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PSG - Bayern : une demi-finale pour l'éternité et le meilleur du football
Dans cette édition spéciale football du Ring, nous décortiquons un match de Ligue des champions qui restera dans l'histoire comme l'un des meilleurs de tous les temps. Neuf buts : peut-on vraiment faire mieux en matière de football de haut niveau ?
LIRE L’ARTICLE : http://fr.euronews.com/2026/04/30/psg-bayern-une-demi-finale-pour-leternite-et-le-meilleur-du-football
Abonnez-vous à notre chaine. Euronews est disponible sur Dailymotion en 12 langues
Dans cette édition spéciale football du Ring, nous décortiquons un match de Ligue des champions qui restera dans l'histoire comme l'un des meilleurs de tous les temps. Neuf buts : peut-on vraiment faire mieux en matière de football de haut niveau ?
LIRE L’ARTICLE : http://fr.euronews.com/2026/04/30/psg-bayern-une-demi-finale-pour-leternite-et-le-meilleur-du-football
Abonnez-vous à notre chaine. Euronews est disponible sur Dailymotion en 12 langues
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NewsTranscription
00:30After a fantastic match that electrified the Parc des Princes
00:33and will go down in Champions League history,
00:36PSG secured a one-goal lead,
00:38having been up 5-2, but having also feared the worst.
00:43The second leg next week in Munich promises a huge one.
00:47So talk about what happened last night,
00:49what comes next,
00:50and what else is moving European football these days.
00:53I'm joined by two big football fans
00:56and consummate Brussels insiders.
00:58Conor Allen, who manages government and external relations
01:01at a big company,
01:03and Petros Fasoulas,
01:04Secretary General of the European Movement International.
01:08Welcome to both of you
01:09and thanks for coming on the show tonight.
01:11Conor, I'll start with you.
01:13Did the better team win last night?
01:15Well, it was such an entertaining game.
01:17Who was the better team?
01:18You could say it's PSG,
01:20but I actually thought both of the defences were kind of crap,
01:23if I can say so.
01:25Manuel Neuer didn't have the best game.
01:27He didn't have the best day.
01:28So, probably, if you ask me,
01:31I don't really know who was the best team.
01:33I was so glued, so entertaining,
01:35but it was marked by individual elements.
01:37Well, that's what it should be, right?
01:39Who are you rooting for, Petros?
01:40Well, neither of the teams are the ones I support.
01:43I'm an Olympiacos fan through and through.
01:45If I support anybody else, the world will end.
01:47But we were likely to be treated to top quality football
01:50by two really strong teams,
01:52representing two leagues that are, indeed,
01:56at the top of their performance.
01:57And as a result,
01:58choosing the best one isn't even necessary.
02:00You know, I think we enjoyed the game.
02:02We saw attacking football.
02:05As we haven't seen this season a lot,
02:06you know, things are becoming a bit more boring.
02:08And that in itself, I think, was a triumph.
02:10Yeah, on that point,
02:10nine goals in a Champions League semifinal.
02:13That's a record.
02:14What does that tell us about the team's qualities?
02:17Well, I think it illustrates the difference
02:19between PSG and Bayern.
02:21And so, PSG, they have such individual quality
02:23that when you kind of open the game up
02:25and you have that free-flowing attacking dynamic,
02:28the individual quality shines through a bit more.
02:32But then, once the game calms down a bit,
02:34you know, Bayern are so strong
02:35with the structure they have,
02:37the kind of German discipline and order,
02:39that they really got back into it.
02:41I think it also reminds us
02:42the extent to which football has become
02:46this perfect machine now.
02:48You know, we have so much data,
02:50so much analysis on performance.
02:52Athletes get the best treatment
02:53to recover from injuries.
02:55They have trainers.
02:55they are able to reach a peak
02:58very early in their career
02:59and then spend years and years
03:01perfecting their talent.
03:03So, ultimately,
03:03when they reach that level,
03:04they can perform in an outside fashion.
03:06And the quality of both teams
03:08was rather on the same level, right?
03:11So, PSG coach Luis Enrique
03:12said that it was the best game
03:13he ever experienced as a coach.
03:16And later, he said that PSG
03:18merited to win,
03:19but also merited to end with a draw
03:21and merited to lose.
03:23Was he right, Connor?
03:24Yeah, I mean...
03:26So, was it just good luck?
03:29It wasn't...
03:30Maybe it was luck,
03:31because could you...
