2520 Sports Talk
The show that provides a comprehensive analysis of every single fixture from the UEFA Champions League with a touch of humor and a slight Bayern bias
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Episode 127: Bayern & Liverpool Beat Fellow Contenders While Napoli & Juventus Disappoint Again
11/12/2025
Episode 127: Bayern & Liverpool Beat Fellow Contenders While Napoli & Juventus Disappoint Again
We have officially reached the halfway mark in the Champions League's League Phase, which featured some surprising results across Europe. Nick and Taylor analyze all 18 matches, which featured a sensational match in Paris between PSG and Bayern, a thrilling contest in Belgium between Club Brugge and Barcelona, and some huge wins for struggling clubs aspiring to reach the safe zone of the top-24. The European football experts also take the time to berate Atalanta for their managerial mishaps. Timestamps: 0:00-1:38 Intro 1:39-17:41 PSG vs Bayern 17:42-25:31 Liverpool vs Real Madrid 25:32-29:26 Napoli vs Eintracht Frankfurt 29:27-37:12 Juventus vs Sporting 37:13-41:13 Slavia Praha vs Arsenal 41:14-45:18 Tottenham vs Copenhagen 45:19-51:45 Atletico Madrid vs USG 51:46-54:52 Olympiacos vs PSV 54:53-58:02 Bodo/Glimt vs Monaco 58:03-01:04:52 Club Brugge vs Barcelona 01:04:53-01:10:29 Man City vs Dortmund 01:10:30-01:16:52 Newcastle vs Athletic Club 01:16:53-01:28:01 Marseille vs Atalanta 01:28:02-01:32:14 Benfica vs Leverkusen 01:32:15-01:37:15 Ajax vs Galatasaray 01:37:16-01:41:58 Qarabag vs Chelsea 01:41:59-01:45:23 Pafos vs Villarreal 01:45:24-01:51:25 Inter vs Kairat Almaty 01:51:26-01:56:10 Matchday 5 Preview
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Episode 126: PSV Upsets Napoli, While PSG, Arsenal, and Bayern Dominate
10/31/2025
Episode 126: PSV Upsets Napoli, While PSG, Arsenal, and Bayern Dominate
European football prophet Nick Robertson joins European football expert Taylor Monroe to analyze all the action from Matchday 4 in the Champions League league phase. Five sides remain perfect after three matchdays, as PSG, Arsenal, Bayern, and Inter all dominated their opponents, while Real Madrid scraped by once more. Historic sides Benfica and Ajax remain at the bottom of the table, having lost all three matches so far. Newcastle and Galatasaray impress, while Sporting and PSV stun their opponents in critical home victories in Lisbon and Eindhoven. Eintracht Frankfurt and Liverpool continue to struggle in all comps. Timestamps: 0:00-01:54 Intro 01:55-14:00 Leverkusen vs PSG 14:01-22:03 PSV vs Napoli 22:04-28:01 Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid 28:02-35:57 Sporting vs Marseille 35:58-41:58 Newcastle vs Benfica 41:59-49:04 Eintracht Frankfurt vs Liverpool 49:05-01:01:05 Real Madrid vs Juventus 01:01:06-01:04:53 Villarreal vs Man City 01:04:54-01:09:24 Chelsea vs Ajax 01:09:25-01:13:16 Monaco vs Tottenham 01:13:17-01:19:51 Bayern vs Club Brugge 01:19:52-01:23:07 Copenhagen vs Dortmund 01:23:08-01:24:16 Barcelona vs Olympiacos 01:24:17-01:29:21 Athletic Club vs Qarabag 01:29:22-01:31:22 Galatasaray vs Bodo/Glimt 01:31:23-01:34:55 Atalanta vs Slavia Praha 01:34:56-01:38:08 Union Saint-Gilloise vs Inter 01:38:09-01:40:33 Kairat Almaty vs Pafos 01:40:34-01:43:57 Matchday 4 Preview & Outro
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Episode 125: PSG Edges Barca, Qarabag Wins Again, and Dortmund, Marseille, and Atletico Dominate
10/10/2025
Episode 125: PSG Edges Barca, Qarabag Wins Again, and Dortmund, Marseille, and Atletico Dominate
