Any Given Thursday

Chelsea are your Conference League champions 2025! The heavy favorites from the very start of the campaign made good on that promise, beating Real Betis 4-1 in a wickedly impressive 2nd half display. We break down all the key elements of the game, including how Betis caused Chelsea problems in the 1st 45 minutes, how Chelsea responded after halftime, and how Maresca ended up winning the coaching duel over Pellegrini. We also talk Palmer and Isco's brilliance, Antony's quiet day, and why Betis fell apart defensively, before closing with David's Conference League team of the season. So come hang out with us for our last match-day break down of the season as we say goodbye to this delightful tournament! Cheers Enzo Maresca! Timecodes: 01:00 - The start 06:30 - Lineup decisions 09:30 - Betis' flying start 15:25 - Chelsea adjustments & goals 25:30 - What happened to Betis in the 2nd half? 39:40 - How did Chelsea shut down Antony? 51:10 - Chelsea & Betis summer needs 1:03:40 - David's Conference League team of the season 1:15:00 - Signing off

An epic Conference League final is upon us – easily the best we've had in the nascent tournament's 4-year existence – and we're bringing you everything you'd hope to know about both sides ahead of Wednesday's kickoff! Along the way, we address both streams strengths and weaknesses, what star players like Antony, Cole Palmer, and Moises Caicedo can bring to the match, who will round out the starting 11s, and who has more tactical advantages. We also debate the managerial matchup of Pellegrini and Maresca, what both clubs need to do over the summer, and just how significant a moment this is for Betis and their fans. Finally, we close by discussing some of the fun teams who have qualified for next season's Europa and Conference League, including Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Celta Vigo, and Rayo Vallecano. Cheers Manuel Pellegrini and Enzo Marsesca! Timecodes: 0:35 - The start 3:00 - What do we want from a Conference League final? 8:45 - Tactical approaches 23:25 - What would a win mean for both clubs? 29:30 - Lineups and injuries 45:05 - Who has the stronger 11? 53:20 - How will each club approach the summer? 1:05:30 - Who's qualified for next year's Europa and Conference Leagues? 1:15:50 - Betis-Chelsea predictions

Tottenham Hotspur has done it! The trophy drought is over for the Lillywhites as they hoist the 2024-25 Europa League trophy in Ange Postecoglou's 2nd season, as promised, and we're here to break it all down. First, David allows Maxwell the space to emote about the significance of his club finally getting one over the line, and to explain why his voice is shot to hell. Then we proceed with the game itself, discussing key lineup decisions from Postecoglou and Amorim, before moving on to the key moments of the match, including: Johnson's winner, Van de Ven's clearance, Ange parking the bus, United's inflexible approach, and much more. After, we move on to debating the future of both managers and what their clubs need to do to support improvement this summer, before closing with David's Europa League team of the season. Cheers to MFing 2nd year Ange! Timecodes: 07:55 - Lineups and start of the game 19:00 - Johnson's goal 28:50 - Van de Ven's clearance 33:15 - Parking the bus 38:05 - Amorim's inflexibility  50:20 - Praising Ange 01:03:00 - Worst Europa final ever? 01:10:15 - Should Ange stay? 01:14:30 - Where do Amorim/United go from here? 01:26:00 - Where do Spurs need to upgrade? 01:30:10 - David's Europa League team of the season 01:40:25 - The end

One of the most bizarre and intriguing Europa League finals of all time kicks off on May 21, and we're here to preview this remarkable matchup between league rivals Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur. We begin with the question, "What makes a good Europa final?" What's an ideal matchup? Does United-Spurs meet the requirements? We also dive into what's made 24'-25' the season of underdogs and upsets across Europe. Then we move into the big game preview, discussing possible lineups, injury concerns, and tactical options for both sides. Finally, we debate the future of both clubs after the final. Will Ange and Amorim remain in charge? What weaknesses need to be addressed most over the summer window? And just how far off are United from being a functioning club? Cheers Ruben and Ange – we'll see you Wednesday, lads! Timecodes: 1:25 - Season of underdogs 19:42 - Where do United & Spurs stand? 34:35 - Lineups & injuries 42:25 - Tactics 1:01:00 - Combined 11 1:12:30 - The future

