On The Continent - A European Football Podcast

After a melee at Marseille on the opening weekend of the season, we've followed it up with a disagreement at Dortmund! Mark Bellingham (father of Jobe and Jude) got in a spat with BVB Sporting Director Sebastian Kehl. And things weren't much better on the pitch, so where do Dortmund go from here? Dotun, Andy & JJ are here to explain all of that. Plus, PSG have started with two wins on the boar...

In a typical domino effect, Gianluigi Donnarumma's trouble at PSG has caught the eyes of Pep Guardiola and Manchester City. Consequently, Ederson is looking to Turkey for further employment, but should he fight for his place, or avail himself to guaranteed first team football abroad? Dotun, Andy and Nicky debate that - plus - can Ademola Lookman keep his foot in the door at Atalanta after Inter Mi...

Marseille are rarely a side that hides from the headlines, but did anybody really expect a bust up on match-day one? Well, perhaps we did. Jonny Rowe and Adrien Rabiot bashed heads - and now both players are suspended and already on the transfer list. Dotun, Andy & Nicky Bandini break down the ramifications of that explosive opening day. Plus, Serie A kicks off this weekend, so where do Italy'...

As we stare down the barrel of a brand new season, Dotun, Andy and Lars are back to answer some of your continental queries! Newcastle are finally active with the signing of AC Milan's Malick Thiaw, but is this a win-win for both clubs? Or are Newcastle still licking their wounds from some troubled times in the transfer market? The guys debate that - plus - can Porto stand up to the behemoths of S...

Put yourselves in the shoes of the best team in Europe last season. What would you do if you had Europe's best goalkeeper on the books? Throw him out with the bathwater of course! Well that's just what Luis Enrique and Paris Saint-Germain have done with Gianluigi Donnarumma, but he's not leaving that bath without making a splash! Dotun, Andy & Lars Sivertsen give their thoughts on the decision...

Few English coaches have a more fascinating CV than today's guest: from the EFL, to remote corners of Sweden, to the Georgia national team, David Webb has done it all. Today, Andy and Lars sit down with a fascinating personality who was at the heart of THE story of last summer's Euros. David explains his one-of-a-kind coaching journey, what it's like working with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia up close, an...

Benjamin Šeško has chosen Old Trafford over St. James' Park, but how will the Slovenian fit into the Premier League, if at all? An impressive 27-goal season with RB Leipzig meant a hefty €76.5 million bid was enough to fire up the jet, but are Manchester United just trying to sign their own Erling Haaland? Dotun, Lars and David debate that – plus, should Bayern Munich be more active in the transfe...

It's not like Real Madrid and Barcelona to be shy when it comes to spending a pound note, or a Euro across the continent, but after conducting some early business, all seems to have gone quiet in Spain's two big cities. So where do the El Clásico clubs stand when it comes to this season's La Liga title race? And what might Atlético Madrid have to say about being left out of the conversation? Dotun...

Spain is a deeply political country and its footballing culture has grown in tandem with the social evolution across the nation. Portuguese journalist Miguel Pereira, who has spent 20 years living in Spain soaking up its variety of cultures, joins Andy to discuss the history of politics in Spanish football and the modern issues it still needs to navigate. Please fill out Stak's listener survey! It...

With João Felix leaving for Saudi Arabia, how has his career since leaving Benfica promised so much but delivered so little? Has it been a club issue or a player issue? Dotun, Lars and JJ debate that – plus, could Paris FC be about to surprise Ligue 1 and their city rivals after some promising signings? What does the future hold for Randal Kolo Muani? And what's the real reason why Bodø Glimt's ke...

Granit Xhaka was “too important to lose,” said Erik ten Hag. Just days later the Swiss midfielder has swapped the Rhine for the Wear and jumped ship to Sunderland. A new midfield maestro for the Mackems, but where does this leave Ten Hag heading into a season where four of their stars have fled the Dutchman's rule? Dotun, Lars Sivertsen & Jonathan Johnson give their thoughts on that. Plus, wit...

Marcus Rashford is a Barça man! Dotun, Andy and Nicky discuss what it means for club and player. And how much are they saving for Rashford's (loan) move compared to Nico Williams' signature? After several high profile departures from Germany this summer, is it a Bundesliga problem or a Bayer Leverkusen problem? Could Roma be the perfect way for Evan Ferguson to get his career back on track? And ar...

