Revista de la Liga with Graham Hunter

Robert Huth will forever be remembered by Chelsea fans for driving a groundsman’s buggy swarming with jubilant players during title celebration day in 2005. During Jose Mourinho’s Blues revolution not a second of training was wasted. Jose was a totemic figure and there was an intensity and an attention to detail that fired the players’ imaginations. It was all a far cry from the tough East Berlin...

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Eni Aluko. For the first time, here’s the full episode. In part two we’ve got more about the progress of the women’s game and how outspoken stars like Eni and Norway’s Ada Hegerberg took stances against mediocrity, poor coaching and bad treatment of players. Eni had a particularly painful experience with the cultur...

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Eni Aluko. For the first time, here’s the full episode. I went to Turin to speak with Eni during her glittering spell with Juventus. In part one we chat about how she went to Juve to develop as a player and a person, and about adjusting to life at one of the world’s biggest clubs. She believes you are never too old...

Welcome to our Big Interview Icons series, where we shine a light on a legend whose name has lit up some of the conversations I’ve had with my guests over the last five years of The Big Interview. First up is Eric Cantona. How to describe Eric… a Harley-Davidson-riding, collar-turned-up, French rebel genius. He was a totem for an era of fellow magicians and mavericks in England’s top division. Sim...

Any Argentinian will still play second-fiddle to the legend of Diego Armando Maradona in Naples, but Federico Fernandez didn’t mind this and doesn’t feel that it ever held the club back. When he was at Napoli he lifted two Copa Italias, and he describes the route to the second one, defeating Lazio, Roma and then Fiorentina in a final with a nervy ending. There’s stuff about ex-Napoli stars Pepe Re...

Federico Fernandez has made an impression on Geordie shores over the last two years, but it was Napoli where the Argentinian centre-half made the grade. His hero Roberto Ayala had done a stint at the Stadio San Paolo in the nineties and Federico sought his advice, but nothing could have prepared him for the football-mad city where five hundred people would wait by a restaurant if a player was brea...

Here’s another chance to hear my interview with Jamie Murray from season three. Jamie is one of the best doubles players in the world, but his sporting obsessions extend beyond tennis. Not only did he regularly defeat his wee brother Andy in homespun wrestling bouts, he is also a decent footballer and in this Big Interview he picks his perfect five-a-side team from the ATP tour. It includes a cert...

Here's part two of my chat with Joachim Bjorklund - featuring a staggering Champions League run with Gothenburg, scalping Barcelona and Manchester United, plus stories from his time as part of a wonderful Valencia team under Claudio Ranieri and Hector Cuper. That side reached back-to-back Champions League finals, won a Copa del Rey and had Louis Van Gaal's Barcelona in their pocket. Subscribe to B...

Here's Joachim ‘Jocky’ Björklund, my former colleague at La Liga TV and now Hammarby assistant manager. His son Kalle plays for him there, just like Jocky once played for his dad at Brann. We had a simply fantastic conversation, discussing Jocky’s rapid rise to the Sweden team that reached back-to-back semi-finals at Euro ’92 and USA 94, and its stars, including Henrik Larsson and Tomas Brolin, hi...

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Matt Jansen. For the first time, here’s the full episode. In part two, you’ll hear more about the psychological damage Matt’s accident inflicted on him. With the best of intentions, Blackburn got him back playing but his sense of invincibility had given way to fear, and he didn’t want the ball any more. He was on m...

Last season, our Socios at patreon.com/grahamhunter got an exclusive interview with Matt Jansen. For the first time, here’s the full episode. In part one, you’ll hear how Matt was a thoroughbred centre-forward with a cultured left foot – and no little courage. After spells at his hometown club of Carlisle United and then Crystal Palace, he signed for Blackburn. He scored the first goal and set up...

Here’s another chance to hear my interview with Slaven Bilic from season three. We hear about Bilic the Croatia centre-back, a member of the side so many of us adored at Euro ’96 and which nearly won the World Cup two years later. The manager, Miroslav Blažević was a master tactician and psychologist, but boy did he have the tools: Boban, Šuker, Bokšić and Prosinečki. At Euro ’96, the players were...