European football prophet Nick Robertson returns to the show to break down Matchday 2 of the 2025/26 Champions League group phase with fellow European football expert Taylor Monroe. Matchday 2 included a brilliant marquee matchup between Barcelona and Paris, another historic win for Qarabag, and impressive displays from Dortmund, Marseille, and Atletico. Meanwhile, Jose Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge as the Benfica manager, Newcastle and Atalanta bounced back, and Monaco and Tottenham saved a point at the death. Liverpool also suffered a surprise defeat on the road. Timestamps: 0:00-2:06 Intro 02:07-15:49 Barcelona vs PSG 15:50-23:44 Kairat Almaty vs Real Madrid 23:45-33:24 Pafos vs Bayern 33:25-38:28 Arsenal vs Olympiacos 38:29-41:49 Inter vs Slavia Praha 41:50-45:16 Qarabag vs Copenhagen 45:17-50:06 Chelsea vs Benfica 50:07-54:38 Dortmund vs Athletic Club 54:39-01:00:00 Marseille vs Ajax 01:00:01-01:05:47 Atletico Madrid vs Eintracht Frankfurt 01:05:48-01:11:31 Union Saint-Gilloise vs Newcastle 01:11:32-01:15:03 Atalanta vs Club Brugge 01:15:04-01:19:15 Bodo/Glimt vs Tottenham 01:19:16-01:25:50 Monaco vs Man City 01:25:51-01:27:47 Villarreal vs Juventus 01:27:48-01:32:35 Napoli vs Sporting 01:32:36-01:36:27 Galatasaray vs Liverpool 01:36:28-01:37:46 Leverkusen vs PSV 01:37:47-01:41:30 UCL Table After MD2 01:41:31-01:48:12 Matchday 3 Preview
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Episode 124: English vs Spanish Showdowns, Benfica Bottles at Home
09/30/2025
Episode 124: English vs Spanish Showdowns, Benfica Bottles at Home
Taylor breaks down all 18 matches from Matchday 1 in the 2025/26 Champions League Group Phase, which featured FOUR English vs Spanish duels, a four-goal thriller in Turin, a Benfica bottlejob at home, and several impressive results by debutant clubs. Timestamps: 0:00-1:27 Intro 1:28-5:21 Juventus vs Dortmund 5:22-10:48 Bayern vs Chelsea 10:49-13:08 Liverpool vs Atletico Madrid 13:09-15:25 Newcastle vs Barcelona 15:26-17:02 Athletic Club vs Arsenal 17:03-18:46 Tottenham vs Villarreal 18:47-21:18 Man City vs Napoli 21:19-25:30 Real Madrid vs Marseille 25:31-30:36 PSG vs Atalanta 30:37-33:18 Club Brugge vs Monaco 33:19-38:02 Benfica vs Qarabag 38:03-40:44 PSV vs Union Saint-Gilloise 40:45-43:11 Ajax vs Inter 43:12-46:37 Slavia Praha vs Bodo/Glimt 46:38-48:40 Olympiacos vs Pafos 48:41-50:04 Sporting vs Kairat Almaty 50:05-52:52 Eintracht Frankfurt vs Galatasaray 52:53-54:50 Copenhagen vs Leverkusen 54:51-57:54 Matchday 1 Table 57:55-01:01:55 Matchday 2 Fixtures & Outro
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Episode 123: Champions League 2025/26 Predictions
09/09/2025
Episode 123: Champions League 2025/26 Predictions
European football prophet Nick Robertson and European football expert Taylor Monroe drop their highly anticipated Champions League preview and predictions episode for the 2025/26 campaign. The duo introduces the participants for this season's rendition, reveals the schedules for the tournament favorites, and makes their predictions for who will qualify for top 8 and the playoff round, along with who will be eliminated early. Timestamps: 0:00-4:12 Intro 4:13-18:40 Celtic & Rangers Should Be Dissolved 18:41-22:34 Red Star Belgrade & Fenerbahce Fall Short 22:35-37:20 Premier League Participants 37:21-47:38 La Liga Participants 47:39-53:30 Bundesliga Participants 53:31-57:07 Bayern's Schedule & Predictions 57:08-01:05:27 Serie A Participants 01:05:28-01:13:40 Ligue 1 Participants 01:13:41-01:18:44 Other Participants From Across Europe 01:18:45-01:25:57 Nick & Taylor's Top 8 Predictions 01:25:58-01:33:58 Nick & Taylor's Playoff Clubs & Early Exits 01:33:59-01:36:50 Generalizations About the 36 Participants 01:36:51-01:45:34 Matchday 1 Fixtures
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Episode 122: Intro to the 2025/26 Season
08/28/2025
Episode 122: Intro to the 2025/26 Season