It's a 2-parter this week folks! That's right, we couldn't contain all our thoughts on the semifinals to just one episode, so we've separated the Europa and Conference Leagues. In this episode, we tackle tasty the Europa League matchups - Bodo and Spurs, Manchester United and Athletic Club - where the 15th and 16th-placed teams in the Premier League advanced to the final. We discuss Spurs getting the job done in Norway with another professional and composed display, including how they were able to limit Bodo's high-flying attack, why Solanke and Bentancur were stand-out performers, and how fans should feel about Ange Postecoglou. In England, Athletic Club had a big gap to overcome down 3 in the tie and without their star attackers. We break down how Athletic Club nearly gave United a scare anyway, why United were able to manage the game with limited drama, and debate whether the Basque side could've done more. Finally, we look ahead to the final in Bilbao and consider the significance of one of the more bizarre European final matchups in history. Cheers Ange Postecoglou and Ruben Amorim!

It's a 2-parter this week folks! That's right, we couldn't contain all our thoughts on the semifinals to just one episode, so we've separated the Europa and Conference Leagues. On the Conference League episode, we take a deep dive into the Fiorentina-Betis thriller that sent Betis to their first ever European final after an extra time winner from Abde Ezzalzouli. We explore the tactical matchups, including Betis' strength in transition and Fiorentina's set-piece dominance, laud the game's star performers - Antony, Isco, and Gosens to name a few - and track the wild swings of momentum throughout. We also touch on Chelsea-Djurgarden, where Chelsea's B-team finished the job to advance. We debate Chelsea's best 11, what challenges Betis pose them, and appreciate Djurgarden's incredible journey and fans. And check out the 2nd part of our semifinal coverage, where we tackle Bodo/Glimt-Tottenham and Manchester United-Athletic Club! Cheers Manuel Pellegrini!

A brilliant round of 1st leg fixtures takes us just one step from the Europa and Conference League finals! The story of the day was the shocking 3-0 United decimation of Athletic club at the San Mamés. We discuss Ugarte and Bruno's big days and Athletic's uncharacteristic defensive lapses, plus we have a hard conversation about the use of VAR in the massive penalty/red card decision that may have decided the tie. Then we move on to Spurs, who confidently dismissed Bødo/Glimt, but still have much work to do in Norway to put away everyone's favorite underdogs. In the Conference, Betis and Fiorentina played a thrilling match, where Antony and Bakambu starred once again. We talk Betis playing to their strengths, how Fiorentina got back into it, and what to expect next week in Italy. Plus, is Johnny Cardoso actually the best USMNT player right now? All that and some begrudging Djurgarden-Chelsea on this week's pod! Cheers Ruben Amorim! Timecodes: Athletic Club-Manchester United - 01:05 Tottenham Hotspur-Bødo/Glimt - 33:49 Real Betis-Fiorentina - 58:15 Djurgarden-Chelsea - 01:21:20

This is Part 2 of our preview of the Europa and Conference League semifinals! Here, we get into the bread and butter, detailing everything you need to know about tactics, matchups, players, and storylines heading into the 1st legs. We touch on Athletic Club's exceptional consistency at both ends of the pitch, Oihan Sancet's rise to stardom, problem areas for Spurs and United against more stable opponents, the reasons behind Betis' midseason turnaround, whether Djurgårdens has any shot to hang with Chelsea, and much, much more. Cheers Jani Honkavaara! Timecodes: 0:30 - Athletic Club-Manchester United 19:45 - Tottenham-Bodø/Glimt 33:25 - Fiorentina-Betis 43:10 - Djurgårdens-Chelsea

We've got a two-parter today folks! That's right, we have so much Europa and Conference League semifinal content, we couldn't contain it in just one episode. In Part 1, we play a game of Start, Bench, Loan, or Sell with starters at each position of the semifinal contestant starting 11s. We debate the player's strengths and weaknesses, the roles within their squads, and their value in the transfer market. Then we take stock of what our choices say about each club. And don't forget to tune in to Part 2 as well, in which we discuss all the upcoming first legs in detail. Cheers! Timecodes: 0:46 - Intro 3:15 - Europa League players 44:50 - Conference League players