03:32And we just talked about this.
03:34Was there anything between the teams?
03:36I don't think there was.
03:37It was such...
03:38It was individual mistakes.
03:39Manuel Neuer, again,
03:41perhaps maybe should have saved two goals,
03:43beaten by his near post one time.
03:45So, I think it was really...
03:47When you talk about the quality of the players
03:49and the 1% that decides these games,
03:50I think it was this 1%.
03:52I don't think any team deserved to win,
03:55but that's the result we have.
03:56How important is this one goal advantage
04:02for PSG heading into the second leg?
04:04I mean, it can be very important
04:05and it can mean nothing.
04:06We saw how quickly goals were scored last night.
04:09So, you can imagine one team going 3-0 up
04:12after 15 minutes in a week's time.
04:15But at the same time,
04:16one goal gives you that psychological advantage.
04:18It makes you realise that, you know,
04:20you can beat the other team.
04:21It's possible that Bayern feels a bit more confident,
04:24because, first of all,
04:25they came from behind
04:26and they nearly equalised,
04:27they really put PSG up against it.
04:29And, second of all, of course,
04:30they're playing at home.
04:31So, that one goal advantage
04:32can disappear quite quickly.
04:3475,000,
04:35the Allianz Arena is tied.
04:37A cauldron in Munich.
04:40And Bayern only lost three games this season.
04:43And they're hosting PSG at home.
04:46Does that make the final difference?
04:49It makes a lot of difference, doesn't it?
04:50And we've all been there in the football staging.
04:52We've got the fans going,
04:53something's on the line,
04:54you can cut the atmosphere of a night.
04:56It makes a lot of difference.
04:57And when we're talking about those 1%,
04:59and you've got your fans behind you
05:01screaming and shouting
05:02and going for the PSG,
05:04I think Bayern have a strong psychological advantage.
05:07will they actually be out-screamed in Munich?
05:09Certainly.
05:10There was one scene yesterday
05:12where one of the ball boys
05:14refused to give the ball to Manuel Neuer.
05:16Did you see that?
05:18And obviously Bayern was under pressure to score.
05:23That is something we don't want to see, right?
05:25As Leeds,
05:26from somebody who has nothing to do with the game.
05:28Yeah, well, where I come from,
05:29this is quite regular, you know.
05:32Everybody's trying to give their team
05:33a tiny bit of advantage.
05:34And yes, holding on to the ball,
05:36if that makes a difference,
05:37why not?
05:38We've always had it, though, haven't we?
05:39I remember Chelsea about 10 years ago,
05:41was it David Luiz kicking a ball boy
05:43because he wouldn't give the ball back.
05:44It's always happened.
05:45You're always going to have teams scrambling
05:47for a little bit of advantage.
05:48To make it more suspenseful next week,
05:51Hakimi, PC player,
05:54was injured in the 88th minute or something
05:56and then could barely make it to the end.
05:58He's probably not going to play next week.
06:00Is that a handicap for the Parisians?
06:04Yeah, I mean,
06:04so I think he's going to go in testing at the moment
06:06and maybe he's back,
06:08but most likely not.
06:09Listen, I think the modern game
06:10relies so much on that role of the wing-back, right?
06:13And really attacking defenders,
06:15getting up and down the field.
06:17and Hakimi is one of the best in the game at that.
06:19So it's not the end of the world for PSG,
06:22but they will miss him for sure.
06:23They have such an amazing squad,
06:25so much talent.
06:26I think they can replace anyone.
06:29Yeah, they have a...
06:30It's a pity that he won't be there
06:31because he's an exciting player indeed.
06:32Yes, indeed.
06:33Yeah.
06:35What characterizes both teams' qualities?
06:39Is it, you know,
06:40we said they were forward playing
06:42and no tactics.
06:43it's, you know,
06:45playing offense, really.
06:47But can we detect
06:49some differences here?
06:52Well, it's interesting that you ask that
06:54because I think
06:55Bayern is a bit more muscular.
06:58They are a bit more dominant
06:59in the way they approach the game.
07:01PSG is famous for their fluid and fast game.
07:05They play a lot from the wings.
07:06they have this mentality of running the ball.
07:10But I think that is also where
07:12the difference could be in the second leg.
07:14Who will be able to assert themselves
07:16physically over the other,
07:18win over the mind games as well
07:20and eventually get that extra edge
07:22because the competition is really strong
07:24and the two teams are hard to separate.
