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On The Continent - A European Football Podcast
OTC Special: Haaland, with Lars Sivertsen
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On today’s bonus episode, Dotun and Andy are joined by our favourite Norwegian, Lars Sivertsen, to talk about many others’ favourite Norwegian: Erling Haaland!
Lars’ new book ‘Haaland: The incredible story behind the world’s greatest striker’ is out this week, so he joined us to chat about his compatriot’s amazing story and how he went about writing the book. We discuss the sacrifices he made as a child to give him the best chances of success, his forensic approach to his career progression and how he’s since emerged as one of football’s most formidable forces.
Buy a copy of the book: https://smarturl.it/HaalandLars
Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.
For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.
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On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every single week and throughout the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
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It all comes down to this
51:36|European football's premier competition has rarely experienced a season with quite so much drama. And as it reaches its denouement, can anybody really predict the outcome of this year's Champions League final between the French champions PSG, and England's title-winners Arsenal?Perhaps you can't, but Dotun is joined by Andy and Nicky Bandini to give you the lowdown on what you can predict. PSG's weaknesses, where Arsenal can expose them and (of course) what you should eat during the final. Before that though, disappointment for Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League. Plus, the fallout from Milan and Juventus failing to qualify for next season's Champions League.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***OTC Special: Ole Gunnar Solskjær on Istanbul and the transition from player to manager
35:40|Before last week’s Europa League final, Dotun and Andy flew to Istanbul to meet former Beşiktaş manager and Manchester United legend Ole Gunnar Solskjær and record a special episode in front of a live audience!Ole told us all about his life in Istanbul, his fond memories of the city and, of course, his incredible time at Manchester United as both a player and a coach.Thank you to official UEFA Europa League partners Enterprise for hosting us in Istanbul for the game.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***Ask OTC: Comparing Kompany and Chivu, Marseille’s money problems, and can Rayo Vallecano win the Conference League?
43:51|As the 2025/26 season across Europe enters its swansong, Andy is joined by Jonathan Johnson and Lars Sivertsen to answer more of your questions!Are there parallels between Vincent Kompany and Christian Chivu after their stellar domestic seasons? Why are Marseille heading towards a financial crisis? And despite not being the bookies’ favourites, could Rayo Vallecano find a way to beat Crystal Palace in the Conference League final?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***Emery makes it five
25:13|Unai Emery makes it five Europa League titles as a manager. How has he done it? Dotun and Andy are in Istanbul to break it down for us.Plus, could we have asked more from Freiburg? And what does back-to-back English wins mean for the future of the competition?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***Unmasking Real Madrid
38:27|Excellence. Discipline. Sacrifice. Few clubs embody these tenets like Real Madrid. Their relentless pursuit of success has made them the biggest institution in world football - but how was that identity built, and does it fit in the modern game?Andy is joined by Miguel Pereira, author of The Greatest: Real Madrid's Never Ending Story, to reveal the power, politics and mythology behind Los Blancos. From the shadow of Francisco Franco to the iconic eras shaped by Santiago Bernabéu and Florentino Pérez, they explore how the club’s obsession with star power has driven both its greatest triumphs and deepest tensions.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***Ask OTC: Xabi Alonso’s future, a dilemma in Strasbourg and Mauro Icardi's Turkish legacy
41:52|Eight turbulent months at Real Madrid arguably told us more about the squad's shortcomings than they did Xabi Alonso's coaching credentials. So why, with Europe's elite circling one of football's most sought-after coaches, are Chelsea leading the race for his signature?Jonathan Johnson joins Andy and Dotun to answer that and more of your burning questions! What’s the fan-player dynamic like at Strasbourg? Can Real Betis properly compete in the Champions League? And what is Mauro Icardi’s legacy in Türkiye?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***PSG win Ligue 1 (again, again, and again)
44:56|We all know that the current state of Ligue 1 doesn't exactly provide the foundations for a title race which goes down to the wire. This year, it very nearly did though. Lens have been excellent, capitalising on the major underperformances we've seen from Marseille and Monaco, but do they stand any chance of challenging the Parisians in the years to come?Jonathan Johnson joins Dotun and Andy to debate that. Plus, Florentino Pérez goes on a ridiculous rant as he prepares to appoint José Mourinho as his next Head Coach at Real Madrid, and there are some big teams circling the drain in Spain and Germany. Is any club really too big to go down?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***How Barcelona broke Real Madrid to seal La Liga
33:08|El Clásico once again delivered drama, but Barcelona didn't just beat Real Madrid - they dismantled them. In the first Clásico at the renovated Camp Nou, Barça showed exactly why they’ve dominated this season's La Liga by exposing just how broken Real Madrid are.Andy is joined by David Cartlidge to dissect it all: a stunning Marcus Rashford free-kick, the electric Camp Nou, and how Real Madrid's current state can be summed up by an altercation between Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni.Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***Ask OTC: What is Kylian Mbappé’s next best move?
38:11|Kylian Mbappé’s situation at Real Madrid is deteriorating: yacht trips during games, growing isolation in the dressing room, and fans launching petitions to force him out. So what’s his next best move?Andy and Dotun are joined by Nicky Bandini for more of your questions! Should Pep Guardiola return to the continent? How high is Como’s ceiling? And is multi-club ownership really that bad?Ask us a question on X, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: otc@footballramble.com.For ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***