We officially have our 8 semifinalists across our two tournaments, and we had some doozies. In the Europa, both Manchester United and Tottenham saved their seasons with victories - United dramatically so, scoring 3 late extra time goals to stun Lyon. Athletic Club moved one step closer to hosting the final in their own building, and the little club that could, Bodø/Glimt, survived a penalty shootout in Rome to advance further than any Norwegian side before them. The historic Scandinavian supremacy continued in the Conference, where Djurgarden overcame 10-men Rapid in extra time. Elsewhere, Fiorentina did their normal schtick, squeaking past a wonderful Celje, and Chelsea and Betis advanced with varying degrees of ease. We recap all the games and drama, debate the new favorites in each competition, and say goodbye to some of our favorite underdogs - Celje, Jagiellonia, and Legia included. All that, plus a surprise cheers to Mr. Postecoglou! Against all the odds, we're still loving Big Ange instead.

The quarterfinal 1st legs are complete! The Europa League exhilarated with a dramatic Lyon-United affair (on AND off the pitch), while Rangers dug deep for a clean sheet despite playing 80 minutes with ten men. Elsewhere, Bodo kicked the day off with a masterful beatdown of visiting Lazio, and Spurs showed some promise in a 1-1 final with Frankfurt. Goalkeepers were the stars of the show - including one for all the wrong reasons... In the Conference, the big boys all got wins, though Fiorentina was fortunate against the still-mighty Celje. Chelsea all but sealed a semifinal birth, while Betis continue to establish themselves a true favorite for the title. And lest we forget, Rapid Wien got a massive 1-0 win in Sweden. All this and a cheers to Rory McIlroy! But seriously, cheers Kjetil Knutsen!

Our spring break is over, and the Quarterfinals upon us! That's right, we're down to 8 teams apiece in our favorite competitions, and we're doing a check-in on each club ahead of Thursday's 1st legs. Who's hot? Who's ice cold? Who do we feel good about (Betis)? Who do we feel bad about (Spurs)? We talk form, players to watch, tactics to watch for, and more - plus some predictions for good measure. Cheers Manuel Pellegrini!

Our Europa and Conference Quarterfinals are set after the Round of 16 came to a close with a bang. We had multiple extra times, some sensational performances from tournament big boys, and of course, one of the games of the year, Lugano v Celje. The Slovenian side became the first to represent their country in a UEFA quarterfinal after a madcap game in Switzerland. Meanwhile, Athletic Club, Frankfurt and Lyon all staked their claim as Europa favorites, United and Spurs continue to advance with the bare minimum, Fiorentina once again finds a way, and some cracks appear in Chelsea's armor. All that and more on this week's show. Cheers Albert Riera!

An awesome slate of Round of 16 fixtures is halfway done, and we've got all the juicy gossip for you. Well, the juicy match recaps, anyway. Join us as we break down all of last week's games and storylines, including late winners for both Rome and Lazio, Rangers' shock in Istanbul, AZ's continued mastery, and Bodo's main character energy in Europa. And over in the Conference, Vitoria and Jagiellonia impress, Celje Cinderellas, and Fiorentina frustrates once again. All that and much more. Cheers Barry Ferguson!

Our spinoff show Any Given Bracket is back, and with an all new formula. Join Maxwell in welcoming Jacob Hill back to the pod, not to talk college, but NBA! We're taking a page out of the Podfather himself Bill Simmons' book and redrafting the class of 2011. It's a strong group highlighted by a number of Hall of Famers, All-Stars, and NBA champions, but also not lacking in the downright bizarre. Jacob and Maxwell first discuss the draft order, Fran Fraschilla's expert analysis, and Jan Vesely's girlfriend and jump-shot, before moving on to the redraft, where they attempt to build the best possible 8-man roster from the wide array of available talent. Who's the first and second player off the board? How high will 2011 Mr. Irrelevant Isaiah Thomas go? Will the big-man trio of Enes Kanter, Tristan Thompson, and Bismack Biyombo still all go top 7?? (No.) All this and more on our 2011 NBA Redraft! Cheers!

