Share
La Liga Lowdown
Merino heads Spain into semis: Euro 2024 recap
Spain triumphed over the hosts to reach the final four of Euro 2024, where they will face France in a heavyweight semi-final.
Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Ben Sully (@SullyBen) reflect on the dramatic 120 minutes of action in Stuttgart, before looking ahead to the French clash.
Joselu said in the build-up they wanted to retire Toni Kroos, but it was actually Pedri who was forced to leave the field early, courtesy of a bad challenge from Kroos himself. In an ill-tempered first half, Robin Le Normand saw himself suspended for the semis against the country of his birth.
Dani Olmo broke the deadlock early in the second half, thanks to yet another assist from the prodigious Lamine Yamal. Luis de la Fuente took both wingers off, a gamble that almost backfired when Florian Wirtz equalised late in the game.
Extra time ticked by and it looked like penalties awaited, but up stepped Olmo to cross for fellow sub Mikel Merino to head home, reminiscent of Carles Puyol's momentous testazo in Durban in 2010.
Despite the dramatic chaos of the moment, Merino had the presence of mind to replicate a celebration performed by his father in the same stadium 33 years ago. A precious moment for him and all Spanish fans. We include the fabulous commentary from Antonio Muelas Aberasturi from Radio Nacional de España.
In Part Two we look ahead to the semis, talking Kylian Mbappé and the other strong LaLiga links in the French team, and Didier Deschamps' blasé attitude to his critics.
We applaud the powerful political statements made by many of the French players, in contrast to Unai Simon's recent dead-batting of similar questions.
Can't wait for the semis? Check out our other content at lllonline.substack.com
More episodes
View all episodes
23. The tables are turning as Mbappé sends Real Madrid top: LaLiga Matchday 20 recap
39:46||Season 8, Ep. 23A weekend for the relegation candidates. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) & Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap up an eventful round of LaLiga action.Leganés proved to be LaLiga’s giant killers once again, claiming a surprise win over Atlético Madrid to go with December’s stunning victory over Barcelona. Meanwhile, Hansi Flick discovered how tricky a trip to the Coliseum can be, as Getafe held Barça to a draw in Saturday’s encounter.Real Madrid ultimately took full advantage of Atleti and Barça’s slip-ups, with Kylian Mbappé starring in a dominant performance against Las Palmas. There was also a win for Athletic Club, who moved level on points with Barcelona thanks to a successful trip to Balaídos.In part two, we discuss Kike García’s perfect hat-trick at the Benito Villamarín as well as a crucial victory for Espanyol in their relegation six-pointer with Real Valladolid. Carlos Corberán celebrated his first league win as Valencia boss, while Dodi Lukebakio proved to be the hero for Sevilla. We then conclude our recap with a quick review of Rayo Vallecano’s hard-fought point against Osasuna.Thanks for listening and remember you can access all of our audio and written content at lllonline.substack.com.22. A Supermanita for Flick's First: Supercopa Final & LaLiga MD19 Recap
36:28||Season 8, Ep. 22We have another stacked podcast to bring you at the start of another week 🙌 Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) analyse the Supercopa final and review the weekend in LaLiga which saw the competition reach the halfway stage.In Part One, we look back on a thrilling final in Jeddah, one which saw seven goals, a red card, a comeback, and another title for Barça, their 100th in history. A jubilant Román hopes this can be the springboard to challenge on all fronts in 2025 and expects Real Madrid to recover from their second heavy Clásico defeat of the season. Work for Carlo Ancelotti to do.Back in Spain, Diego Simeone is loving life at the top of the table, as his side won a record-setting 14th match in a row to regain top spot and crown themselves winter champions. Can they sustain this form all the way to the end of the campaign?Elsewhere, Valencia were denied victory by a late leveller in Seville, pain which was compounded by wins for relegation rivals Getafe and Real Valladolid this weekend. Girona got a late winner of their own, Rayo's coach had to wear a bib on thr touchline, and the points were shared at the RCDE.Subscribe to lllonline.substack.com to ensure you never miss any of our content.21. Saved by the Bell & shockers in the Copa: Copa del Rey Round of 32 recap