Nick and Taylor return from the summer break to preview the 2025/2026 club campaign, which is now officially underway across Europe. The European football experts clown Manchester United for losing to League 2 side Grimsby Town on penalties in the EFL Cup 1st round, discuss their experiences during the Club World Cup, and make predictions for the title races, Champions League placements, and relegation candidates for the Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, and the Premier League. Timestamps: 0:00-18:45 Man United Trolling, Opening Matches for Fulham & Bayern 18:46-28:20 Club World Cup Experiences 28:21-36:35 Bundesliga Predictions 36:36-46:37 Serie A Predictions 46:38-54:53 La Liga Predictions 54:54-01:05:40 Premier League Predictions
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Episode 121: Paris Finally Wins the Champions League
06/09/2025
Episode 121: Paris Finally Wins the Champions League
Well, Nick Robertson's bold, audacious, and unfathomable prediction came true after all: PSG indeed won their first UCL title before Mbappe did with Real Madrid. Nick and Taylor analyze a truly historic Champions League Final in Munich, where PSG punished Simone Inzaghi's Inter by a record-breaking scoreline of 5-0. The European football expert--and newly crowned European football prophet-- break down the tactics, the lineups, the goals, and the significance of this special night in Munich. Finally, the duo clown the Europa League finalists one last time, and look ahead to the fast-approaching FIFA Club World Cup, which they will both be attending later this month. Timestamps: 0:00-42:15 PSG 5-0 Inter 42:16-51:00 Europa League Final Banter 51:01-54:49 FIFA Club World Cup Talk
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Episode 120: PSG vs Inter UCL Final Preview
05/30/2025
Episode 120: PSG vs Inter UCL Final Preview
Nick and Taylor provide a comprehensive preview of this season's Champions League conclusion between Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Milan. Our European football experts break down the paths that both clubs endured to reach the Final in Munich, the tactical and personnel matchups between both clubs, and, finally, provide predictions for who will win the ultimate prize in European club football. Timestamps: 0:00-21:57 PSG's Path to the Final 21:58-35:24 Inter's Path to the Final 35:25-01:03:09 How PSG and Inter Match Up 01:03:10-01:07:36 UCL Final Predictions 01:07:37-01:09:29 Conclusion
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Episode 119: Inter vs Barcelona: The Greatest UCL Tie in History
05/14/2025
Episode 119: Inter vs Barcelona: The Greatest UCL Tie in History
Nick and Taylor break down a truly unforgettable Champions League Semifinals, which featured a 13-goal spectacle between Inter and Barcelona, and another captivating PSG performance against Premier League opposition in Arsenal. Our European football experts analyze the tactics, the goals, the VAR checks, the saves, the substitutions, and the implications from yet another exhilarating Champions League Semifinals. Timestamps: 0:00-24:44 Barcelona 3-3 Inter (1st Leg) 24:45-41:50 Inter 4-3 Barcelona (2nd Leg) 41:51-54:36 Arsenal 0-1 PSG (1st Leg) 54:37-01:11:27 PSG 2-1 Arsenal (2nd Leg) 01:11:28-01:16:50 Arsenal, Spurs, and Man United Trolling 01:16:51-01:27:36 Brief UCL Final Preview & Conclusion
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Episode 118: Arsenal Destroys Madrid, Inter Edges Bayern
04/21/2025
Episode 118: Arsenal Destroys Madrid, Inter Edges Bayern
European football experts Nick and Taylor analyze yet another thrilling rendition of the Champions League Quarterfinals, which included a rare matchup between the reigning holders Real Madrid and Arsenal, a classic meeting between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich, a first-time meeting between Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain, and a rematch between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona from a few months prior. The duo break down the storylines, the goals, the controversies, and the tactics from the last eight, as the closing stages of the Champions League are within our sights. Timestamps: 0:00-2:25 Intro 2:26-27:39 Real Madrid vs Arsenal 27:40-49:05 Inter vs Bayern 49:06-01:06:09 Aston Villa vs Paris 01:06:10-01:16:39 Dortmund vs Barcelona 01:16:40-01:27:27 UCL Semifinals Preview & Predictions 01:27:28-01:45:31 Europa League Quarterfinals Recap 01:45:32-01:46:59 Conference League Quarterfinals Recap 01:47:00 Fulham Talk & Conclusion