The Playoff Knockout Round closed with a bang. In the Europa, Bodo wins an instant classic in a win over Twente, a game which featured 3 goals in a span of 5 minutes of added time, Ajax survive a magnificent Saint Gilloise in extra time, a brilliant Dybala sees of Porto, and AZ stake their claim as a proper contender. In the Conference, Heidenheim experiences heartbreak at the hands of Copenhagen, Shamrock and Vikingur exit cruelly in the tightest of margins, Pafos settles the Cyprus derby, and Celje shocks once again. We dig into all the games, take a look ahead to the Round of 16 draw, and even work some puns into the mix. Why not? Cheers Mladen Žižović!

The knockout stages are finally here, and we had a doozy of a 1st leg slate. In Europa, AZ pummeled Galatasaray, as part of a perfect day for the Dutch sides. Meanwhile in the Conference, Vikingur stunned Panathinaikos, while Shamrock took down Molde in Norway on the backs of a 16-year old debutant. We'll give you all the insight on those major upsets, as well as the big clubs which rebounded from subpar periods, plus discuss the plethora of game-altering golazos and red cards. Finally, we look ahead to the 2nd legs and identify which ties may flip on their heads. Cheers Sölvi Ottesen!

The Knockout Phase Playoff round is upon us in the Europa and Conference Leagues. 32 clubs enter, but only half will advance to their respective Round of 16s, and we're here to break it all down for you. We discuss each matchup in both competitions, from the star-studded Porto-Roma to the no-less-sexy TSC-Jagiellonia, and everything in between, including an in-form Ajax, a Cyprus on Cyprus matchup, the struggling Spanish sides, and so much more. We've also got updates on January transfers, star players, youngsters to watch out for, recent form, and all the juicy details you could ask for. So dive in with us and get yourself prepared for another top-shelf European Thursday. Cheers Francesco Farioli!

We were treated to our first Europa League Phase conclusion, and it certainly did not disappoint. Almost every club had something to play for, with both the knockout qualification spots and many of the Top 8 byes still in play. We cover each match, its effect on the table, and take you through the drama of the final moments which decided who made the knockout rounds and who was left out in the cold. Then we take a look ahead to the bracket, take a dip in David's coefficient corner, and speculate whether Americans like this new UCL/UEL/UECL format more than Europeans. Cheers to Joseph Oosting!

Our first Europa League match-day of the year! The week kicked off in dramatic fashion around Istanbul - Kyiv stunning Galatasaray on Tuesday with a comeback draw for their first point of the campaign, then Besiktas taking it to Athletic Club on Wednesday in Ole Gunnar Solskjær's first game in charge. Thursday featured a slate of big clubs going head-to-head, where Sociedad, Roma, Fenerbahce failed to show up, pushing them dangerously close to missing out on qualification. Elsewhere, Tottenham and Hoffenheim remain maddeningly inconsistent, and RFS pulls off their first ever Europa League win against the mighty Ajax. We also turn to January 30's games - the final match-day of the inaugural League Phase - and discuss all the important fixtures and table scenarios. Cheers Dino Toppmöller!

Our winter break is over, and that means we're diving head first back into the Europa League. We cover the upcoming Matchday 7 fixtures and qualification scenarios, plus share updates on each of the 36 participants since we last encountered them in December. A surprise cheers to Oleksandr Shovkovskiy!

Well, well, well. The final day of Conference League League play was a dramatic one. Almost every team had something to play for, and almost every game had real stakes for the final table, and thus we were rewarded with thrilling football, dramatic late results, and lots of goals! Chelsea and Vitoria sealed their top 2 spots, Cercle Brugge snuck in with the last Round of 16 bye, while Celje, Molde, and Backa Topola all claimed thrilling come-from-behind wins to qualify for the knockouts. Elsewhere, we say goodbye to disappointments Basaksehir, Hearts, St Gallen, and LASK, discuss our favorite parts of the Conference League Phase, and look ahead to the Playoff Knockout Round in February. A begrudging cheers to Enzo Maresca!

