Hello Rank Squad!

Champions League Takeaway returns for Matchweek Two of this season's League Stage, and if Tuesday was fun, Wednesday was an absolute madhouse. We open up by talking about Real Madrid's 4-3 win over Roma, from being 3-1 down with 15 to play, and not having played particularly well for much of it. A tale as old as time, but one that threw up plenty of food for thought.

From there it's onto Liverpool, who scored six against LASK - including a hat-trick from Bradley Barcola - but left something to be desired defensively. Plenty of positives, but much to discuss as well in terms of where Andoni Iraola's are and what they need to do going forward.

In Part Two we discuss PSG's incredible first half as they dismantled Manchester City at the Etihad - going 3-0 up before the break in their most complete performance of the season. City did rally in the second half, but it was nowhere near enough - their midfield balance needs addressing if they're to go far in this competition, and yet it was PSG's performance that took the plaudits on their best night in a while. We also discuss Feyenoord's 3-2 win over Como, in a result that may raise some eyebrows, but probably shouldn't - this is a very exciting Feyenoord side in an electric atmosphere at De Kuip.

As ever in Part Three we round things up with everything else, which leads on the chaotic game between Real Betis and Porto in Seville which gave us a bit of everything as the hosts won 3-2, Aston Villa's comprehensive 6-0 win over Fenerbahce which saw their new boys really starting to click, Stuttgart winning on the road at Slovan Bratislava, Shakhtar's 3-1 win from behind against AEK Athens at their temporary home of Stamford Bridge, and Bodø/Glimt going back to being giant-slayers as they beat a disappointing Borussia Dortmund in the Arctic Circle.

It's Ranks!

And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon?

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Hello Rank Squad!

Champions League Takeaway returns for Matchweek Two of this season's League Stage, and we returned to plenty of chaos and action across all nine games on Tuesday. We open up by talking about Manchester United's 2-0 loss to Atletico Madrid and how predictable it felt that United performed in the manner that they did - Michael Carrick's seat looks hotter and hotter by the game at the moment. From there it's on to a less predictable story, because in Stavanger in Norway, Viking welcomed one of the pre-tournament favourites in Bayern and played out a very entertaining 3-3 draw in one of the bigger turn ups for the books so far - whilst Michael Olise made a Melon of the Week case.

In Part Two we discuss Arsenal's ability to control games and turn up the pressure when they need to - something that was very evident in a 3-0 win over Lille with three second-half goals; as well as Barcelona's come-from-behind 4-1 win at Galatasaray, where they rode a touch of luck and pressed it home with a multitude of class. Lamine Yamal is doing some absolutely extraordinary things with a football right now.

As ever in Part Three we round things up with everything else, which leads on the chaotic game at San Siro where Club Brugge beat Inter 4-3 thanks to a hat-trick from boyhood Milan fan Nicolas Tresoldi - narrative always rides on the wind. We also discuss Sporting's win at Lens, Villarreal finding some form with a 3-1 win over Napoli, Sabah's first ever Champions League win, and Brajan Gruda's screamer as Leipzig beat PSV 1-0.

It's Ranks!

And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon?

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Hello Rank Squad!

After the thrills and spills of the international break, and after plenty of fun and excitement both on and off the pitch, top flight club football returns with a vengeance this weekend, and today we're taking a look at what we have to look forward to from players, fixtures and storylines that will define these next few weeks.

Dean starts us off by picking out a few players who have underwhelmed somewhat in the opening weeks of the season, who might just be able to use this international break as a springboard to kickstart their club form into gear - we take a look at Viktor Gyökeres, Florian Wirtz, Sandro Tonali, Levi Colwill and Wesley Fofana in particular.

Then, in Part Two, Dean talks us through two of the biggest matchups in the Premier League this weekend - for very different reasons. We dive into the off-pitch chaos that might engulf the battle at Anfield between Liverpool and Manchester City, off the back of the City verdict handed down during the last two weeks or so; but we also discuss a crucial clash between Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, in a game, we are reliably informed, that is being called the 'L' Clasico on social media.

Finally, in Part Three, Jack picks out three questions from the continent which need answering in this next chunk of the season - we discuss the scale of the task on Jose Mourinho's hands at Real Madrid, whether title races are sustainable in France and Germany - where Monaco and Borussia Dortmund lead the way, ahead of PSG and Bayern respectively - and if Roma's excellent start is a mere flash in the pan or a prelude to them competing for what would be their first Scudetto in a quarter of a century.

It's Ranks!

And remember, if you’d like more from the Rank Squad, including extra podcasts every Monday and Friday (including our weekly Postbox taking a look at the whole weekend of football) and access to our brilliant Discord community, then why not join us here on Patreon?

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