The knockout rounds are back baby! The playoff round (round of 24?) has returned in all its glory, and the Europa and Conference Leagues did not disappoint. We had barnburners in Istanbul, Amsterdam, and Brussels, Qarabag inflicted the upset of the day in Braga, and yet another Feyenoord-Roma rematch ends in a stalemate. And that's just the beginning! Join us in breaking down all of Thursday's action and looking ahead to next weeks' second legs. Cheers to Christian Ilzer!...
Feb 19, 2024•1 hr 29 min
We're launching 2024 with a brand new edition of our Club Spotlight series and we're taking our first trip to France! David spills the beans on Toulouse FC, the only club in France's 4th largest city. Following a return to Ligue 1 in 2022, Toulouse made waves, not only by staying up, but by becoming surprise winners of the 2023 Coupe de France, and therefore surprise contestants in the 2023-24 Europa League. David charts the club's up and down history, its recent statistical developments in squa...
Jan 31, 2024•1 hr 14 min
Well, folks we've done it. The calendar year has wrapped up in the Europa and Conference League after a scintillating final week of action. We were treated to some barnburners with placement and qualification at stake (Betis 2 - 3 Rangers, Rennes 2 - 3 Villarreal) and some clutch home performances (Brighton beating Marseille, Ludogorets beating Nordsjaelland), and we said goodbye to some of our tournament favorites and valiant underdogs (Ki Klaksvik, Zrinjski Mostar, Backa Topola). All that and ...
Dec 18, 2023•1 hr 1 min
The penultimate match day of the group stage has come and gone, but thrillingly, most teams find themselves with something to play for! We had some bangers this time out: Marseille ousting Ajax 4-3, with both defenses doing their best youth league impressions, Villarreal holds off a furious Panathinaikos comeback, Aris gets a shock point at the Ibrox, and Nordsjaelland thumps 6 past Fenerbahce. We run down all the results, plus look ahead at what's at stake on our final group stage Thursday. Che...
Dec 06, 2023•1 hr 6 min
Two-thirds of the group stages have come and gone and the Europa and Conference League groups have started to take shape. We have a few already qualified, a few already eliminated, but most remain for the taking! We take you through all of last Thursday's results and tell you what you have to look forward to in the final weeks of 2023! Cheers to Xabi Alonso AND Miroslav Koubek!
Nov 13, 2023•55 min
Thrilled to be back covering match day 3, where Olypmiacos got a big win, Leverkusen keeps marching strong, Brighton deepens Ajax's woes, and KI mfing Klaksvik gets their first win in a European group stage. All that and more this week! Cheers to Miroslav Koubek (we said the wrong manager shhh no one say anything) and for a record third time, Magne Hoseth!
Oct 31, 2023•1 hr 14 min
Our BELOVED series, Club Spotlight, returns with our most exciting entry to date. Allow us to introduce to you KÍ Klaksvik, Faroe Islands' finest - already a favorite this season on the pod. David walks us through the club's history and culture, the Faroes passion and obsession with football, and explains just how a club of their size from a country its size was able to qualify for a European competition for the first time in the nation's history. This is what these "lesser" competitions and our...
Oct 02, 2023•56 min
Matchday 1 is in the books as the Europa and Conference Leagues kicked off the group stages, and produced upsets, goal fest thrillers, debutants, and more. HSK Zrinjski Mostar produced the story of the week in their first ever group stage appearance, overcoming a 3 goal deficit to take all three points, and shocking last years Conference semifinalists, AZ Alkmaar. Elsewhere, Brighton and Aston Villa are upset, the Spanish and Nordics struggle, the Greeks seize the moment, and Ajax and Marseille ...
Sep 25, 2023•1 hr 33 min
Join us for our preview for 2023's Europa & Conference League group stages and matchday 1. We even venture into predictions for final tables and beyond, including who we think can win it all. Cheers to Ismail Kartal!