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Episode 117: Real Madrid & Paris Prevail on Penalties
03/22/2025
Episode 117: Real Madrid & Paris Prevail on Penalties
Nick and Taylor break down all of the action from the Champions League Round of 16, which featured two exhilarating ties that went the full distance to penalty kicks. French champions PSG faced current Premier League leaders Liverpool, who also finished on top of the 36-team UCL Group Phase. Cross town rivals Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid met in the competition for the first time since the 2016/17 semifinals. Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen met for the first time in the UCL and for the fourth & fifth times this season in all competitions. Borussia Dortmund and Lille faced off for the first time since the 2001/02 UEFA Cup 4th round. Benfica and Barcelona endured a rematch from their recent MD7 Group Phase match in Lisbon. PSV and Arsenal met again after having been group stage foes last season. Former Conference League semfinalists Club Brugge and Aston Villa met for the first time in a European competition. And, finally, Feyenoord returned to San Siro to face the other club from Milan: Inter. Additionally, our European football experts provide their UCL Quarterfinals predictions, along with some bonus Europa League predictions! Approximate Timestamps: (02:05) PSG vs Liverpool (27:31) Real Madrid vs Atletico Madrid (49:17) Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen (01:05:44) Borussia Dortmund vs Lille (01:12:55) Benfica vs Barcelona (01:20:54) PSV vs Arsenal (01:24:06) Club Brugge vs Aston Villa (01:27:10) Feyenoord vs Inter (01:29:15) UCL Quarterfinals Predictions (01:45:43) Bonus: Europa League Predictions
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Episode 116: Mbappe Masterclass vs City, Italian Clubs Swept Away
02/21/2025
Episode 116: Mbappe Masterclass vs City, Italian Clubs Swept Away
Nick and Taylor provide a comprehensive analysis of the first ever Champions League Playoff round, which absolutely lived up to the hype. The Playoff round featured a blockbuster rematch for the fourth-straight season between Real Madrid and Manchester City, two Italian vs Dutch matchups (including a rematch between PSV and Juventus from Matchday 1), a rematch between Benfica and Monaco from Matchday 5, an all-French affair between PSG and UCL debutants Brest, and several other entertaining ties. Our European football experts dissect the tactics, goals, blunders, and endless drama from a riveting Playoff round that paved the way to the last 16. Timestamps: 03:03 Real Madrid vs Manchester City 22:48 PSV vs Juventus 39:29 Atalanta vs Club Brugge 49:50 Milan vs Feyenoord 01:05:00 Benfica vs Monaco 01:12:34 PSG vs Brest 01:20:56 Bayern vs Celtic 01:30:17 Dortmund vs Sporting
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Episode 115: Matchday 8: The Group Phase Finale
02/11/2025
Episode 115: Matchday 8: The Group Phase Finale
