Siempre Positivo

E501: Thunder, Nico Williams feud brewing & Club World Cup

Sam is joined by Rik from Atlanta to discuss the latest from Barcelona: a Spotify Camp Nou return date, Athletic Club kicking up a Nico Williams fuss, Marcus Rashford's interesting choice of interview and Roooooony closing in on Barça switch.

Plus, with Rik in the United States for the Club World Cup, they also give their thoughts on how the competition has gone so far as the group stages come to a close.

E500: Top 5 Barça pivots ranked (Barça's best modern XI)

Sam, Rik and Toni discuss the best Barcelona pivots over the past 35 (ish) years as we continue building our dream team. The defence is picked, now we progress up to the midfield as Barça's best modern XI starts to take shape.

*We're including players who were at the club from 1990 onwards, coinciding with our lifetimes and the best period in Barça's history.

E499: Q&A on Nico Williams, Luis Díaz, Joan García, MATS and more

Sam and Toni take your questions as Barcelona's summer hots up. Joan García is set to be announced as the club's new goalkeeper on Wednesday. What does it mean for Marc-Andre ter Stegen. Elsewhere, Nico Williams is very much back on the table.

Hope everyone's enjoying the summer.

SP!

E498: Top 5 Barça right-backs ranked (Barça's best modern XI)

Sam, Rik and Toni discuss the best Barcelona right-backs over the past 35 (ish) years as we continue building our dream team. With the goalkeeper, centre-backs and left-back already picked, who will take the final spot in the defence on Barça's best modern XI?

*We're including players who were at the club from 1990 onwards, coinciding with our lifetimes and the best period in Barça's history.

Summer time Qs…

For Toni and Sam?

Comment below (or add in the relevant Discord channel) and we will get to them…

E497: Spain lose Nations League, Lenglet's gone & Lewandowski quits Poland

If you're not on a beach enjoying the off season (like Toni is), or even if you are, here's a little Barcelona fix for you.

Sam and Rik discuss Spain's rollercoaster Nations League final four games, with Lamine Yamal incredible against France but low key against Portugal. Also: Does De la Fuente know how to really get the best out of Pedri? And should he have given more minutes to Cubarsí, Gavi, Fermín and Olmo?

Also, Clement Lenglet has finally left Barça, joining Atlético ...

E496: Barça sporting directors 2025-26 (Part II)

With outgoings discussed, how do Barcelona improve a squad which is developing such a strong spine?

Toni, Rik and Sam discuss how much money they may be able to raise, the developing goalkeeper situation with Joan García, whether they would add any defenders or midfielders and how they would bolster an attack that has key starters but needs more depth.

SP!

E495: Barça sporting directors 2025-26 (Part I)

Toni, Rik and Sam put on their sporting director hats to discuss what they would do with the players currently in the Barcelona squad, those that helped Hansi Flick's side win LaLiga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercopa this season.

It starts hard (Ter, Tek & Peña?) and, at times, gets easier (Pedri, Lamine Yamal), but there are some big questions to answer.

What to do with Araújo and Christensen? Would you rather sell Gavi or Fermín? Is now the time to cash in on ...

E494: Barcelona 2024-25 season awards feat. birdy

Toni, Rik, Sam and a special guest (tweet tweet) deliver their end of season awards. What would be your choice in the following categories?

Player of the season

Young Player of the season

Most improved

Most disappointing player

Best moment

Worst moment

Game of the season

Goal of the season

E493: Season over as Barca roll Athletic in Bilbao

Sam, Rik and Toni discuss a little about Barca's 3-0 win at Athletic with a brace from Lewandowski, do a little season review chat, and then later on Sam and Rik talk Lisbon and Barca's UWCL final defeat by Arsenal.

Apologies for the murkier-than-usual audio in the first half, we had to use the Zoom recording because for some reason Toni's audio did not work properly. Back to the usual level for the second part!

E492: Flick, Rapha renew, Luis Díaz interest & UWCL final in Lisbon

A Friday podcast in two parts.

First up, Sam and Toni discuss Hansi Flick and Raphinha's new contracts, Deco's interview with RAC1, interest in Luis Díaz and Marcus Rashford, Lamine Yamal negotiations and Dani Olmo over Nico Williams.

Then, Rik joins Sam from Lisbon to discuss Saturday's UEFA Women's Champions League final between Barcelona and Arsenal, with some input from Caroline Graham Hansen.

E491: Barca lift title after Villarreal defeat

Sam, Rik and Toni talk a little about Barca's 3-2 defeat by Villarreal on Sunday and more about the celebrations, the season as a whole, Lamine, Gavi and more.

(Photo attachment as supporting evidence, started looking through the pods but was too inefficient)

E490: Barca champions! Oe oe oe (now in full)

Sam and Rik, then Rik and Toni get stuck in as Barca win the league at Espanyol again, like in 2023. Chaos outside and inside and plenty to discuss when it comes to Barca's celebrations.

If you listened to P1 already then P2 starts at 22.50 ish!

E489: Q&A on Araujo/CBs, Xabi Alonso, transfers and more

Rik, Sam and Toni answer all of your questions on a veritable smorgasbord of topics, from Clasico refereeing, Flick's work, to the centre-back situation, transfers, Alonso's arrival at Madrid and plenty more.

