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Menace & The MonkAuthor: Menace & The Monk
This football podcast goes beyond the pitch. Deep, long-form storytelling and soccer analysis on the games greatest players, rivalries, tactics and defining moments. From Messi and Ronaldo to Liverpool, the Premier League and Champions League nights, we explore football history, culture, politics and legacy. For fans who want insight, context and powerful storytelling not just highlights. We always love to hear from you, so do get in touch with us on Twitter & Instagram. If you would like to feature on the channel, just let us know Language: hi Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
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The Engineer: How Zidane Built the Three-Peat
Monday, 2 March, 2026
Three Champions Leagues. Back to back to back.In modern football, that simply does not happen by accident.And yet, Zinedine Zidane’s managerial reign at Real Madrid is often reduced to a single explanation: he had great players.In this episode, we go beyond that simplification.We revisit the circumstances of Rafa Benítez’s dismissal and the fractured dressing room Zidane inherited in January 2016. We examine how the reintroduction of Casemiro restored structural balance, how the Kroos–Modrić–Casemiro midfield became the spine of European dominance, and how Zidane quietly transformed Cristiano Ronaldo from a touchline winger into a decisive penalty-box striker.We break down each Champions League campaign in detail:• 2015–16: From the Wolfsburg comeback to the Milan final against Atlético Madrid.• 2016–17: The diamond system, squad rotation, and the tactical dismantling of Juventus in Cardiff.• 2017–18: The path of giants — PSG, Juventus, Bayern Munich, and Liverpool — and the art of tournament survival.Beyond tactics, this episode explores the psychological architecture of the three-peat: player sacrifice, dressing room trust, ego management, and Zidane’s relationship-based leadership model. From Benzema’s adaptation to Isco’s role as Juventus’ “pain point,” to the impact of Lucas Vázquez and Marco Asensio in high-pressure moments, we analyse what truly held the structure together.Finally, we address why Zidane walked away in 2018 — and how recognising the end of a cycle may have been one of his most intelligent decisions.This is not a highlight reel.This is a structural breakdown.Because winning once can be momentum.Winning twice can be form.Winning three times in a row is design.