Taylor analyzes the complete slate of Matchday 8 fixtures from the Champions League group phase. This epic conclusion featured sixteen fixtures in which at least one club had something to play for: a top-8 finish, a seeded playoff spot, or an unseeded playoff spot. As eighteen clubs had mathematically secured a top-24 finish after Matchday 7, nine clubs competed for the remaining six playoff spots, including PSV, Club Brugge, Benfica, PSG, Sporting, Stuttgart, Manchester City, Dinamo Zagreb, and Shakhtar Donetsk. Additionally, only Liverpool and Barcelona had mathematically secured top-8 finishes with an automatic bye to the round of 16, which meant that every club behind them fought heroically to secure safe passage to the last 16. And, well, then there was Sturm Graz, Leipzig, Young Boys, and Crvena Zvezda, who essentially played meaningless friendlies with absolutely nothing at stake. There was certainly no shortage of drama, delight, and despair. Timestamps: City vs Club Brugge 1:20-04:38 Stuttgart vs PSG 04:39-07:43 Dinamo Zagreb vs Milan 07:44-13:20 Sporting vs Bologna 13:21-17:17 PSV vs Liverpool 17:18-22:45 Barcelona vs Atalanta 22:46-24:58 Leverkusen vs Sparta Praha 24:59-26:41 Aston Villa vs Celtic 26:42-30:07 Lille vs Feyenoord 30:08-36:32 Juventus vs Benfica 36:33-39:42 Dortmund vs Shakhtar 39:43-44:04 Inter vs Monaco 44:05-47:31 Brest vs Real Madrid 47:32-50:35 RB Salzburg vs Atletico Madrid 50:36-54:02 Girona vs Arsenal 54:03-56:06 Bayern vs Slovan Bratislava 56:07-58:00 Sturm Graz vs RB Leipzig 58:01-59:20 Young Boys vs Crvena Zvezda 59:21-1:01:24 Group Phase Outcomes vs Predictions: 1:01:25-01:05:28 Playoff Round Preview: 01:05:29-01:16:40 Playoff Round Predictions: 01:16:41-01:17:34
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Episode 114: Benfica and Man City Crumble, Feyenoord Baffles Bayern
01/27/2025
Episode 114: Benfica and Man City Crumble, Feyenoord Baffles Bayern
Nick and Taylor return just in time to provide comprehensive analyses of Matchday 7 in the Champions League with just days to go before the final League Phase matchday! Our European football experts explain what went wrong for Benfica and Manchester City, how Feyenoord somehow scored three on a dominant Bayern side, and how Atletico Madrid adapted to overturn seemingly impossible odds. Matchday 7 featured 2/8 clubs securing automatic round of 16 placements, 18/24 total clubs securing the playoff round at minimum, and 9/12 clubs becoming mathematically eliminated from reaching the playoff round. As Matchday 8 draws near, Nick and Taylor highlight the must-see matches, and provide the scenarios that certain clubs face in what promises to be an electric, chaotic final day. Time Stamps: 0:00-6:05 Intro & FIFA Club World Cup Talk 6:06-32:00 Benfica vs Barcelona 32:01-50:38 Atletico Madrid vs Leverkusen 50:39-1:02:14 Bologna vs Dortmund 1:02:15-1:11:46 Liverpool vs Lille 1:11:47-1:15:33 Monaco vs Aston Villa 1:15:34-1:19:29 Crvena Zvezda vs PSV 1:19:30-1:21:30 Slovan Bratislava vs Stuttgart 1:21:31-1:23:59 Atalanta vs Sturm Graz 1:24:00-1:25:59 Club Brugge vs Juventus Wednesday, 01/22/2025: 1:26:00-1:41:32 Feyenoord vs Bayern 1:41:33-1:50:32 PSG vs Manchester City 1:50:33-1:54:50 Leipzig vs Sporting 1:54:51-1:56:26 Shakhtar vs Brest 1:56:27-1:59:24 Milan vs Girona 1:59:25-2:01:38 Sparta Praha vs Inter 2:01:39-2:03:39 Real Madrid vs Salzburg 2:03:40-2:05:04 Celtic vs Young Boys 2:05:05-2:07:28 Arsenal vs Dinamo Zagreb 2:07:29-2:12:18 Matchday 8 Notable Fixtures & Conclusion
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Episode 113: Atalanta and Inter Finally Lose & Leipzig Eliminated
12/18/2024
Episode 113: Atalanta and Inter Finally Lose & Leipzig Eliminated
Nick and Taylor break down all 18 fixtures from Matchday 6 of the Champions League group phase, which included first-time losses for Italian sides Atalanta and Inter, further misery for Sporting and Man City, and persistent wins from Bayern, Atletico, and Milan. Liverpool and Barcelona became the first sides to mathematically secure the playoff round at minimum, and RB Leipzig, Slovan Bratislava, and Young Boys became the first sides to confirm elimination following the conclusion of the group phase in late January. Our European football experts analyze the goals, the tactics, the statistics, and all of the drama, as European football enters a one-month hiatus before an absolute frenzy unfolds in the new year.
