Hello Rank Squad!
It's time for the Champions League Takeaway - an immediate review of everything that went down in the Champions League this week as we had our first round of quarter final matches. Every matchweek, we're going to be ranking the three key takeaways from each of the games played that week, and looking at the games through that Ranks FC lens, to give you a sense of everything that we learned from each game.
We start with Real Madrid's 2-0 win over Chelsea at the Bernabeu, where Frank Lampard's Blues lacked real dynamism, and the spark and trickery of Vini and Valverde made them pay. We try to find some positives for Chelsea too, but ultimately this one felt like a bridge too far for a team lost with where they are right now.
Then in Part 2, we head for Milan, where Napoli were once again quashed as the Rossoneri came out on top in an all-Italian affair. We talk about the power of San Siro, Napoli's nightmare evening in the North, and Milan's refusal to kill the game off - will that cost them in Naples? Three B's headline Benfica 0-2 Inter, where Bastoni's long passing is given its due credit, Benfica's wilting under the lights is discussed in terms of fatigue and experience, and Barella's return to Europe's top tier of midfielders is heralded - he remains Inter's big-game Mr. Reliable. Finally we turn our attention to Manchester, to the most impressive performance of all 8, where City's intensity made Bayern melt in the Manchester malaise, the Barnsley Beckenbauer John Stones ascended to the throne of his namesake against his old club, and Dayot Upamecano had an evening we're sure he'd love to forget.
It's Ranks!
If you want to take advantage of our free trial going on on Patreon right now, why not join us at patreon.com/ranksfc?
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Ranking the Most Expensive PL Signings Ever
The Women's World Cup Preview Show
First FPL Drafts for 23/24: Ranks x Chasing Green Arrows
Ranking the Stars of the U21 Euros
Fixing Problems for Premier League Clubs Ahead of Next Season
Ranking the Big Problems for Serie A Giants
Ranking the Wildest Storylines of the Summer Ahead
The Live Transfer Show: Ranks FC x Preediction
The Ranks FC 2022/23 Season Awards
Ranking the Champions League Final: Manchester City vs. Inter
Spurs Appoint Ange Postecoglou: The Ranks Lowdown
Europa League Final Preview Show: Sevilla vs. Roma
Ranking the Premier League Managers of the Season
Champions League Takeaway: Man City Mutilate Madrid & Inter Marshall Meek Milan
Ranking the Biggest Problems Mauricio Pochettino Needs To Solve at Chelsea
Champions League Takeaway: Bernabeu Brilliance as City Hold Real & Inter Take Control of Milan at San Siro
Ranking Big Transfer Stories Already Bubbling
Ranking the Champions League Final Four
The Draft - Building the Best U24 Sides in World Football
Mauricio Pochettino to Chelsea: The Breakdown
Create your
podcast in
minutes
It is Free
The 50/50 Podcast
Football Weekly
ESPN FC
Men In Blazers
Total Soccer Show: USMNT, Champions League, EPL, and more ...