07:26Yeah.
07:27Yeah.
07:27And you can really see
07:28with Bayern
07:29just the mentality
07:30and the grit they have.
07:32To go 5-2 down
07:33at one point
07:34and to fight back
07:35to still be in it
07:36for the next leg,
07:37that shows true spirit.
07:39I think that shows tenacity
07:40and grit and resilience
07:41which may be,
07:42you know,
07:43fancy flowing PSG.
07:44Maybe they won't have.
07:45I think maybe in the next leg
07:47when we start to see Bayern
07:48coming for PSG,
07:49it's going to be a real test
07:50of PSG's mentality.
07:51But, I mean,
07:51still they lost, right?
07:53But did they merit a draw
07:54at that point?
07:56I don't know.
07:57I think PSG on the night,
07:59I mean,
07:59they probably maybe
08:00perhaps deserved it.
08:01I mean,
08:02they opened the game up.
08:03The game was played
08:04to PSG's strengths
08:05and not the other way around.
08:06And so,
08:06I think there's something
08:07to be said
08:08for grabbing the green band
08:09and scruff of the neck
08:10and really going for it.
08:11But it was really close,
08:13wasn't it?
08:13Yeah.
08:13One word on the referee.
08:16There were two penalty kicks
08:19obviously contested.
08:20and how important,
08:21I'm not going to,
08:22you know,
08:23enter this debate
08:24whether it was justified
08:25or not,
08:25but how important is,
08:27you know,
08:28the performance of the referee
08:29in a game like this?
08:31It can make a difference,
08:32of course.
08:32It can ruin a game.
08:34But then again,
08:35it's part of life.
08:36Mistakes are part of life.
08:37And I think
08:37in modern football,
08:39because so much is at stake,
08:40so much money,
08:41so much prestige,
08:42we're trying to scrutinize
08:45every decision
08:45and avoid every mistake.
08:48That's not how life works.
08:49Sometimes people make mistakes.
08:51It's part of the game
08:51the way it's part of life.
08:53Yeah.
08:53And I guess as professionals
08:54you have to shove it, right?
08:57Yeah, yeah.
08:58I mean,
08:58you know,
09:00bad refereeing decisions
09:01have always been with the game
09:02and even with VAR
09:03they still exist.
09:04I thought those penalty decisions
09:06were a bit weak,
09:07maybe.
09:07Maybe,
09:09I don't know,
09:09I don't know if you agree with me or not.
09:10but it's part of the game.
09:12You've got to live with it.
09:13And at the end of the day
09:14it balances out.
09:15Yeah.
09:15Is either team now favored
09:17to win the Champions League
09:19this year,
09:19regardless of what happens
09:21between Atletico
09:22and Arsenal?
09:23Petros?
09:23You know,
09:23I would say that this would have been
09:24an amazing final.
09:26You know,
09:26that these two teams
09:28deserve to go all the way.
09:29The way they have performed.
09:30Don't forget,
09:31I think they both have scored
09:32over 40 goals
09:33in this competition.
09:35And their performances
09:36have been high consistently.
09:38So,
09:39it would be a pity
09:40if one of them
09:40is not there
09:41because the way
09:43they play
09:43may reach
09:44to reach the final
09:45at least.
09:46Now,
09:47who is going to make it
09:47is really hard to predict
09:48and I'm not a betting man.
09:50Connor?
09:51I don't think either.
09:52I think Arsenal
09:52are going to win it.
09:53Arsenal's going to win it.
09:54Like,
09:54Arsenal look electric.
09:55I think they are,
09:56I mean,
09:56unbeaten.
09:57Right?
09:58This comes from
09:59a Man United fan.
10:00I know,
10:00exactly.
10:01It's quite a statement.
10:02On live TV.
10:03I don't think
10:03you're going to be allowed
10:04back to Manchester again.
10:06All right,
10:06so we have
10:07Bayern from Germany,
10:09PSG from
10:10France,
10:10Atletico from Spain
10:11and Arsenal from England.
10:14That is pretty balanced.
10:16There used to be a time
10:17when we had,
10:18you know,
10:18three Spanish teams,
10:19three English teams
10:20among the last four.
10:22is the rest of Europe
10:24catching up?
10:25Is there more balance now?
10:27Is it even-handed?