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Episode 112: City Collapses, Madrid Mauled Again, and Stuttgart Smashed
12/06/2024
Episode 112: City Collapses, Madrid Mauled Again, and Stuttgart Smashed
Nick returns to the show to help break down a magnificent Matchday 5 in the Champions League. On Tuesday, Manchester City conceded three late goals to blow a 3-0 lead at home, Sporting found it difficult to adjust following their manager's departure, and Brest finally tasted defeat on a historic night for Robert Lewandoski. And on Wednesday, Madrid suffered their third-straight defeat in the competition to a perfect Liverpool, Monaco and Shakhtar blew leads late, and Crvena Zvezda absolutely smashed Stuttgart in embarrassing fashion. Our European experts highlight all 18 matches, complete with statistical analyses, tactical breakdowns, schedule previews, and some exquisite trolling, as Matchday 5 also included several blowouts. Only three Matchdays to go with the race for top eight and the playoff positions heating up!
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Episode 111: Sporting & Milan Upset UCL Favorites, Dinamo Zagreb Ascends
11/13/2024
Episode 111: Sporting & Milan Upset UCL Favorites, Dinamo Zagreb Ascends
2520 Sports Talk host Taylor Monroe analyzes all 18 fixtures from Matchday 4 in the Champions League: the official midway point in the opening League Phase. Taylor breaks down how Sporting sent off their beloved manager Ruben Amorim in style with a famous home victory over Manchester City, what's going wrong at Madrid as a marvelous Milan humbled the reigning champions, and how Aston Villa ended their perfect campaign in the most perplexing way. Additionally, Taylor praises a resurging Dinamo Zagreb following their historic defeat on Matchday 1, and expresses concern for PSG, Feyenoord and Benfica following their devastating defeats. Finally, our host reveals the upcoming remaining schedules for the teams still contending for the knockout rounds, and which clubs are destined for elimination after Matchday 8.
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Episode 110: Madrid's Miraculous Comeback & Barcelona's Revenge
10/30/2024
Episode 110: Madrid's Miraculous Comeback & Barcelona's Revenge
Nick and Taylor break down a marvelous Matchday 3 in the Champions League, which once again featured no shortage of drama. The duo provides a comprehensive analysis of Real Madrid's comeback against fellow UCL finalist Dortmund, Barcelona's long-awaited revenge against Bayern (with the help of the Bavarian's former manager and striker), a second-straight win for Lille over a club from Madrid, Benfica's baffling home collapse vs Feyenoord, and much more from across the continent. Taylor also seizes an opportunity to strongly criticize Bayern's star goalkeeper, defenders, and board, as Bayern have now lost two-straight in the competition. Finally, our European football experts reveal their complete predictions for the competition's final 36-team standings as the opening phase quickly approaches the halfway point.
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Episode 109: Dortmund Cook Celtic, Juventus Jump Leipzig
10/09/2024
Episode 109: Dortmund Cook Celtic, Juventus Jump Leipzig
Nick and Taylor provide a complete analysis of all 18 matches on Matchday 2 in the Champions League. The duo commence with an irresistible clowning of Celtic, who were absolutely annihilated in Germany against the reigning finalists of Dortmund. Then, our European football experts break down two massive upsets, including Aston Villa's nostalgic encounter with Bayern at Villa Park, and Lille's incredible rebound from losing to Sporting away to defeating the reigning champions Madrid in France. Next, our experts explain how Juventus completed an unthinkable comeback despite being down a man and a goal against Leipzig, the brilliant Benfica blasting of Atletico Madrid in Lisbon, and a fascinating match in abysmal conditions in Zagreb. Finally, the duo praise Barcelona's front men despite an expected win over Young Boys, and explain why Austrian clubs (in addition to Scottish, Swiss, and Czech clubs) have already proven why a lifetime ban from the Champions League might be needed.
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Episode 108: Bayern Net Nein
09/26/2024
Episode 108: Bayern Net Nein
Nick and Taylor provide complete coverage of Matchday 1 of the newly redesigned Champions League format, which produced some absolute spectacles—and a few snoozers—across Europe. The duo examines history in the making, as Bayern continues to crush every opponent in sight, demolishing the Croatian champions Dinamo Zagreb in Munich; Liverpool reversed an early deficit to make a statement at San Siro versus a struggling Milan; Brest brilliantly triumphed in their European debut against the Austrian champions of Sturm Graz; and Juventus, Aston Villa, Leverkusen, Monaco, and Sparta Praha returned to the competition with emphatic victories. Our European football experts also share their early tournament favorites, dark horses, and standouts as Matchday 2 quickly approaches.
