Pochettino’s Chelsea future, Lopetegui and Bayern’s managerial search – this week on The Athletic FC Podcast
Looking to scratch your audio itch this weekend?
Here’s what you may have missed from Ayo Akinwolere and The Athletic FC Podcast team across the penultimate week of the season.
You can listen to The Athletic FC Podcast for free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the usual podcast providers or, alternatively, watch the episodes in full on YouTube.
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MONDAY
Real Madrid wrapped up their La Liga title last weekend after Barcelona’s defeat to Girona, but their triumph was never really in doubt.
On Monday, The Athletic’s Spanish football correspondent Dermot Corrigan and Spanish editor Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero joined Ayo to discuss what makes them so inevitable and where Carlo Ancelotti now ranks in the pantheon of football’s greatest managers.
GO DEEPER
Real Madrid’s new Champions League comeback hero Joselu – and his long road to destiny
The show became even more prescient given Real’s remarkable late antics to break Bayern Munich hearts in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
TUESDAY
West Ham United announced earlier this week that David Moyes will depart at the end of the season, opening the door for a fresh chapter in east London.
The man to spearhead that new era looks like it will be former Spain, Real Madrid and Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui.
GO DEEPER
AC Milan, Julen Lopetegui and the quandary of finding a new coach
But given Lopetegui has been linked with Bayern Munich and AC Milan in recent weeks, why has he indicated he wants the West Ham job?
David Ornstein and Tim Spiers joined Ayo to explain Lopetegui’s decision-making and what West Ham fans can expect if the deal goes through.
WEDNESDAY
Speaking of Bayern Munich, their managerial hiring process has been a rollercoaster.
With approaches for Xabi Alonso, Julian Nagelsmann, Unai Emery and Ralf Rangnick all falling through, whoever replaces Thomas Tuchel will know they were far from the club’s first choice.
GO DEEPER
Why Bayern missed out on Rangnick and Emery – and what comes next
So why can’t they find a manager?
The Athletic’s German correspondent Seb Stafford-Bloor and broadcaster Jan Aage Fjortoft joined Ayo to discuss where they go next.
THURSDAY
Mauricio Pochettino’s future is a permanently hot topic and in Friday’s press conference, he indicated he and the Chelsea board have begun discussing plans for next season.
Blues owner Todd Boehly believes they’ve turned a corner, specifically in the last two and a half matches when the goals have started to flow, but will it be enough for Pochettino to stay?
GO DEEPER
Pochettino suggests he could decide to leave Chelsea: ‘Maybe we are not happy’
Our Chelsea experts Liam Twomey and Simon Johnson assess the current mood and what chaos could be on the horizon for the club this summer.
FRIDAY
Arsenal haven’t won at Old Trafford with fans present since 2006, but all the data and modelling suggest that should change on Sunday.
We all know football matches aren’t won on spreadsheets, though, and wouldn’t it be just so Manchester United to pull a performance out of the hat after their season reached a new nadir at Crystal Palace on Monday night?
GO DEEPER
The Premier League’s leading Europa League contenders
Whatever happens, Sunday’s late game should be box office and Tim Spiers, Jon Mackenzie and Adam Leventhal discussed their predictions for the Premier League weekend.
(Top photo: Marc Atkins/MB Media/Getty Images)
