The Emperors’ New Clothes

Dotun, Andy and David Cartlidge look over a chastening week for a few European giants and try to work out what Real Madrid need to do to rediscover that magic - will working on the relationship between Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham prove enough?Elsewhere, PSG’s young forwards struggle to fill the void Mbappé left, as Luis Enrique’s spiky demeanour leaves a sour taste. Plus, we wonder if a clash of egos upstairs at Dortmund might make this weekend’s Der Klassiker too big a hurdle to overcome.Ask us a question on Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, and email us here: [email protected] ad-free shows, head over to our Patreon and subscribe: patreon.com/footballramble.***Please take the time to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your pods. It means a great deal to the show and will make it easier for other potential listeners to find us. Thanks!***On The Continent is your definitive podcast for European football. Subscribe for new podcasts every Thursday and Friday throughout the 2026/27 European football season, covering the UEFA Champions League, Europa League, Conference League, La Liga, Serie A, the Bundesliga, Ligue 1, the Süper Lig, Eredivisie, Liga Portugal and more. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.