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Episode 107: Previewing the Newly Redesigned Champions League
09/06/2024
Episode 107: Previewing the Newly Redesigned Champions League
Nick and Taylor return from a summer hiatus to break down and preview the completely redesigned Champions League format for the 2024/25 season. Our European football experts explain how the new tournament is organized, how the opening League Phase fixtures will be played, and how teams can qualify for the knockout rounds. Additionally, the duo observes some of the top teams' draws and previews some thrilling opening fixtures for Matchday 1. Finally, Taylor reveals the participants for the upcoming Europa League and Conference League tournaments, explains how both tournaments have also been restructured, and previews some enticing Matchday 1 and 2 fixtures, which contains extensive traveling and even an unprecedented geopolitical clash.
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Episode 106: Real Madrid Win 15th UCL, Atalanta Demolish Unbeaten Leverkusen
06/05/2024
Episode 106: Real Madrid Win 15th UCL, Atalanta Demolish Unbeaten Leverkusen
Nick and Taylor wrap up the 2023/24 season by analyzing the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League finals, which all transpired according to their outstanding predictions. The duo also summarizes which clubs won league titles, league cups, and super cups within the Premier League, Bundesliga, Serie A, and La Liga. Finally, our experts reveal which clubs were tragically relegated and which clubs triumphantly secured promotion to the aforementioned leagues. Although the club season is over, Euro 2024 and the Copa America in the United States will soon kick off!
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Episode 105: Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen are Inevitable
05/10/2024
Episode 105: Real Madrid and Bayer Leverkusen are Inevitable
Nick and Taylor provide highlights and analysis from the exceptionally dramatic semifinals of the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. Our European football experts begin with a comprehensive analysis of both semifinal fixtures between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, which featured a thrilling showcase at the Allianz Arena and yet another conclusion shrouded in controversy at the Santiago Bernabeu. The duo then attempt to explain how on earth Borussia Dortmund triumphed over their group stage foes Paris Saint-Germain to reach their first Champions League Final in 11 years. Then, the duo breaks down a riveting Europa League semifinal rematch between Bayer Leverkusen and Roma, where the new German champions once again prevailed despite a heroic effort from the Giallorossi to end their now record-breaking unbeaten run. Finally, our experts briefly examine the other Europa League semifinal tie between Atalanta and Marseille, both Conference League semifinal ties, and make predictions for which clubs will win European silverware--Atalanta and Olympiacos potentially for the first time in history!
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Episode 104: Unbelievable Champions League Quarterfinals
04/23/2024
Episode 104: Unbelievable Champions League Quarterfinals
Nick and Taylor analyze what was truly an unforgettable slate of instant classics in the Champions League quarterfinals, which featured an absolute disaster-class bottlejob from Barcelona against PSG, a remarkable Dortmund comeback against Atletico Madrid, a tie full of world-class goals between Real Madrid and Man City, and a hard-fought Bayern victory against the best Arsenal in over a decade. Our European football experts also break down the quarterfinals of the Europa League, where Roma pulled off the unthinkable against fellow Italian rivals Milan, Marseille persevered to see off Benfica, Atalanta demolished tournament favorites Liverpool, and Bayer Leverkusen struck late again to remain unbeaten, knocking out the reigning Conference League champions West Ham. Finally, the duo recall Taylor's forgettable trip to Plzen, where the Czech side once again failed to score a goal in SEVEN hours of knockout football (excluding penalties), eventually losing in extra time to reigning finalists Fiorentina. Additionally, they quickly examine both penalty shootout heroics from Aston Villa and Olympiacos on the road, and a comfortable Club Brugge aggregate win over PAOK.
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Episode 103: March Madness in European Football
03/28/2024
Episode 103: March Madness in European Football
Nick and Taylor analyze the quaterfinal brackets from the Champions League, Europa League, and long-awaited Conference League, as we now know the routes to each European cup final. Our European football experts begin by breaking down each matchup from the Champions League quarterfinals, where familiar foes of Arsenal and Bayern, Real Madrid and Man City, and PSG and Barcelona reunite--along with the ugly duckling match between Atletico Madrid and Dortmund. The duo then preview the captivating ties from the Europa League quarterfinals, which features an all-Italian affair between Milan and Roma, a heavyweight clash between Bayer Leverkusen and West Ham, a chaotic clash between Benfica and Marseille, and a peculiar matchup between Liverpool and Atalanta. Finally, after months of waiting to check in, our experts arrive at the Conference League hotels to preview some surprisingly excellent matchups in the most disrespected European tournament. The duo pay special attention to the upcoming Greek vs Turkish battle in club football between Olympiacos and Fenerbahçe and explain why Fiorentina should easily return to the Final.
