Prime Time Football




Beyond The Pitch show

Summary: Phil and Anto are joined once again by former Wimbledon, Newcastle and England international defender Warren Barton for another episode that begins with the Champions League semi-finals with a surprise final between Chelsea and Bayern Munich waiting at the Allianz in Germany for all the spoils and the huge ramifications of the Pep Guardiola departure from Barcelona after a hugely successful run. We take a look back at both semi-finals, gauge the advantage for the German side and explore whether Chelsea has further exposed a blueprint on how to beat the Spanish giants. We also consider the Guardiola era at Barcelona, his legacy and how this club might just be regarded in football history. Whereas Barcelona won roughly 13 trophies during this golden moment in its history, will they be remembered as fondly years from now having not left a remarkable stretch featuring consecutive European trophies or Final appearances or a long stretch in an otherwise top heavy domestic league. What next for Pep Guardiola in the future and what kind of football operation would best match his talents and what happens next to Barcelona who will have several key questions to address now that teams have found a measure of success in disrupting their offensive playing style with stubborn defensive sides and a core of players who are either at the edge of their careers or just worn down past optimal level given the amount of football they have played for club and country. Then we turn to the matter of the Manchester Derby to get a preview of what we might expect for the biggest match of the season in the Premier League with a title on the line at Etihad Stadium. Predictions and a look at the experience of Sir Alex Ferguson will be on full display in a match with everything on the line. We also take another look at Newcastle United and hand out some plaudits for a midfield that may have jelled even better than its two Senegalese strikers in the names of Cabaye, Ben Arfa and Tiote - perhaps the biggest unintended consequence in the EPL this season. Then we take one more look at the top four to determine if Arsenal will feel the pain from Stoke City should they surrender more points and consider whether Tottenham can make one more surge past Chelsea to grab that fourth and expensive slot over the Blues in the end. Vaishali Bhardwaj also makes her return with world football updates in this episode.