It's official - Lazio, Athletic Club, and Chelsea are the class of the Europa and Conference Leagues. They may be through as Top 8 finishers in their respective competitions, but so much else is still to be decided! In the UEL, Roma and Porto get much-needed wins, Lyon looks dangerous, and Nice is finished in our last Europa matchday roundup until January. Elsewhere, the UECL comes to a head, with just one slate of games left to determine who advances to the knockouts. The Cypriots laid their claim to qualification spots, picking up 3 wins from 3, Shamrock miraculously remains undefeated, and Fiorentina drubs poor LASK. All that, plus we look ahead to the deciding Conference League fixtures on December 19. Cheers Marco Baroni!

Club Spotlight is back, and this time we're turning our attention to Slovenia's own NK Celje! Celje have surprised and delighted us through the Conference League campaign, standing out with their entertaining brand of football despite their relatively small standing within the continental game. We talk about the club's history, its recent ascendancy into one of the nation's most competitive clubs, and the tactics that have helped them show out in the Conference League League Phase. Cheers once again, Albert Riera!

The table hierarchy is taking shape in the Conference League, and surprises abound! Shamrock continues its unprecedented unbeaten run, Celje and Vikingur notch another point apiece, and Jagiellonia sits third. Meanwhile, it's a mixed bag for the big boys, with Chelsea flying, Betis struggling, and Fiorentina being very much themselves. All the games, some table topics, and a look ahead to our second-to-last matchday! Cheers to Albert Riera and especially Danilo Cataldi!

The table is finally starting to take shape after an awesome fixture list in match-week 5! Spurs and Roma played to a thrilling draw, Manchester United bounced back, Frankfurt keeps on dominating, big trouble for Nice, and so much more. Join us in match breakdowns, analysis, and a look ahead to upcoming fixures. Cheers Elias Charalambous!

This week we're revisiting the epic 2003 UEFA Cup final between a young Jose Mourinho's Porto and veteran Martin O'Neill's Celtic. We breakdown both club's squads and stars (Deco! Henrik Larsson!), tactics, and storylines, before diving into their respective runs to the final, then the final itself. Join us in the time capsule, where two famous sides gave us the ultimate spectacle that just so happened to be a pivot point in the history of European football. Cheers to (can't believe we're saying this) Jose Mourinho!

It was a day of thrilling upsets, particularly in the Conference League, where Celje trounces Basaksehir, Vikingur buries Cercle, and TNS gets the Welsh league's first ever points in a European competition. Elsewhere, United, Nice, and Betis continue to struggle, Lazio go top of the Europa League, and Chelsea are...pretty damn good? All that and more on this week's AGT! Cheers Adrian Siemieniec!

It's the international break, and you know what that means: Club Spotlight time! This week, David walks us through Enschede's own FC Twente of the Eredivisie, including all its rich history, honors, and tactical iterations. Finally, we finish on Twente's promising new era (including recent points earned against Manchester United and Fenerbahce) , which places them in a fascinating context within Dutch football and even this season's Europa League. Cheers again Joseph Oosting!

36 games games in the Europa and Conference Leagues have come and gone, and we have a LOT to talk about! In the Europa, we had a thriller in Porto, smaller clubs getting huge upset results ( RFS (!), Elfsborg, Twente, Anderlecht), bigger clubs struggling (Galatasaray, Fenerbahce, Roma, Sociedad), and Tottenham youngsters stormed the gates in Hungary. Meanwhile in the Conference, Chelsea continued their scintillating form, Fiorentina did Fiorentina stuff, Betis fell in Poland, and Cercle Brugge ran riot on St. Gallen. Plus, we discuss the proposed changes to the Welsh Cup. All that and more on this week's show! Cheers, Oscar Hiljemark (P.S. - Stop being so handsome)!

A busy and thrilling match-week 1 in the Europa League comes to a close! Bodo and Twente offer the surprises of the week against Porto and Manchester United, a couple of high-profile fixtures end in 1-1 draws, starry Galatasaray and Fenerbahce motor through, and Frankfurt throws away a win. All that and more as our League Phase kicks off! And if you'd like to see our beautiful faces while listening, we are now posting our episodes on Youtube - video and all. Check us out at at @AnyGivenThursday. Thanks! And let's not forget - Cheers Joseph Oosting!