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Episode 102: Italian Sides Crash Out of the UCL, Anthony Taylor Saves Leverkusen
03/20/2024
Episode 102: Italian Sides Crash Out of the UCL, Anthony Taylor Saves Leverkusen
Nick joins Taylor in recapping the rounds of 16 across the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League, where several ties were ultimately decided after penalties. Our European football experts praise Bayern, PSG and Barcelona for comfortable wins in their second legs, analyze Carlo Ancelotti's tactics in Real Madrid's narrow escape past RB Leipzig, and highlight both penalty shootouts that led to Arsenal and Atletico Madrid victories. The duo also discuss an electric round of 16, which featured absolute demolitions by West Ham and Liverpool, a near-catastrophic collapse by Marseille, and egregious officiating once again by Anthony Taylor, who practically gifted Bayer Leverkusen the tie against Qarabag. Finally, our experts highlight the worst penalty shootout in recorded history between Servette and Viktoria Plzen in the Conference League, along with a ridiculous bottle job from Maccabi Tel-Aviv against Olympiacos.
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Episode 101: Underwhelming UCL Knockouts & Electric Europa League Playoffs
03/01/2024
Episode 101: Underwhelming UCL Knockouts & Electric Europa League Playoffs
Nick and Taylor analyze a rather boring slate of Champions League round of 16 first legs, which featured a predictable Man City manslaughter of Copenhagen, an unexpected Bayern blunder in Rome, a controversial penalty in Eindhoven, and a stoppage time Porto winner at the Dragão. Conversely, our European football experts ecstatically examined the endless entertainment from the Europa League playoffs, which featured a chaotic extra-time thriller between 10-men Qarabag and Braga, a fantastic Freiburg comeback against Lens, and Roma's third-straight conquest of Feyenoord in Europe. Finally, our experts preview the upcoming Europa League round of 16 ties and make predictions accordingly, while also providing a brief glimpse into the Conference League.
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Episode 100: Champions League Round of 16 Predictions & Power Rankings
02/08/2024
Episode 100: Champions League Round of 16 Predictions & Power Rankings
Nick returns to join Taylor in celebrating the century mark of 2520 Sports Talk episodes, exactly two years to the date of the recording of the inaugural episode. Our European football experts preview the upcoming Champions League round of 16 ties, analyze every club's current run of form, and provide predictions and power rankings of the participants. The duo then concludes with a glance into the Europa League playoffs, which will undoubtedly provide some intense flare.
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Episode 99: Ravens Choke and Lions Collapse
01/31/2024
Episode 99: Ravens Choke and Lions Collapse
Brendan, Taylor and Travis break down the AFC and NFC Championship games, where the Chiefs once again proved their worth on the road against the #1 seed Ravens and the Lions endured a colossal collapse against Mr. Irrelevant and the #1 seed 49ers. The trio discusses what went wrong for the losing sides and why the Chiefs should never be considered the "underdogs" again in the postseason. Finally, the guys check back into Big XII hoops, where the hottest conference in college basketball is still completely up for grabs.
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Episode 98: NFL Wildcard & Divisional Rounds Roundup
01/25/2024
Episode 98: NFL Wildcard & Divisional Rounds Roundup
Brendan, Taylor and Travis recap the NFL Wildcard playoff games, which included an unexpected Green Bay demolition of the Dallas Cowboys at Lambeau Field South (AT&T Stadium), a characteristically fraudulent performance by the Miami Dolphins at Arrowhead, a phenomenal Texans win against Joe Flacco and the Browns, and a hilarious Philadelphia collapse against Baker "The Candlestick Maker" Mayfield in Tampa. The trio then breaks down a thrilling Divisional round, where the Chiefs retained ownership of the Buffalo Bills, Lamar Jackson rested his case for his 2nd MVP title, and the 49ers and Lions ground out tough wins at home. Finally, the guys preview the upcoming NFL conference championships and analyze the current state of Big XII basketball.
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