35:52||Season 8, Ep. 21La Liga Lowdown is celebrating King's Night with another podcast. Join Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) to review the dramatic and eventful LaLiga match at Mestalla on Friday night before looking back on the weekend's Copa del Rey round, which included a few shocks.We begin at Mestalla for Carlos Corberán's debut, and things started well for Valencia, with Hugo Duro's goal giving them a deserved lead.Then there was the flash point moment when Vini Jr was sent off for raising his hands to goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski.Luka Modrić came on for the ten men and grabbed a vital equaliser before Jude Bellingham (who else) took centre stage to snatch all three points for Carlo Ancelotti's side. Los Blancos move top of the table ahead of their congested week of fixtures.In Part Two, we review the Copa and salute Pontevedra, Almería, Elche and Ourense, who all knocked out LaLiga sides and will eagerly await the draw in anticipation.We end by looking forward to the Supercopa de España in Riyadh, although Paco probably won't be watching too closely.Subscribe for more content at lllonline.substack.com.20. Papa Cholo sitting on top of the tree: LaLiga Matchday 18 recap
34:04||Season 8, Ep. 20It was billed as the headline act and it certainly delivered. A monumental match at Montjuïc is our top story on this weekend's recap, featuring Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG).Did Atleti execute the perfect gameplan? Or were Barça unfortunate not to win given the chances they created? Either way, Diego Simeone is on top of the tree this Christmas, with LaLiga fans excited at the prospect of a three-horse race!Real Madrid also piled on the pressure, as they swept Sevilla aside in Jesús Navas' final game as a player. The emotional scenes overshadowed what ended up being a routine win for Carlo Ancelotti, but they looked somewhat closer to their best version.Athletic continued their fine form with a comeback win in Pamplona, leaving some to whisper that they might even be in the title conversation.Villarreal were involved in a 7-goal-thriller at Butarque, while Mallorca are quietly keeping pace with Marcelino's men.Diego Martínez continues to amaze with his saviour operation at Las Palmas, and there was an 80s pop theme in Vigo.At the bottom, Valencia just can't buy a win. Neither can Espanyol. They will be hoping the turn of the year brings a reversal in their fortunes.We want to wish all of our subscribers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. ¡Feliz Navidad y Próspero Ano Nuevo!19. Pepinazo, adios Navas & a title race for the ages: LaLiga Matchday 17 recap
36:08||Season 8, Ep. 19Drama in the title race! Just one point separates the top three following a dramatic weekend in LaLiga. Join Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they discuss all the action from matchday 17.Real Madrid had to settle for a point after they trailed by two and then led by one in Saturday’s thrilling clash against Rayo Vallecano. As it proved, Los Blancos gained a point on leaders Barcelona, who suffered a shock defeat in their home game against relegation-threatened Leganés.Meanwhile, Atleti were made to work for three points by a dogged Getafe side, collecting a narrow win to move above Real Madrid and level on points with Barcelona. There was also plenty of drama in Sunday’s clash at the Estadio de la Cerámica as 10-man Betis squeezed past Villarreal.Elsewhere, Jesús Navas said an emotional farewell to the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, while Valencia’s woes continued against Valladolid. There was also a precious point for Coudet’s Alavés, a hard-fought win for 10-man Mallorca and a couple of goalless draws.Remember, you can subscribe to our Substack (lllonline.substack.com) to access all of our content, including our bonus podcast which will be out later this week.18. How many horses in this race? LaLiga Matchday 16 recap