With the Europa and Conference League League Phases rapidly approaching, we thought we'd give you a quick special edition episode with all our predictions for Matchday 1! First we cover the Europa, which kicks off Wednesday the 25th, then hit the Conference, which starts a week later on October 2. Do you agree with our takes? Are we spot on? Or are we idiots? Only time will tell. Cheers Mladen Žižović!

Our next League Phase preview is up and running, and this time we're all about the Conference League! Here, we react to our first taste of the new League Phase (via the Champions League), then dive into all our predictions for the six Conference League matchdays to come. We debate the teams who will qualify for the top 8, discuss the best fixtures, and highlight a couple of clubs to look out (I'm looking at you Lugano!). We also muse at whether The New Saints can get a single point. We believe in you TNS! Cheers Stephen Bradley!

To welcome the return of our arch nemesis, the Champions League, we're releasing a preview of the Europa (League) League Phase! While still a week away from UEL football, we're stepping in to answer all your questions about the new format and the pros and cons of the switch from traditional group stages. Then, we predict which clubs will qualify for the knockouts and which will receive a bye by finishing in the top 8, before finishing with some of our favorite fixtures throughout the 8 League Phase match-days. And if you're a Conference League sicko, never fear - our UECL preview pod will be up this time next week! Cheers Maarten Martens!

Our Club Spotlight series returns for the new season, and this time we turn our attention to the Basque Country and the pride of Donostia-San Sebastián, Real Sociedad. The famous club is a founding member of La Liga, a proud owner of 2 top-flight league titles and 3 Copa del Reys, and of course, a proud part of Basque culture. Maxwell takes David through the club's history, its past accomplishments, its recent success and tactics under coach Imanol Alguacil, and its intertwinement with the region. (Apologies for any mispronunciations...) Cheers Imanol Alguacil!

Qualifying is over! I repeat: qualifying is OVER. That's right, we have our 36 League Phase teams decided in both the Europa and the Conference League, and we're walking you through how each club got there in the final matchday of the qualifying rounds. Fiorentina and Chelsea eek through, Lens upset by Panathinaikos, and Larne and other small-nation clubs shine. Cheers to Tiernan Lynch!

Welcome to Any Given Thursday's new Serie A spinoff podcast! David is going to take you through all the news and developments from the last week in Calcio, from Milan's disasterous start to Juventus's new look and all the Como and Lecce in between!

We're just 90 minutes of football away from finalizing our contestants in the '24-25 Europa and Conference Leagues after a thrilling first leg. In the UEL, Ajax got a big win away and Lugano and Besiktas play out a thriller, but the drama really kicked off in the UECL. Fiorentina was held at home to Puskas, Heidenheim got their first ever European win, and Chelsea just about squeaked through. We discuss all the biggest matches of the day - then some of the smallest, debating which nation might get their first representative in a European group stage. All that and more on this week's edition of the pod! Cheers Rui Mota!

Our third season of Any Given Thursday is off and running! We're officially back and picking up our beloved Europa and Conference Leagues as they completed the 3rd Qualifying Round. Did you watch? Did you miss it? Either way, we've got you covered, running through some of the biggest fixtures and results, looking ahead to this week's Playoff Round, make some long term predictions, and even play some a game. We're thrilled to be back for 2024-25 (not 23-24 as spoken on the podcast, whoops) and we can't wait for the terrific football to come! Cheers Craig Harrison!

We're back for a summer fling! On this two-part special edition summer show, we're recapping the two thrilling international tournaments we witnessed: the Euros and Copa America (ft Concacaf). This is Part 2: Copa America 2024. We begin with the world-beaters Argentina, give Colombia and Uruguay their due, and question Brazil's path to success before discussing a messy Concacaf showing and the many baffling difficulties the organizers had in putting on the tournament. Cheers to the Lionels (Scaloni and Messi)! But not you Enzo.

We're back for a summer fling! On this two-part special edition summer show, we're recapping the two thrilling international tournaments we witnessed: the Euros and Copa America (ft Concacaf). This is Part 1: Euro 2024. We give Spain their dues, give our takes on England, and bask in the glow of the Georgias and Slovenias of the tourney. Finally, we close with some thoughts on the early-goings of European club football's early qualifying rounds. Cheers Luis de la Fuente!