10:28Look,
10:29there's still a few leagues
10:30that are dominating
10:31European competitions,
10:32whether we like it or not,
10:34because of television rights,
10:36foreign investment
10:37from very wealthy individuals,
10:39whether it's from the Gulf
10:40or the US
10:41or elsewhere.
10:42So, you know,
10:43we still see
10:44that a handful of leagues
10:45and a small number of teams
10:46dominate year in,
10:48year out.
10:48It's great
10:49that four nations
10:50are represented,
10:50the teams from four nations
10:52are represented
10:52in the semifinals.
10:53Certainly an improvement.
10:54it does get a bit boring
10:55when you have
10:56three Spanish teams
10:57or three English teams.
10:57It makes it more interesting,
10:59right, Conor?
11:00Yeah, it does.
11:00I think it's reflective of,
11:02in general,
11:02football is much more competitive
11:03across the game now.
11:05And if you look
11:06in the English league,
11:07within the Spanish league,
11:08within the German league,
11:09there's suddenly six or seven teams
11:10pushing for those
11:12Champions League spots.
11:13That raises everyone's game,
11:14apart from the French league,
11:15where there's still only one team.
11:16All right,
11:17let me stop you right there
11:18as we're just getting warmed up.
11:25Now it's time for you
11:26to challenge each other directly
11:28and ask each other questions.
11:31So let's get started.
11:32Petros,
11:33why don't you kick us off?
11:34Well,
11:35I just remember
11:36a famous English striker,
11:38Gary Lineker,
11:38saying that football
11:40is a game played
11:40by two teams,
11:4111 players each,
11:42and the Germans always win.
11:44Is that true?
11:46A long time ago.
11:49It was once upon a time,
11:51but I mean,
11:52that sort of German dominance,
11:54I mean,
11:54is it really still there?
11:56I remember a time,
11:57you know,
11:57my defining moment
11:58as a fan was 1999,
12:00Manchester United scoring
12:01two goals in the last minute
12:02to beat Bayern Munich.
12:03I have to say that
12:04because Stefan's
12:05almost a Bayern fan.
12:07German dominance,
12:08it's more,
12:09they're certainly scary,
12:11but it's a myth,
12:12isn't it?
12:12Isn't it a myth?
12:14Yeah,
12:14I do play.
12:15Does this have something
12:16to do with governance
12:17of football in Germany?
12:19That's different?
12:20Because the ownership models.
12:23Because there's no big investor
12:23can buy a club,
12:24something like this?
12:25A little bit,
12:25a little bit.
12:26And I think,
12:26and this is a question
12:27I want to ask to you,
12:28when we look at teams
12:30these days,
12:31you have a difference,
12:32you have teams
12:32of real soul,
12:33real passion,
12:34and they're connected
12:34to communities.
12:35So,
12:36as a Man United fan,
12:37I'm a bad United fan,
12:38but I'm going to say Liverpool,
12:39if you go towards the Kop,
12:41you stand in the Kop,
12:42it's such an electric atmosphere,
12:44those fans love that club.
12:45If you go to Red Bull Leipzig,
12:47if you go to Chelsea,
12:48if you go to Manchester City,
12:49you go to PSG,
12:50it's not the same,
12:51is it?
12:51It's very true.
12:52I think globalization,
12:55the internationalization
12:56of the game
12:56has made it obviously
12:58very exciting,
12:59as we were discussing earlier,
13:00performances are better,
13:02players are so much skillful,
13:03so skillful,
13:05but it's true,
13:05we've lost a little bit
13:06the connection
13:07with the community.
13:08And I think
13:08that is a big risk
13:10for not just professional football,
13:11I think the same applies
13:12to all sports,
13:14especially those
13:14with the global profile.
13:16If we lose the fans,
13:18if we're turning
13:19too much into entertainment,
13:21too much into business,
13:22then the sport itself
13:24is going to suffer,
13:25and ultimately
13:26the people who invested in it
13:27are going to lose their money.
13:28So it is great
13:29that we have
13:29so many great teams
13:31and so many good players
13:32and so much interest
13:33to watch the game,
13:35but if the fans,
13:36the local fans,
13:37don't feel a connection
13:37to the club,
13:38the whole thing
13:39can fall apart
13:40quite quickly.
13:40Yeah.
13:41Petro,
13:41there's another question
13:42to O'Connor.
13:43Well,
13:43you know,
13:43I struggle a little bit
13:45with this
13:46because I don't want
13:46the conversation
13:47to be very nerdy,
13:47but I'll ask you this.
