Ranking the La Liga, Serie A & Bundesliga 2020/21 Seasons

The season is over, long live the season. With 2019/20 wrapping up this weekend after Bayern were crowned Champions of Europe for the sixth time, we took precisely ten minutes off and launched ourselves into 2020/21, which is already underway in France, Scotland and beyond. No rest for the wicked!  To get ourselves into gear, we took a look at the teams we're most excited to watch over the coming year, because of their signings, setups and systems; so that you can have the heads up on who you should be keeping an eye on. To do so, we brought in Behind the Lines co-founder and legend of Football Twitter, Mr. Zach Lowy - who went toe-to-toe with Sam in his selections, pitting two footballing heavyweights against each other.  Before that, Sam and Jack break down the UCL final and how Kingsley Coman's goal should be a wakeup for PSG letting their youth leave on the cheap and discuss Thomas Tuchel's substitutions; before flicking to the UEL where Sam touches on Diego Carlos' strange couple of games and Jack surprises everyone by picking a Sevilla moment as his 'Thing I Loved'.  It's B/R Football Ranks, and the football keeps coming.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

26 Aug 202058min

Even writing that title felt weird. But the biggest transfer saga of the summer is underway, and it's one we never thought we'd even consider. After Barcelona were humiliated by Bayern Munich in the quarter-finals of the Champions League, rumours abound that Lionel Messi has finally had enough of life in Blaugrana, and fancies a new challenge.  Now, we've heard these rumours before. So we thought we'd bring in someone who had a deep insight into the workings of big transfers at Barcelona. Cue Marcelo Bechler, the man who first broke the news that Neymar was off to PSG, and who on Sunday night, wrote the first article that Messi could do the same, setting the football world ablaze. We got Marcelo on to separate fact from fiction, and work out what Messi's thoughts really are.  And then onto the club as a whole, a bloated mess from top to bottom. Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent for ESPN and Sport, joined us to talk what the next steps are to trying to steady a sinking ship, and what can be achieved ahead of the planned elections next year.  Oh and we take a deep dive into the appointment of Ronald Koeman, and how he might fare in the hot seat at the Nou Camp. Enjoy, Rank Squad.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Aug 202058min

The Champions League is back, returning in a fever dream of a month which includes a World Cup-esque knockout round in both the big one and it's much beloved little brother, the Europa League. We take the bull by the horns, ranking all eight of the contenders left in the competition by how likely they are to win it.  Given that it all feels a bit like an international tournament, Sam also gives each team an international comparison to really drill home just how they play. It's a whole lot of fun.  And in Hot Takes there's room for a big discussion on Andrea Pirlo's appointment at Juventus, succeeding the unfortunate Maurizio Sarri after just one season at the helm in Turin; and of course the lowdown on Jadon Sancho's potential move to Manchester United from Dortmund where Dean explains the PR war going on between the two clubs, in the press. There's some big love for Leverkusen-Inter and United-Copenhagen (shouts out Karl-Johan Johnsson) in the Europa League as well! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

12 Aug 202058min

It's back! For a second year running, the Rankies return - the Oscars of football - to hand out trophies to those most deserving; and this year, we've gone all Continental: it's pan-European. We rank Europe's MVP, Standout Individual Performance, Signing of the Season, Kit of the Season, Breakthrough Player, Surprise Package and Melon of the Year, talking everything from Liverpool to Granada, Haaland to Joelinton and Ilicic to Danny Drinkwater. We've got it all.  There's also some big praise for Maurizio Sarri's Juventus, a breakdown of a thoroughly entertaining FA Cup Final and Jack rhymes the entire campaign. Strap in.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

5 Aug 202054min

Cup Fever grips the Rank Squad as we look forward to the final game of the English domestic season—The Heads Up FA Cup Final, with our pals over at Deliveroo. To give you the full lowdown, we brought in two friends of the Squad to give the lowdown on each side. In the red corner, CheekySport's Joel Beya representing Arsenal, gave us his thoughts on how the Gunners' new-found confidence and workrate under Mikel Arteta would be the key to them lifting the famous old trophy. And in the blue corner, Neets of Goal Diggers Podcast and the FLWN channel told us that it'll be royal blue ribbons on the Cup, because, in her own words, "it's Arsenal". Of course, there's all the trimmings too - this is Ranks. Hot Takes see Sam suggesting penalties should only count for half a goal in Golden Boot races; Dean giving the latest on Thiago's proposed move to Liverpool and Jack waxing lyrical about David Silva; before we give you everything you need to know on the transfers and tactics of both sides in this Cup Final.  There's talk about Werner, Ziyech, Havertz, Chilwell, Rice, Pope, how Lampard fits them all in next season and where the Blues need further reinforcements. In terms of the Gunners, we discuss Thomas Partey, Luka Jovic, Willian, Ryan Fraser, Thiago Silva, and why fans should be excited by the return of William Saliba.  For your matchday munch, make sure you get on the Deliveroo app for the game, where you'll find up to 25% off with football meal deals!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

29 Juli 202056min

Real Madrid are La Liga champions, and worthy ones at that, after winning 10 games in a row after the restart to see off perennial rivals Barcelona and claim the crown. We break down how Los Blancos have recovered from the loss of Cristiano Ronaldo to overcome Leo Messi's Blaugrana and reinstall themselves at the top seat of the Spanish table.  To do so, we wanted to talk to Spanish media royalty, and so we brought in Phil Kitromilides of The Spanish Football Podcast to give his views on the most important players this season for Real, and how high this ranks in the pantheon of Zinedine Zidane trophies.  To play both sides of the table, we got the view from Barcelona's perspective from Rik Sharma, one of Barcelona's most highly respected journalists, and find out just where it went wrong from a Blaugrana perspective.  B/R Football Ranks takes on El Clasico.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

22 Juli 202059min

Dean and Jack are joined by Christian Falk, Head of Sport at German newspaper Bild and one of the most trusted transfer sources in the game to talk about the biggest deals going down in the Bundesliga and beyond this summer.  We talk Jadon Sancho to Manchester United, Kai Havertz to Chelsea, Thiago Alcantara to Liverpool, Sergino Dest to Bayern and David Alaba to Man City; alongside the latest on Lautaro Martinez, Neymar, Thomas Partey, Kalidou Koulibaly, Jorginho and of course, what's going on in the Cauldron of Galacticos, the Bernabeu of Real Madrid.  In Hot Takes we discuss the overturning of Manchester City's FFP suspension which allows them back into the Champions League next season, and lavish praise on an unlikely goalscoring hero in La Liga - Athletic Club's Raul Garcia.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

15 Juli 202058min

This week, Ranks met the most successful American coach in the game right now, Mr Jesse Marsch of RB Salzburg, double winner and Coach of the Year over in Austria, to talk about almost everything. There's discussions about his successes this season; why Erling Haaland can be the best No. 9 in the world; how Timo Werner, who he coached at Leipzig, will thrive at Chelsea; if Takumi Minamino is best played in Firmino's position at Liverpool; the cult of Jurgen Klopp; the next talents off the Salzburg production line; and if he'll coach the USMNT at the 2026 World Cup on home soil.  There's also Hot Takes, where we discuss Man United'd front three and how they're electric, but still need Jadon Sancho; and Barcelona's scintillating return to form on Monday night against Villarreal. Dean names one of the boys from the Lane as Melon of the Week and in a special nonsense, Sam ranks the letters of the alphabet.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

8 Juli 202050min