The new La Liga season starts this weekend and our socios wanted to know all about it. I answer their questions, such as: Who will win the title? Which signings have been the most shrewd? What will the relegation scrap look like? And how will El Mago, the mighty David Silva, fare as he returns to the divison after a decade in Manchester? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....

Hola! Everything you wanted to know about Lionel Messi's situation but were afraid to ask... well, actually our Socios did ask, and here's my thoughts! Enjoy Become a Socio of The Big Interview Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/sub...

Michael Bridges had a special instinct for goals and had a prolific first season at Leeds, which included a tremendous run in the UEFA Cup, but after sustaining a terrible injury in a match against Besiktas he was told by his surgeon he would never play again. But physio Dave Hancock believed in him and persuaded him not to quit. Just as well, because Michael’s career was far from over. He speaks...

Michael Bridges was a mixed-up kid. His beloved late father would take him to see Newcastle United, but his adulation for Chris Waddle migrated to White Hart Lane and to this day he remains a Tottenham fan. Michael signed for Sunderland – much to his dad’s horror – and nowadays is Australian ambassador for Leeds United, the club at which he excelled. We hear about swapping jerseys with Alessandro...

In part two of my Big Interview with Emiliano Martinez, we learn about his time on loan at Reading, where he is fondly remembered for helping the Royals avoid relegation from the Championship. We hear about what it’s like working under Mikel Arteta at Arsenal, what an inspirational, supportive manager he is, a great communicator with a sharp mind. His players have total trust in him. Mikel wants E...

It was heart-wrenching for a teenage Emiliano Martinez to depart his beloved family for the distant prospect of Arsenal. But the Argentinian goalkeeper did what he did best – he worked hard, and after years of commitment he starred in the recent FA Cup final victory over Chelsea. He wasn’t fazed by the occasion, even when the Gunners went a goal down, because Emiliano has perfected his game psycho...

In part two of my Big Interview with Domènec Torrent, there’s more on those glorious Camp Nou days, including Barca’s famous treble of 2008-09. Domènec grabbed the chance to assist Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich with both hands, and discovered that it was a myth that club legends interfered with team management there. He also busted the myth that Frank Ribery and Arjen Robben would be difficult ch...

When Pep Guardiola took the reins at Barcelona B in 2007, he quickly snapped up the services of respected Catalan coach Domènec Torrent. Domènec was Pep’s go-to guy whenever he wanted the skinny on an opponent, and he helped nurture talents like Busquets and Pedro. Soon Pep was managing Barcelona’s first team, and Domènec came along for the ride. Thus began a journey to immortality: three La Liga...

The turmoil and internal conflict at Barcelona saw them lose La Liga to their arch rivals and now they face Napoli at Camp Nou in a dangerous second leg, last 16 match on Saturday. The 1-1 draw in Italy seems a lifetime ago, but the problems that circled Barcelona then remain: primary among them, discord between a new coaching staff and the senior players, and a decline in the physical power of th...

Hola This is my look ahead to this week's Champions League last-16 tie between Manchester City and Real Madrid. Enjoy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

Hola Here's my take on the La Liga season just finished, including reflections on Valencia, Sevilla, Granada and Espanyol. Enjoy Graham Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.revistadelaliga.com/subscribe

In 2008, Rio Ferdinand’s Champions League dream came true on a rainy night in Moscow. The final against Chelsea was a game Rio was terrified to lose. He had to take a penalty in the shootout, an experience he says you simply cannot prepare yourself for. But his mum just loved it when he walked up to lift the big trophy. Rio once raged at Sir Alex Ferguson from the pitch. The manager was so angered...

We promised you a special 100th guest … so who better than Rio Ferdinand, a man with a Champions League, six Premier Leagues and 81 England caps under his belt. Rio was a centre-half so elegant that he could have played in midfield. Damn it, he could have played up front if he wanted. He left Leeds to join Manchester United because he had a burning desire to win. He got his hands on the league tit...