36:32||Season 8, Ep. 18Join (@SullyBen) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) as they recap an exciting weekend of LaLiga action, including big results in the race for the league title.Assane Diao’s deft touch denied Barcelona maximum points in Saturday’s gripping contest, allowing Real Madrid to close the gap to two points with a Jude Bellingham-inspired victory over Girona.This isn’t a two-horse race, though, as Atlético Madrid showcased their title credentials in Sunday’s comeback win against Sevilla. Away from the title race, Athletic Club made full use of the San Mamés factor to clinch a crucial win in the battle for Champions League qualification.In part two, we discuss Kike García’s goalscoring return to El Sadar. We also reflect on Valencia’s disappointing result against Rayo, Sandro’s match-winning display against Valladolid and another win for rejuvenated Real Sociedad. Meanwhile, the evergreen Iago Aspas got on the scoresheet as Celta moved into the top half with a victory over Mallorca.Thanks for listening, and remember you can access all our content, including a weekly bonus podcast by subscribing at lllonline.substack.com.17. Atleti shine bright as Barça continue to flicker: LaLiga Matchday 15 recap podcast
37:52||Season 8, Ep. 17Matchday 15 provided more dramatic twists and turns in the title race, as well as plenty of action throughout the league table. It all began on Friday night, when Mallorca extended their fantastic start to the season by coming from behind to beat Valencia.A potentially pivotal Saturday in the race? Barcelona were celebrating their 125th birthday, but there was nothing left to enjoy on the pitch, as they lost 2-1 at home to Las Palmas. That's three without a win for Hansi Flick's men, with just one point from a possible nine, allowing the chasing Madrid pack back in the fight. Atleti took full advantage with a crushing 5-0 win in Valladolid, a result which saw them strike 11 goals on the road in the space of four days, and one which spelt the end of the road for Paulo Pezzolano, who was finally relieved of his duties at the Pucela helm. Real Madrid also put Anfield behind them with a comfortable enough 2-0 win over Getafe, with Jude Bellingham promoted to penalty taker. It was also a great weekend for Espanyol, and Athletic, the latter capping a superb week with a come-from-behind win at Rayo. Wth Villarreal involved in yet another 2-2 draw with late action, Los Leones took advantage to move up to 4th.Catch up on everything Spanish football by subscribing to our Substack at lllonline.substack.com.16. Emotion, passion & twisting tales: LaLiga Matchday 14 recap
41:23||Season 8, Ep. 16Matchday 14 was full of emotion and goals, topped on both counts at Mestalla.Matt Clark (@MattClark_08) and Paco Polit (@pacopolitENG) unpick all the action from Matchday 14.Paco was at Mestalla for Valencia's first game since the devastating floods, and there was poignancy in large supply. The game was superb, too, with Los Che earning a much-needed win in a six-goal thriller.The headline partidazo of the weekend ended in favour of Athletic Club, as the Basque Derby points stayed with the hosts yet again.Barça stumbled in a chaotic last ten minutes at Balaídos, dropping two important points in the title race. Real Madrid took full advantage on Sunday to cut the gap to just four points – and Los Blancos have that game in hand.In Part Two, we salute Diego Simeone on reaching 700 games at the helm of Atleti, who celebrated in pure style with a healthy dollop of suffering.Elsewhere, there was a bizarre end to a five-goal show in Gran Canaria, five goals at Montilivi to leave Manolo González on the precipice, and four shared at El Sadar.Last but by no means least, there were also crucial home wins for Getafe and Sevilla. Paco might just be a fan of Allan Nyom's performance on Friday night.Subscribe to our Substack for plenty more Spanish football content as we head into another European midweek!Check us out at lllonline.substack.com.15. The Life of the Bryans in Tenerife: Nations League recap
32:11||Season 8, Ep. 15Ben Sully (@SullyBen) and Román de Arquer (@Aeroslavee) recap Spain's triumphal international break with two more wins to seal the top spot in their Nations League group.As well as analysing the matches and those players that have stood out, they also look into some of Spain's future talents such as Marc Casadó and Samu A., who finally made their official debuts and have promising international careers ahead of them.Remember to subscribe to our Substack (lllonline.substack.com) to enjoy our daily output and to keep updated on all things related to LaLiga and the Spanish national team.