Sep 19, 2023•55 min
Osasuna OUT! Fiorentina and Lille BARELY scrape through. Nothing's every easy in the Conference League, as we've been forcefully reminded in the past two weeks. All that, the Europa League, and a look ahead to the group stages, here on Any Given Thursday. Cheers to Ronny Deila.
Sep 04, 2023•1 hr
And we're up and running after our first matchday of the season! We cover Ki's continued march towards greatness, some comfortable results in the Europa League, and big upsets and chaos in the Conference League. Cheers to Zoran Barisic!
Aug 27, 2023•53 min
The summer break is over, and that means your (14th or 15th) favorite podcast is back for our second season at the helm! This week, we catch you up on all the qualifying rounds for the Champions, Europa, and Conference Leagues. Who's been upset? Who's on Cinderella runs? (Spoiler: Ki Klaksvik of the Faroe Islands). Then we have the final qualifying stage, the Playoff Round, to look ahead to this week. Finally, we run through the sides from major leagues who have already qualified for the group s...
Aug 21, 2023•1 hr 27 min
Friends, we've made it through our inaugural season at Any Given Thursday. 60+ episodes in, and we're still ticking! Thank you to everyone who's listened so far. To celebrate, we're wrapping up the season with a recap of all our favorite moments from the Europa and Conference League runs, from all the way back in August to the finals. We also briefly look ahead to the upcoming 23-24 year, and some of the qualified clubs. We've got six weeks off now, but look out for brand new episodes for the br...
Jun 21, 2023•37 min
West Ham take home a European trophy for the first time since the 60s after beating Fiorentina 2-1 in the second ever Conference League final, and we've got all the talking points for you! Featured: Lucas Paqueta & Jarrod Bowen, Nico Gonazalez & Giacona Bonaventura, David Moyes & Vincenzo Italiano, through balls, handballs, and stray vape pens. Cheers to David fucking Moyes!
Jun 10, 2023•51 min
F***ing Sevilla - how do they do it!? The Spanish Europa League magicians claimed their 7th title in 17th years Wednesday, wrenching the trophy from the cold, dead hands of Jose's Roma in penalties. We break down all the key elements of the match, whether Anthony Taylor deserves criticism, Jose's penalty choices, Sevill's improbable run under Jose Luis Mendilibar, and much more! Cheers to you Jose!
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 15 min
The 2023 Europa League final is finally upon us, and our comprehensive preview preps you for all the crucial storylines and matchups! Roma and Sevilla will go head-to-head to decide not just this year's tournament champions, but also a precious and financially massive spot in next year's Champions League. This is Sevilla's 7th Europa League final since 2006. They've won each of the past 6. This is Jose Mourinho's 6th trip to a European final since 2003. He's one each of the past 5. Something has...
May 30, 2023•36 min
After 10 months of football, after dozens of rounds of elimination football and group stages, from the smallest clubs in Gibraltar, Liechtenstein, Ireland, and more, we FINALLY have our four finalists in the Europa and Europa Conference Leagues. Sevilla and Roma, and Fiorentina and West Ham have made it to the promised lands after thrilling semifinal ties, and, naturally, we're here to break it all down. Cheers to David Moyes!
May 21, 2023•54 min
The second legs of the semifinals are upon us! Who will go through to compete for the ultimate prizes? It's all to play for, the stakes are high, and we've got all the coverage for you. Cheers (again) to Arne Slot!
May 17, 2023•47 min
We're back to talk all about Thursday's juicy semifinal ties! Roma and West Ham get narrow road wins, Juve and Sevilla play to a thrilling draw, and Basel get the shock result of the day, stunning Fiorentina 2-1 in Italy. Everything is perfectly poised for great football next week, and we can't wait talk about it. (There was an audio issue on David's mic for the first half of the pod. Apologies for the quality). Cheers to Heiko Vogel!