Here we go! Fiorentina-Olympiacos is here and so is our preview pod! We revisit the path both sides took to the final - Olympiacos' first ever European final appearance, Fiorentina's second Conference League final in as many years - identify key players and tactics, and make our predictions. Cheers to Vincenzo Italiano and José Luis Mendilibar!

Atalanta are Europa League champions, winning their first ever European title and first major trophy since 1963! And all they had to do was knock off the formerly-invincible, 51-game-undefeated-streak fighting Xabi Alonsos. We talk all about the game, Gasperini's brilliant tactics and Atalanta's flawless execution, Lookman's start turn, Leverkusen's struggles throughout, consequential lineup decisions, and more, including the historical significances, and both sides' prospects next season. We also go on a bunch of tangents as we're want to do... A big cheers to Gian Piero Gasperini and Ademola Lookman!

The Europa League final is finally upon us, and we at Any Given Thursday are here to deliver you all the key storylines. First, we recap how Leverkusen and Atalanta made it to the last UEL fixture of the season, along with successes and challenges along the way, then we dive into the game itself, breaking down lineup decisions, key matchups, and take a stab at predicting the outcome. This should be one hell of a final. Cheers to Gian Piero Gasperini AND Xabi Alonso!

And just like that, we have our two finals! Leverkusen STILL undefeated (by the skin of their teeth), Atalanta dominates, Olympiacos cruises, and Fiorentina does Fiorentina things. We recap all four games, look ahead to the very exciting finals, and eulogize Roma, Marseille, Villa, and Brugge. We tried set out to make a shorter episode this week and instead made one even longer. So please enjoy our 6-hour segment on Leverkusen and the minimum amount of time to everyone else. Cheers to Vincenzo Italiano ( born in Germany, naturally)!

We're halfway to the finals in Athens with a quadruple of thrilling first leg matches. Leverkusen STILL unbeaten, a goal fest in the Conference League, and a huge upset in Birmingham! All that and more this week on Any Given Thursday. Cheers to (hello old friend) José Luis Mendilibar!

We are down to our final 4 clubs in the Europa and Conference Leagues - 8 teams left for 2 European trophies! We discuss all the action from the 2nd legs of the quarterfinals, from Leverkusen's perfection, to Roma's continued resurgence, Villa and Fiorentina hanging on, Atalanta's completed upset, and so much more. Plus, we take a sneak peak into the 4 semifinal matchups, including a thrilling Roma-Leverkusen tie. Cheers to Nicky Hayen!

Our precious Europa and Conference Leagues have finally returned to us, and with them, as usual, came great drama. Atalanta put in one of the performances of the season, smashing Liverpool 3-0 at Anfield! Elsewhere, Roma gets a big win in Milan, Villa and Lille do battle, a wild one between Olympiacos and Fenerbahce, and Leverkusen continues their undefeated season (congrats on its first ever Bundesliga title). All that plus a look-ahead to the do or die second legs. Cheers to Gian Piero Gasperini!

Our Club Spotlight returns with a deep dive on Thessaloniki, Greece's own PAOK FC! David spotlight's the club's rich history, its recent run of successes, its many second place finishes, and so much more! Cheers Giannis Konstantelias!

Jacob and Max are back to share all about the 1st and 2nd rounds of the tournament! Here, we continue on with the West and South, where we discuss the few sizable upsets of the tournament, including near-Cinderella Oakland. Elsewhere, Houston gets it done in an OT thriller, Clemson surprises, and Marquette squeezes through. Then we finish with a look ahead to Sweet 16 and Elite 8 and make our updated picks. Cheers to Kelvin Sampson!

Jacob and Max are back to share all about the 1st and 2nd rounds of the tournament! Here, we begin in the East and Midwest, where we discuss strong showings from top seeds and some really entertaining games, including a region that Max attended on Friday. Then we finish with a look ahead to Sweet 16 and Elite 8 and make our updated picks. Cheers to Mark Few!