E488: Barca beat down Real Madrid to clinch La Liga (almost)

Sam, Rik and Toni discuss the thrilling 4-3 Clasico win over Los Blancos on Sunday, as Hansi Flick's daring young Barca made yet another comeback.

Post-Clásico questions

Hello everyone!

After Sunday's Clásico, and before Thursday's Barcelona derby, we will record the next Q&A. So start getting your questions in now. The usual drill, either post them here or drop them on Discord. Nothing off the table: Inter post-mortem, summer plans, Barça's season, tidbits...

Obviously many questions may focus on Sunday's game, so feel free to drop them after. No rush, just an early warning.

Enjoy the game 🤞

SP!

E487: Barcelona on wrong side of CL thriller vs. Inter, why?

Over 210 minutes of pulsating, topsy-turvy football ended with Barcelona being eliminated from the Champions League by Inter at the semifinal stage. But after Raphinha gave Barça the lead in the tie for the first time in the 87th minute at San Siro, should they have seen the job through?

Sam, Rik and Toni discuss a disappointing night at the end of an enthralling tie and a respectable European campaign from Hansi Flick's young side.

SP!

E486: Barca B beat Valladolid ahead of Inter showdown

Sam, Rik and Toni discuss the comeback victory to beat Valladolid on Saturday and then look ahead to Tuesday's night monster UCL semi at the San Siro. Gerard Martin MVP.

E485: Lamine Yamal. That's it. That's the title

Toni, Rik and Sam are back to discuss Barcelona's enthralling 3-3 draw against Inter in the Champions League semifinal first leg on Wednesday.

Focusing, of course, on a sensational performance from Lamine Yamal. Is he the best player in the world? Also: defending set plays, credit for Inter (?), Kounde's injury, Barça's backline in Milan... and why could Lamine end up signing Toni?!

SP!

E484: Barça cut off Madrid's power to win Copa del Rey

First of all, an apology: we were desperate to get this podcast out on Monday after Barcelona's exhilarating Copa del Rey triumph over Real Madrid at the weekend. However, mid-record, there was a blackout in Spain and we have not been able to finish the podcast and upload it until now.

So, here it is: Rik, Toni and Sam on Madrid's refereeing pressure, Barça Copa champions and Inter to come.

E483: Clásico Copa del Rey final Q&A

Rik, Toni and Sam get together to look ahead to Saturday's huge Copa del Rey final between Barcelona and Real Madrid. Can Barça make it three Clásico wins in a row this season or will Madrid bite back?

*Non-Copa del Rey final questions may also have been answered.

SP!

Clásico Copa final preguntas

Drop any questions below. They don’t have to be related to the final but that’s the hook. Ask early to avoid them being missed as it may be a quick turnaround this week between this request for questions and the recording of the pod.

Enjoy Saturday!

SP!

E482: Shots fired as Barca beat Mallorca

Sam, Rik and Toni discuss last night's 1-0 win over Mallorca at Montjuic as Barca move seven points clear of Real Madrid for the time being. Let's goooo

E481: Barca shade thriller against Celta, Chels smashed

Sam and Rik discuss Barca's 4-3 win over Celta Vigo on Saturday, with a three-goal remontada in the final 30 minutes. ****Updated with a segment on Barca Femeni's 4-1 win over Chelsea in the UWCL first leg!

E480: Barcelona reach first Champions League semifinal since 2019!

Celebrate Barcelona's qualification for the Champions League semifinals and forget their dismal showing against Borussia Dortmund. Although today's podcast starts with even better news as far as Toni is concerned: Real Madrid are out of the competition.

Sam and Toni discuss this week's quarterfinals, with Madrid crashing out to Arsenal and Barça battling through 5-3 on aggregate despite a humbling 3-1 loss in Dortmund on Tuesday.

E479: Barça beat Leganés to edge closer to title

Barcelona's narrow 1-0 win at Leganés on Saturday was not the prettiest, but it was three points nonetheless and another step towards the LaLiga title.

Sam and Rik reflect on that hard-fought win at Butarque, losing Alejandro Balde, Wojciech Szczesny's unbelievable record and a midweek trip to Borussia Dortmund.

E478: Q&A on Barca penalty takers, Mats v Messi, and more

Rik, Sam and Toni discuss your questions, on set-pieces, Ter Stegen's 'beef' with Messi, transfers, Camp Nou and plenty more.

E477: Dortmund destroyed by dynamic trio

Raphinha, Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal were all on target as Barca romped to a 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund in the UCL QF first leg on Wednesday. Here to talk you through it as ever are Sam, Rik and Toni. Vamos!

The questiooooooons (to the Champioooooons tune)

Get your questions in for the Q&A pod this week. Will record AFTER the Borussia Dortmund game, so cut off point will be early Thursday morning. Usual drill: Comment here or add on the 'questions for pod' channel on the Discord.

Enjoy the game on Wednesday!

SP

E476: Barcelona move four points clear despite Betis draw

Barcelona could not take full advantage of Real Madrid's loss to Valencia, but a draw against Real Betis still extended their advantage at the top of LaLiga to four points.

Barça are now unbeaten in 22 games in 2025 and turn their attention to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Sam and Toni discuss Saturday's 1-1 draw against Betis, the desire to get a result after Madrid's surprise defeat, fatigue and Wednesday night at the Lluis Companys.

SP!