost but I think I don't think it was the result I think it was more the manner in which they lost the game the city really just dominated it's unlike Arsenal this season to get dominated in that way so I think that adds to the pressure but in the final there's always a shootout and it's who turns up on the day but I think it would be the performance more concerning than the result for me from a couple of weeks ago so yeah I think there is a little bit more pressure now but in the grand scheme of things I don't think it's going to derail Arsenal's season and I think if you were to line up anyone that's connected with Arsenal they will probably tell you that FA Cup over the Premier League I'm not so sure I think everyone's going to pick the Prem there is pressure on tomorrow but for me personally I'm not overly concerned about that Frank, Stevie had kittens you got really round up yesterday on extra time when discussing in Bapé's comment on centre-backs what are your thoughts on your fellow Frenchman's ill-advised diatribe yeah he doesn't know anything he never been there he never tried to defend never tried to defend even a second so he doesn't know anything that's not easy because you have to react because of course normally the striker will have the ball so you will have to adjust your positioning your skill and your anticipation according to what the striker will do it's a hard position and you have to be a leader as well when you have the ball you have to talk a lot you have to push forward all the lines no it's not easy but I understand what Mbappe was doing and maybe he should have played in our time to see how difficult it was to be a striker at the time and how tough the centre-backs were do you want to add to that not really that's fine suspend them I will say though if you're looking at an easy not an easy one of the easy air positions in the field probably a full back because although it's still difficult to play you squeeze up but you're saying that's the easiest position of the outfield players well I'm saying you brought it up is that fair you've got kind of the whole pitch are you not listening I'm saying the full back position is the easiest I would disagree with that as well sitting in front of the back four that's the easiest we'll try to compare positions which is actually a bit stupid really it's really a bit stupid you know I always feel you're a bit more comfortable with the full back you can see the whole you don't have to worry about everything around the bout you know what I mean how would you want to do it you can see the whole pitch that's what I'm saying you can see the whole pitch from the full back four in the middle it's an impossibility do you try and why would it not be goalkeeper we're talking about outfield players proper players can I put me forward can you see that shaggers in LA Kieran full back the easiest position to play I'm not going full back I'm not going full back what are you going what are you going I don't know I don't even think I don't even think sitting in front of the back four is easy to be on I don't think there's any easiest position I don't think there really is I just threw another one each position you don't understand what I'm talking about that's the problem what do you mean I don't understand what you're talking about you're the same as in Bappie you don't understand half the things that we talk about but I'm not sure wow you would only fall to half again you don't understand what I was talking about when I brought sitting in front of the back four okay so you can't turn and do your usual Dan Thomas nonsense about you said you throw it up okay can I leave it at that right okay right wing you do standing the touch sling okay there you go right wing alright then perfect more shallow that's the easiest position stand on the wing wait for it to come to you we know that Frank and Kieran have we know that Frank and Kieran have but have Craig and Stevie ever been mistaken for another player Frank obviously we always talk about Fabian Barthes with Frank Kieran obviously Oxay Chamberlain commit the foul but you got sent off you mean mistaken identity no in life no Steve what's interesting Kieran we're talking about the Oxay Chamberlain thing Kieran am I right in saying you never told the referee that you got the wrong person because you didn't want to snitch I told him I told him he got the wrong person but he asked me he asked me who the player was and I said I'm not going to tell you that's not your job that's not my job so I told him that it wasn't me and it was another player but you weren't telling the player but I didn't tell him who the player was would you have done the same Frank? good no we'd have given the guy names and not quite name address and surname what made you Stevie if I'd been smart enough as Kieran was at the time to come out with that if I'd done that I'm not so sure you just used the word smart exactly I would have been all glee she wouldn't have I thought I'd be there I thought I'd be there but I would have done with Kieran I don't really know I'd like to think so well he's definitely snitching definitely snitching depends where it was he was on the fence in terms of friendship or whatever what? in some sense as the referee's job friendship friendship not like a did a I know Dan will have given my name well of course I would have found definitely get that in the burp of I'm done with that I wouldn't have without thinking how does it mean you said the French did any team surprise you this international break is there any team that made you think they're going to exceed expectations this World Cup Scotland Scotland I'm not going to any expectations going to the World Cup we thought they'd have a chance to get out of the group until we watch them the other day right now I'm thinking are we going to be Haiti but really you need to watch that game I have gone from we've got three points we've got three points again Haiti and actually there's a possibility that a team with three points could go through and I'm thinking how do we get a point from Morocco or Brazil if we get four then you're through no question and then we watched Scotland and Zyberri Coast the other day and by the end of the game we were talking about how they're going to beat Haiti it's just a friendly though have you seen Scotland recently whether it's been friendlies or actual up again but then how much have you seen that hate of Haiti to be fair as well well that is also true but I've gone from we're getting three against Haiti to no one question whether we're going to get three points against Haiti that's the point England are terrible aren't they Kieran it's not looking great is it Dan? it's not looking great a talented talented side individually but when they come together at the moment it's the same old story obviously we're missing a lot of players but I still expect I still expect a little bit more from them it's a bit worrying it's all falling apart at the seams already we can guarantee England are getting at the group we're not talking about getting out the group do you mean that honestly what are you looking at him what's wrong with you they're talking about England as if they're they're always going to get through the group and then they might turn it on we're talking about Scotland we're talking about a proper team that's struggling big time and you two are getting on about England almost struggling what are we doing what's this conversation it's just how can you two sit there and be all doom and gloom about England getting through the group doesn't it it really doesn't matter the two friendlies that England have just had it really doesn't but I think it shines a light on how poor this team is doesn't it if you think so what's wrong with him gosh the tournament doesn't start for you until after the group stages because you're getting through the group stages they listen to you they're giving it oh hello if you cheer us up you could say at least we're not Scotland the biggest problem England's got is which superstar are you leaving out the problem is I don't know what's wrong Stevie Scotland is playing in Miami I've been about England I feel like it's just the truth what's the question who exceeded expectations who didn't 3pm's doing you any good I'll get a little bit too of the next set were you inviting Kieran were you inviting him to Miami to watch the game with you yeah I was brilliant there you go would you go no there we are he's getting out of his bed early Frank would you like to add anything to this strange conversation no no no on my side I was very happy by the French team and by the fact that you had kind of two teams and being Brazil the way they did and after Colombia said a lot about the expectation we can get and the confirmation of the expectation we can have from the national team but in terms of surprise I was a little bit surprised yeah they didn't have Marquinhos and Gabriel but I was surprised by the level of Brazil I was expecting much more it's a friendly of course I've been here within like 2-3 months yes but I've hardly seen Brazil in that level and I'm not happy with what I see final question Craig have you sought Kieran's advice yet for summer wear I wish I took a picture Kieran at your girlfriend's awards it was quite the outfit you had on ah yeah don't show Craig we can't have Craig in one of those he had like this summer he had a nice dress on down to his ankles and then a thin tie jorts yeah jean shorts jean shorts yeah what a magical work we live in a country with studio bars I've seen them in Brazil well I'll send you some inspo I'll send you some inspo 2026 mate you've got to change it up now I've known my place I'm not this could be shorts as well I'll be long shorts or short long shorts there you go ESPNFC returns tomorrow as we'll be reflecting on Manchester City against Liverpool plus Atletico Madrid against Barcelona