May 12, 2023•42 min
As we near the end of European off-weeks, we're bringing you dear listeners an update on all the major storylines of the top 5 leagues - title races, relegation battles, and crucially, the UEL & UECL contenders for next season! We also touch on the cup competitions and some other leagues of note across the continent. Cheers to Philippe Montanier!
May 05, 2023•1 hr 2 min
WHAT A DAY in the Europa and Europa Conference Leagues. United are embarrassed at Sevilla, Roma go through dramatically in extra time, Fiorentina almost blow it, and so much more. Cheers to motherf*cking José Luis Mendilibar!
Apr 21, 2023•1 hr 25 min
We're back for the 2nd leg of the quarterfinals, with all but one tie on a knife's edge. We go through each fixture, then play a little game of "Who's the Best Manager in the Europa League?" Spoilers, cheers to Arne Slot!
Apr 19, 2023•1 hr 4 min
The 1st legs of the quarterfinals are in the books! Sevilla steal a result at Old Trafford, Juventus and Feyenoord get much needed home wins, and St. Gilloise keeps on rolling. Meanwhile, in the Conference League, things keep getting dicey for the Hammers, and Fiorentina's got a foot in the semifinal. Cheers to Jose Peseiro!
Apr 14, 2023•1 hr 18 min
Eight teams remain in each competition, and it's anyone's guess who's going through. Join us as we take a step at previewing Thursday's excellent fixtures and predicting the results. Cheers to losing your job!
Apr 12, 2023•47 min
We're back to catch you up on the all the Europa and Conference League vibes aheads of Thursday's do or die fixtures. Who's going through?? Cheers to John van den Brom!
Mar 15, 2023•1 hr
We're back to preview all of Thursday's Round of 16 1st legs in the Europa and Europa Conference Leagues! United hosts Betis, La Real visits Rome, Juve takes on Freiburg, and, of course, the 3rd edition of the Union derby. Who will stake their claim on the quarterfinals?? God only knows. Cheers to Vincenzo Italiano (who, fun fact, was actually born in Germany)!
Mar 08, 2023•59 min
Sixteen teams were eliminated Thursday across the Europa and Conference Leagues, sixteen teams advanced to the respective Rounds of 16, and we're covering every last second of it. Of note: Manchester United eliminates Barcelona, Leverkusen wins a breathless tie against Monaco on penalties, Sevilla and Berlin are through, and a great week for Italian teams. We also touch on the Round of 16 draws! Cheer to Xabi Alonso.,
Feb 24, 2023•1 hr 33 min
32 teams enter, but only 16 will remain! Europa and Conference League knockouts return, with clubs' European lives all to play for. Just about every tie in each competition is up in the air - including a much-anticipated heavyweight rematch between Manchester United and Barcelona - so don't miss our preview of Thursday's action! Cheers to Okeksandr Kucher and José Luis Oltra.
Feb 22, 2023•45 min
The Europa and Conference Leagues have FINALLY returned after long last, and they did not disappoint. Barcelona and Manchester United played out a hectic and thrilling 2-2 draw at the Camp Nou, Monaco edged Leverkusen 3-2 in Germany with some superb finishing, Fiorentina demolished 10-man Braga, and late VAR controversy holds Juve to a 1-1 finish with Nantes in Turin. And that's just the beginning! Cheers to Ten Hag (among others)!
Feb 17, 2023•1 hr 7 min
We're back to give our takes on all the upcoming Playoff Knockout fixtures, and there are som doozies - namely, Sheriff v Partizan and AEK Larnaca v Dnipro-1. We kid. Those are fixtures to look out for, but it's the Europa League that's brining the big guns the next two weeks: Barcelona v Manchester United, Ajax v Union Berlin, and Salzburg v Roma, just to name a few. But seriously, don't forget the Conference League; they're bringing Braga v Fiorentina to the party. Cheers to the disaffected pl...
Feb 15, 2023•1 hr 3 min