13:48What would you prefer?
13:50Front row seats,
13:52World Cup final,
13:53or 90 minutes
13:54with Vorden Leinen?
13:55Ah,
13:56it depends
13:57if it's on the ring
13:57or not.
13:59Question.
14:00No,
14:00I mean,
14:01the World Cup final,
14:01obviously.
14:02It's such a special thing
14:04to go to a World Cup final.
14:05I've never been
14:06to a World Cup final,
14:06I don't know
14:07if any of you lads have,
14:08but are defining moments
14:10in your life
14:11and people point
14:12to those World Cup moments.
14:13I have a question
14:15to you,
14:16Conor.
14:16Britain has four federations,
14:19four teams.
14:20Is that not dividing
14:21the power
14:22of British football?
14:23I mean,
14:24the last competition
14:25you won
14:25was in 1966,
14:27the year I was born.
14:28I remember that,
14:29against Germany.
14:31But,
14:31I mean,
14:31so what's your suggestion?
14:32That Great Britain
14:33should compete?
14:34Yeah, sure.
14:34As we do in the Olympics?
14:36No,
14:36because I think
14:37if you ask a Scottish fan,
14:38who do you truly support?
14:40A Scottish fan
14:41will say Scotland.
14:42They'll never root for England.
14:43And the same with the Northern Irish
14:44and the same with the Welsh.
14:45And that goes back
14:46to what we were saying.
14:47It needs to be connected
14:48to local communities
14:49and it has to be connected to,
14:50it needs to be natural,
14:52right?
14:52And so,
14:53if you compare it to golf,
14:54where we have a European team,
14:55it's bad.
14:56That brings about collective disappointment
14:58every four years
14:59because you guys
15:00never win anything
15:01because the power
15:02of British football
15:03is so divided.
15:04Well,
15:04you look at the next World Cup,
15:06it's coming home.
15:06Okay.
15:07All right.
15:08I've heard that sentence before.
15:10Connor,
15:10next question to Ketros.
15:12Well,
15:13we just,
15:13we kind of lapsed down
15:15into the national sport.
15:19Maybe my question is,
15:21how is the health,
15:22in your eyes,
15:23of the national game?
15:24Is there still
15:26a huge amount of people
15:28who really get behind
15:29their nation and cheer
15:31or is it slipping away
15:32as these clubs
15:33and this club all
15:34comes so much more powerful?
15:36No,
15:36I think there is a lot
15:37of passion still
15:37in support of the national team
15:39in most European nations,
15:40at least the ones
15:41that are known for.
15:42And,
15:42you know,
15:42we are now in Belgium
15:43and as we all know,
15:45Belgium is a very divided country
15:46along linguistic lines,
15:48religious lines,
15:49political lines,
15:49but the one thing
15:50that unites them
15:51is the national football team.
15:53and we've seen this
15:54year in,
15:55year out,
15:55tournament in,
15:56tournament out,
15:57even when they're not
15:57doing well,
15:58people are really
15:58coming behind them.
15:59So I think there is still
16:00passion in supporting
16:01the national team
16:02and it's also important
16:03to make sure
16:04that these big clubs
16:05that want to create
16:06their closed leagues
16:07and make sure
16:08that the players
16:08don't get injured
16:09playing for the national team,
16:11don't touch
16:12national federation,
16:13so don't touch
16:14the national team.
16:15I like that unifying theme.
16:17We'll come back to it
16:18in a minute.
16:19We now want to hear
16:21the view from
16:23a new person,
16:25a new voice,
16:26and here it is.
16:31I want to bring in
16:32EU Sports Commissioner
16:33Glenn Mikalev now
16:35from Malta.
16:36He watched the game
16:37last night
16:38and told us
16:38the following.
16:39The semifinal
16:40showed football
16:41at its very best.
16:43That's what
16:43European sport does.
16:45It brings people
16:46into the same moment.
16:47Footballers are
16:48ambassadors
16:49and role models
16:50people look up to.
16:52They inspire
16:52and connect
16:53millions of people.
16:54and the Champions League
16:55together with
16:56Europe's domestic leagues
16:57gives them
16:58the greatest stage
16:59to do exactly that.
17:01Do you agree,
17:02Conor?
17:03I absolutely agree.
17:04You look at
17:05footballers have always
17:06inspired young men
17:08and women.