Just one day into pre-season training for RB Leipzig, and who might rock up on the sidelines? One Jürgen Klopp of course. But what exactly will, should and can he do to get Die Roten Bullen back on track? Dotun, Andy & Nicky Bandini dig deeper into what his role really entails at Red Bull, and whether those in Leipzig - especially their new coach - want his guiding hand at all. Elsewhere, Adem...

After the media storm around Lamine Yamal and his 18th birthday party, Dotun, Andy and Lars reflect on Yamal's position as Messi’s heir and just how much responsibility he holds as Barcelona’s new Number 10. Plus, what would Sunderland and Granit Xhaka look like? Are there any managerial appointments that have flown under the radar? And could the Turkish Super Lig enter Europe's elite? Join us for...

Well, nobody saw that coming! Paris Saint-Germain were stunned by Chelsea on the world stage, so can we still call them the best club side on the planet? Dotun, Andy & Lars Sivertsen discuss whether this kind of upset is inevitable for a club with global ambitions, and ask if the defeat might actually serve PSG better in the long run. Plus, while Germany’s traditional powerhouses seem to be sl...

Wait, are Chelsea actually the appropriate modern winners of this gaudy, glitzy new tournament? Dotun, Andy and David consider the permutations of this weekend’s Club World Cup final on today’s Ask OTC! Plus, can president Andre Villas Boas and new coach Francisco Farioli turn Porto around? Who are the favourites for the Serie A title? And will Everton’s Thierno Barry and new QPR boss Julien Steph...

It was billed as Kylian Mbappé vs PSG, but a mighty Parisian performance swept aside Real Madrid without any real trouble. Dotun, Andy and David Cartlidge wonder if this is the beginning of a new dominant era in European football and how the club’s new mindset looks reminiscent of Real Madrid at their absolute peak.  Elsewhere, with Victor Osimhen and Jhon Durán signing big money deals in Tur...

Dotun, Andy and Nicky Bandini are here for another round of your continental queries as some of Europe’s brightest young talents take centre stage. Although his future at the club is in doubt, could Xabi Alonso’s arrival affect whether Rodrygo looks for pastures new? Plus, we wonder if Tammy Abraham can rediscover his magic at Besiktas and are concerned that Juventus might not be the best next ste...

All is not well at Inter. A dumping out of the Club World Cup at the hands of Fluminense, a public spat between two star players. and a clear hangover from the disappointed stemming from the tail-end of last season. How do Inter turn their fortunes around, and who has to move on to ensure that happens? Dotun, Andy & Nicky Bandini are here to discuss that. But before that, Xabi Alonso has got R...

Could Andy Robertson be a game-changer for Atletico Madrid? Will Paul Pogba's homecoming to France be a much-needed salve to Ligue 1's wounds? Who is Germany's 'tall Messi' at the U21 Euros? Dotun, Andy and JJ are here to answer your questions from the week in European football! Plus, our favourite Lyon players since their promotion to Ligue 1 back in 1989 – and WHAT a list it is... Please fill ou...

After 36 consecutive seasons in French football's top flight, Lyon have (provisionally) been relegated to Ligue 2. How on earth did such an illustrious club get to breaking point, and who is to blame for their demise? Dotun and Andy are joined by French football expert Jonathan Johnson to explore all of that. Plus, as Atlético Madrid crash out of the Club World Cup, is time finally up for Diego Si...

In just 350 days time, fans from 48 nations will descend on the US, Canada and Mexico - three uncomfortable neighbours - who are tasked with hosting one of the most complex World Cups in football history. It's no mean feat, but after the two previous World Cups in Russia and Qatar, many fans – certainly in the west – were glad to finally see the world's favourite competition return to the hands of...

After finally winning the Champions League, PSG find themselves in somewhat unfamiliar territory: their team-first approach and aim to be increasing representative of Paris has propelled them to a new level of worldwide superstardom that Messi, Neymar, Ibrahimović n’ co never delivered. So how do they balance those elements that come with now officially being the best football team on Earth? That’...

For good and for bad, the Club World Cup is going to leave a massive imprint on the game we love. So, to mark its arrival, across three special episodes from Los Angeles, Andy is speaking to journalists, locals and insiders to get under the skin of this divisive competition. In Episode 1, Andy gets to grips with what's at stake in this tournament for teams from across Europe and South America: pub...

Why hasn’t Viktor Gyökeres joined Arsenal yet? Dotun, Andy and David Cartlidge try to work out what’s stalling one of the most high-profile transfers we’d see this summer. Elsewhere, Jose Mourinho’s at the centre of yet more Turkish Süper Lig controversy, Ademola Lookman finds himself at a dead end despite being at the peak of his powers, and we sing the praises of potential Premier League arrival...