The Athletic FC Podcast

3.8 (826)
FOOTBALL
UPDATED DAILY

The Athletic's flagship football podcast, hosted by Ayo Akinwolere and featuring the likes of David Ornstein, Phil Hay, Adam Crafton and Matt Slater will take you inside the biggest stories in football told by the best reporters in the business. We cut through the noise to tell you what’s really happening - and why it matters.

1 DAY AGO

The Preview - Man City vs Liverpool

Manchester City host Liverpool on Sunday in what could be a decisive game in this season’s title race. Pep Guardiola will be hoping to fix Manchester City’s out of possession problems, that contributed to them being dumped out of the Champions League midweek. After consecutive draws away from home in the Premier League, can Arne Slot’s side make a statement at a ground they have won just once at in their previous 15 attempts? The Athletic’s senior data analyst Mark Carey and data writer Thom Harris join Matt Davies-Adams to preview Sunday’s clash. Plus we check in with the club podcasts across The Athletic FC, setting you up for the big fixtures elsewhere. Host: Matt Davies-Adams With: Mark Carey, Thom Harris Featuring: James Pearce, Sam Lee Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Jay Beale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

43 min
2 DAYS AGO

Can Mbappe reach Ronaldo's levels at Real Madrid?

On a night Man City had no margin for error, Kylian Mbappe took away any hope scoring his first hat-trick at the Bernabeu for Real Madrid. With his treble, the Frenchman became just the fourth player to score a Champions League knockout hat-trick for Madrid following in the footsteps of the likes of Ronaldo Nazario, Karim Benzema and of course Cristiano Ronaldo. So can Mbappe reach Cristano Ronaldo's levels at Real Madrid? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by The Athletic's Real Madrid writer Guillermo Rai and Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero to analyse the win over Man City and how fair Carlo Ancelotti's side can go in this season's Champions League. Plus, French football writer Tom Williams drops by to discuss Mbappe's evolution and his use of speed through his career. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Guillermo Rai, Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero and Tom Williams Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

42 min
3 DAYS AGO

Amorim's Man United: growing pains or a deeper crisis?

Defeat at Spurs last weekend left Manchester United in 15th place in the table Next up they take on a resurgent Everton managed by the first person challenged with bringing back the good times at Old Trafford. So from David Moyes to Ruben Amorim, United seems to be stuck in a cycle of underperformance. So what is preventing them from moving forward? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Adam Crafton, Oli Kay, Carl Anka & Charlotte Harpur Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

55 min
4 DAYS AGO

How will PSR shape the summer transfer window?

The Premier League’s financial rules will still be in place for next season despite plans to change them. Teams like Manchester United, Aston Villa and Newcastle blame these rules for stopping them spending heavily on new players. So why the delay for the new rules? And how exactly do they impact clubs and their summer transfer plans? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Matt Slater & Jacob Whitehead Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou & Nick Thomson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

50 min
5 DAYS AGO

Has Maresca-ball gone flat?

On Friday night Chelsea suffered a fourth defeat in eight Premier League games, going down 3-0 away to Brighton & Hove Albion. Having slipped from fourth to sixth, frustrations have come to the fore including from star player Cole Palmer. So, has Maresca ball gone flat? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by Chelsea writer Liam Twomey and senior football writer Oli Kay to analyse Chelsea's recent shortcomings, discuss the form and contributions of Palmer as well as assess whether or not Chelsea are improving under Maresca. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Liam Twomey and Oli Kay Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

47 min
14 FEB

The Preview - Tottenham vs Man United

The self destruction derby? The banter bout? El Calamitico? The Athletic’s Manchester United writer Carl Anka and Tottenham writer Jack Pitt-Brooke join football writer Tim Spiers and host Adam Leventhal to preview Tottenham vs Manchester United. With the sides sitting 13th and 14th respectively, who will be holding the crisis baton come Sunday evening? Plus we check in with some of the club podcasts across The Athletic FC, setting you up for the big fixtures elsewhere. Host: Adam Leventhal With: Carl Anka, Jack Pitt-Brooke, Tim Spiers Featuring: James McNicholas, James Pearce Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Jay Beale Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

48 min
13 FEB

Can Liverpool keep their heads ahead of pivotal period?

Goodison Park’s final Merseyside derby delivered with James Tarkowski popping up with the stoppage time equaliser for Everton in their 2-2 draw with Premier League leaders, Liverpool. Despite the draw sending Arne Slot's side seven points clear at the top of the Premier League could the draw at Goodson disrupt their title charge? Ayo Akinwolere is joined by Stu James and Andy Jones to pick the bones out of the Merseyside derby, the context of the wider title race as well as the run of games to come for Slot's side. Arsenal writer James McNicholas also joins to discuss the impact of Kai Havertz's hamstring injury for Arsenal, given Mikel Arteta's side are the closest challengers to land the Premier League title. Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Andy Jones, Stu James and James McNicholas Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Guy Clarke Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

44 min
12 FEB

How will leaving Goodison impact Everton?

Tonight’s Merseyside derby will be the last ever at Goodison Park - and there have been some absolute belters in the past. So what are Everton losing in moving from Goodison? And what are the benefits of football clubs switching to a new home? Host: Ayo Akinwolere With: Paddy Boyland, Rory Smith and Adrian Clarke Executive Producer: Adey Moorhead Producer: Mike Stavrou Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

43 min

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3.8

out of 5

826 Ratings

Should be better than it is

13/11/2024

henrydaniels1

The level of insight and analysis is really strong. The guests and hosts are genuine experts in the topics they talk about. However, each episode is about 1/4 advertisements. I get it's a free feed and ads are normal. But the episodes are so frequently broken up by ads that they become frustrating to listen to. It also deals overwhelmingly with "big six" clubs. Even when it branches out into European football, it's the biggest names (PSG, Real Madrid, Bayern etc). More variety and leas ads and you'd have one of the best football podcasts around.
A poor replacement for the DFB

14 Feb

shotts56

Gutted that the Daily Football Podcast has come to an end, and this is a poor suggestion for a replacement. DFB was great, one 10 minute podcast a day summarising all the headlines. This podcast is just too much - who has time to listen to a couple of one hour podcasts every single day ? Too much. I was quite happy to pay for an Athletic subscription mainly to support the DFB. Without it, I probably won’t renew. Life’s too short to listen to two hours of podcasts a day, when it was previously 10 mins.
Aubameyang interview

19 Jan

rabmcculloch

An interview with an interesting player that sounds suspiciously like a Saudi Arabia advert. Why would you lead on a “football” podcast interview with a harrowing robbery account and keep referencing how much he’s now loving Saudi life and how safe his family feel there. Either you’re a poor sports journalist or there’s been a sweet Emirates deal for the Athletic. Neither is great
Well informed… not

14 Jan

Jez094

David Ornstein trumpeted that LFC in for Kvaratskhelia. Two days later, he’s signing for PSG with no LFC counterbid. Today Zubimendi is signing for Arensal. He told us that LFC and City were leading the chase. He never mentionex Arsenal.

The Athletic's flagship football podcast, hosted by Ayo Akinwolere and featuring the likes of David Ornstein, Phil Hay, Adam Crafton and Matt Slater will take you inside the biggest stories in football told by the best reporters in the business. We cut through the noise to tell you what’s really happening - and why it matters.