17:09I remember,
17:09my role model
17:11as a child,
17:11it was Eric Cantona.
17:13Of course,
17:14as a kid,
17:15you want to look up
17:16to these role models,
17:17these people
17:17who are the best
17:18in the world,
17:19elite athletes
17:20who put in
17:21so much training
17:22and sacrifice
17:23and you really see
17:24the results of that
17:25on the pitch.
17:25I absolutely agree
17:26with Commissioner Mikolev.
17:27So that unifying
17:28element here,
17:30does it exist
17:30and can it help
17:31us as society
17:33to overcome
17:34other divisions?
17:36Yes, absolutely.
17:37One step back,
17:38sometimes we put
17:39too much
17:39on the shoulders
17:40of these young men
17:41and women,
17:42these athletes generally.
17:44We're talking about
17:44men's football
17:45in particular here.
17:46They're in their
17:47early 20s,
17:48some of them
17:48in their late teens
17:49and they perform
17:51at the highest level
17:53in front of thousands
17:53if not millions
17:54of people watching
17:55on TV
17:55and then if we expect
17:56them also to function
17:58as role models too,
17:59especially ones
18:00that are supposed
18:01to unify society,
18:02there is a lot
18:03of pressure there.
18:04Having said that,
18:06there are examples
18:07where people have
18:07really grasped
18:09that opportunity,
18:10the spotlight
18:11and they used it
18:12to speak about
18:13issues that are
18:14separate to football
18:15and I embrace this
18:16because I think
18:16football is part
18:17of society
18:17and they need
18:19to have a voice
18:19in that society
18:20but sometimes
18:21I think we put
18:21too much pressure
18:22on them
18:22and then all the PR
18:23comes around
18:24and they end up
18:25sounding like robots
18:25because they're
18:26too careful
18:26to say the wrong thing.
18:27Can I challenge you
18:28on that?
18:29Why should footballers
18:30who, okay,
18:31yes, I accept
18:31they are role models
18:32but they're multimillionaires,
18:33they are so detached
18:34from the issues
18:37of the common person.
18:38Why should these footballers
18:39be speaking
18:40about anything
18:40in the sport?
18:41You know,
18:42not everyone is detached.
18:43It's true,
18:44there are some
18:44who have become
18:45too rich
18:46and obviously
18:47they're completely
18:47from a different world
18:48but, you know,
18:49not everyone is detached
18:50and I mean that
18:51also about those
18:52that are not role models.
18:54You know,
18:54the guy who
18:55we saw an English
18:56football player recently
18:57getting really intoxicated
18:59in a bar
18:59in his local town
19:00and falling asleep.
19:02You know,
19:03but how much money
19:04he makes,
19:04he's like a normal lad.
19:05I think he has a point.
19:07How can
19:09multimillionaire
19:10football players
19:11be role models
19:12for kids
19:13who grew up
19:14in suburbia
19:15under very,
19:15very modest
19:16circumstances?
19:17It can be
19:17an inspiration,
19:18especially for those
19:19who are coming
19:20from disadvantaged backgrounds
19:21to see someone
19:23who is coming
19:23from their own
19:25context
19:26and becoming
19:27really successful,
19:28wealthy even,
19:30doing something
19:30that they care for.
19:31I think that can be
19:32the difference
19:33between pursuing,
19:35playing a sport,
19:36being physical,
19:37being healthy
19:38and doing drugs
19:40or falling into...
19:41All right.
19:41We'll talk about
19:42the dark side
19:42of footballs now.
19:43Let's go to the next round.
19:49So, UEFA reports
19:51show that hundreds
19:52to thousands
19:53of posts
19:53are flagged
19:54during tournaments.
19:55Between 5 to 65%
19:57of flag content
19:58is classified
19:59as racist,
20:00depending on the
20:00competition
20:01and stage.
20:02Racism is consistently
20:03listed as a major
20:04category of discrimination
20:05in European football
20:07monitoring systems,
20:08according to UEFA.
20:10Connor,
20:11do these numbers
20:12surprise you?
20:13The numbers
20:14don't surprise me,
20:15no,
20:15and anyone
20:15with a Twitter account
20:16will know
20:17when a match day
20:18is on,
20:18you will see
20:18some awful stuff.
20:20But you also
20:20have to realise
20:21you can't police
20:21the world,
20:22right?
20:23And a lot
20:23of these comments
20:25originate from
20:26places outside
20:27European jurisdiction.
20:29I don't think,
20:31and we all grew up
20:32in the 90s
20:33and for you guys
20:34the 80s,
20:35sorry to say,
20:36where racism
20:37was really rife
20:38in football.
20:38It was really nasty
20:39and it was really
20:39visible and present.
20:40That's not the game
20:41today.
20:41today a black person
20:43could take their family
20:44to a game
20:45in full safety
20:46and full security,
20:47more or less.
20:47We're still hearing
20:50bad comments
20:52about black players
20:54in stadiums
20:55as soon as the player
20:56approaches the sideline
20:57or gets the ball
20:59from the ball boy.
21:00We've seen awful
21:01scenes here,
21:02right?
21:02Yeah,
21:02football is...
21:03Even in national leagues.
21:04Football is a reflection
21:05of our society.
21:06It doesn't operate
21:07in a vacuum.
21:08It's not just
21:08a script that we put
21:10together to present
21:11an idealized version
21:13of our everyday reality.
21:14Unfortunately,
21:15our society is divided.
21:16There is racism,
21:17bigotry,
21:18and as a result,
21:20that spills over
21:20into football as well.
21:21The same way
21:22it spills over
21:22in every side
21:23of society.
21:24We need to fight
21:25this kind of division,
21:27especially racism,
21:29across our society.
21:30And when we manage
21:31to educate our people,
21:33then they will be able
21:34to behave better
21:35as human beings
21:36and as fans as well.
21:37When we manage,
21:38who should do this?
21:39Well,
21:40I mean,
21:40if I can push back
21:41on this...
21:42Sure.
21:43Yes,
21:44so when you hear
21:45those words
21:46in the stadium,
21:47those people get lifted,
21:48they get stadium bounds,
21:50right?
21:50I don't think
21:51Europe itself
21:52has a massive problem
21:53with racism in football.
21:54There are clear punishments
21:55and we see
21:56those punishments
21:57being enacted
21:57all the time.
21:58Your citation for
22:00why is there
22:01so much racism
22:02in football
22:02was online comments
22:04on Twitter.
22:04We don't know
22:05the origin of those comments.
22:06They could be
22:06from anywhere in the world.
22:07And so,
22:07you know,
22:08I don't think
22:09we should give Europe
22:10the power to police
22:11the world in that.
22:12Unfortunately,
22:12we just have to accept it.
22:14Well,
22:14coming back to
22:15the last night's game,
22:15there is this story
22:16that probably only football
22:17can write
22:18and this is the friendship
22:19between Dembele
22:21from PSG
22:21and Opa Meccano
22:23from Bayern Munich
22:25who have been friends
22:26since kindergarten
22:27and now they're playing
22:29on both sides
22:29in good football jobs.
22:32Is this an inspiring story?
22:34Should we tell
22:36these stories more often?
22:38It's inspiring
22:39and it's not.
22:40And I think,
22:42you know,
22:42the game should be
22:42about competition,
22:43fierce competition
22:44and the best athletes
22:45in the world
22:46going at each other
22:47and doing everything
22:47they can to win.
22:48and
22:49I always remember
22:50what Roy Key
22:51saying of the Pogba brothers.
22:53Are they really
22:53going at each other
22:54as hard as they can
22:55when they go
22:56for half time
22:57and they're embracing
22:57and holding hands
22:59and stuff?
22:59No, no, no.
23:00You need to be out there
23:01to win.
23:01Okay, so it's not
23:0211 friends
23:03playing against
23:05other 11 friends.
23:06You know,
23:06what they say,
23:08football is not a matter
23:09of life or death.
23:10It's much more important
23:10than that.
23:11Of course,
23:12when people go
23:12into the pitch
23:13they only see
23:14an opponent
23:14and they want to win.
23:16They want to dominate
23:17that opponent
23:17and win the game,
23:19win the championship,
23:19win the cup.
23:20But I think it's,
23:21I see some beauty
23:22in this
23:23where two friends
23:25can compete
23:26and at the same time
23:27leave the pitch,
23:29exchange their shirts
23:29and go and have
23:30a drink together
23:31because they come back,
23:32they go back
23:33a long time.
23:34So yeah,
23:34it doesn't compromise
23:35I think at all
23:36their sense of competitiveness.
23:37To reach that level
23:38you should be able
23:40to play through anything
23:41including friendship.
23:42Be fans off the pitch
23:44but on the pitch
23:45be enemies.
23:46That's a perfect conclusion
23:47but we're not
23:48yet there at the end.
23:49Now it's time to move on
23:50to our fifth
23:51and final round.
23:55Where we want to do
23:56something different.
23:57I'm going to ask you
23:58a set of questions
23:59and you can only answer
24:01with one word.
24:03Okay?
24:04Petro,
24:04start with you.
24:05Who will win
24:05the Champions League
24:06this year?
24:07I think it's going
24:08to be PSG.
24:09Ask them.
24:10Ask them.
24:11Who should we consider
24:12the best player
24:13of the Champions League
24:15this year?
24:16Kane.
24:17Kane?
24:19I agree.
24:20He's biased.
24:21I will give you that.
24:22I've never been
24:23a big fan of his
24:24but the way he's played
24:25for Bayern
24:26has exceeded
24:27my expectations
24:28so I'll give him
24:29an extra point for that.
24:30Okay.
24:30Who should we consider
24:31the best coach?
24:33I really like Enric.
24:35I think he's a great guy.
24:36I love his style.
24:37Even though Kompany
24:38is an exciting young man
24:40you know
24:40from Belgium
24:41of course
24:43played in there.
24:44I think Enric
24:45is the best guy.
24:46Okay.
24:46Now I'm going to ask
24:47a question
24:48where you can only
24:48answer with yes or no
24:50to make it short.
24:52Connor,
24:53should the Champions League
24:54be on free TV?
24:56No.
24:57Yes.
24:58Okay.
25:00Let's move on
25:01to the World Cup.
25:02Who wins the World Cup
25:04this year?
25:05Oh my goodness.
25:06That's very,
25:07very difficult.
25:09You know what?
25:10Greece is not there
25:11so I'll have to
25:13choose somebody else.
25:14Let's see.
25:14This is controversial.
25:15You can say England
25:16if you want.
25:18Yes, you know what?
25:19I'll say England.
25:20What do you think
25:20about it, Connor?
25:22England, of course.
25:23Okay.
25:24It's coming home.
25:25Should we have
25:26a Europa League,
25:28a real Europa League
25:30with only the best clubs?
25:31A project that has been
25:34floated in the past.
25:35Like a closed league?
25:36Yes.
25:36Like in the US.
25:37No?
25:38No.
25:38All right.
25:40Letting three countries
25:41host the World Cup.
25:43Is that a good idea?
25:44No.
25:45Yes.
25:46Okay.
25:49Inventing the FIFA Peace Prize
25:51and awarding it
25:52to Donald Trump.
25:53Is that a good idea?
25:54Terrible.
25:55Not a good idea.
25:57It's a nuanced answer.
25:59No from the perspective
26:00of credibility.
26:01Yes from the perspective
26:02of getting Trump on board.
26:04Okay.
26:05I'm getting the game.
26:06In this World Cup
26:07there will be a record number
26:08of 48 participating teams.
26:11Too many?
26:12Yes.
26:13No.
26:15Okay.
26:16Iran qualified
26:17for the World Cup.
26:19Should the country
26:20participate
26:21or be kicked out
26:22as the Trump administration
26:23suggested?
26:25Participate.
26:25Participate.
26:26Okay.
26:27And are tickets
26:29generally too expensive?
26:32Oh yes.
26:33Oh yes.
26:34Outrageous, yes.
26:35Would you guys,
26:37you know,
26:37earn some money
26:38consider going to the US
26:41and buy a ticket?
26:42If you're inviting,
26:43sure,
26:44but I don't think
26:44I can afford it.
26:45Okay.
26:46Yeah, no I can't afford that.
26:47Not on my salary.
26:49Listen, that's it.
26:50That was the final answer
26:52that brings us
26:53to the end
26:53of this special live edition
26:54of The Ring.
26:55Thanks again
26:56to Connor,
26:57Alan and Petros Fasoulas
26:59for a lively conversation
27:00here from our studio
27:01in Brussels.
27:02Thanks to our audience
27:03at home.
27:04If you like,
27:05you can continue
27:05the conversation
27:06by sending us
27:07your comments
27:08to thering
27:09at euronews.com.
27:10We'd love to have
27:12your feedback.
27:13That's it for today.
27:14I'm Stefan Grobe.
27:15Take care
27:16and see you soon
27:17on Euronews.
27:18Euronews.
27:25Euronews.
27:31Euronews.
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