Welcome everybody to Chelsea Mike Dupton official club sanctioned podcast for Chelsea at C now unless you've been living under rock you know world football had an historic week with the formation and dissolution of the European super league Chelsea have put out a statement saying they've begun the process of removing themselves from the super league there's all sorts of ambiguity in the club.

Understandably cannot go beyond its club statement presently we occupy a very unique space here on Chelsea Mike Dup number one we're an American official club podcast but we're also an official club podcast which means when the club can't speak beyond it we really can't speak beyond to two because we have a partnership on that very platform and the club has thankfully afforded me the opportunity to explain to the audience why

that conversation the conversation that many of you are probably honestly tuning in for the European super league conversation can't happen just yet it is my sincere hope that on this platform which is a passion project for me we can have a substantive conversation about the European super league so

where does that leave us. As a content creator as a listening audience where does that leave us with an episode that can't address the elephant in the room outside of just telling you the audience there's an elephant in the room and reconciling that with.

On the field news on the eve of massive clashes with West Ham in the Premier League in a dream matchup against Real Madrid in the Champions League and an FA Cup final appearance that we would love to celebrate as well.

Quite honestly it was a women's team that made me want to put out an episode this week because.

They're on to something pretty historic and while we banied about possible solutions for this week having already recorded an episode in the can I just couldn't bring myself to not put out this episode because we have worked really hard to.

To make the Chelsea women seem compelling to an audience to make them informed to bring interviews to the audience and I couldn't in my right mind not doing episode this week given all the news there was on the field and while I understand and appreciate loads of new audience that is coming here hoping to hear very raw and emotional and real opinions that they probably heard earlier in the week on my other platforms I can't quite give that to you.

All that being said I ask for your understanding and hopefully if you're still with us you're willing to give this episode ago and listen to some of the on the field stuff because that's also kind of a big deal.

So in closing and in fairness to the club Chris waiting him you have that statement on you right now let's go ahead and read that club statement on the European super league to the audience move on with this episode and get to some soccer talk.

This was the club statement that they put out early in the morning on Wednesday as reported earlier this evening Chelsea football club can confirm that it has begun the formal procedures for withdrawal from the group developing plans for a European super league having joined the group late last week.

We have now had time to consider the matter fully and have decided that our continued participation in these plans would not be in the best interest of the club are supporters or the wider football community.

We promise you coverage of Chelsea's women's team a massive match against Manchester City and few guests are better to welcome in and discuss this massive clash in the Chelsea season as a whole.

Then Andre Carlisle is those of the incredible podcast I love the name of this frame Kirby fight club Andre we love Frank Kirby over here by the way audience I like to clue you and I got a follow back from Frank Kirby very excited I know I'm going to put that I'm going to put that in the bio.

But if you want even more Chelsea women's coverage and Frank Kirby coverage make sure to check out Frank Kirby fight club Andre does a great job with that Andre welcome aboard and thank you so much I appreciate the plug on the podcast really is we do talk a lot of Frank Kirby but now we cover Chelsea to.

Now is that the priority is a Frank Kirby one you get your you get your Frank Kirby update off the top and then we kind of filter down and talk about the team look we all eat but friend eats first I like that I like that as a rule let's talk about what was being hyped as the match at the season.

Not the prettiest game to watch early on but there were goals scored here and the probably should have been more goals scored but Chelsea get the all important result.

It was the rare draw that felt like a win just because Manchester City had to win this game and Andre they should have won this game they were incredibly wasteful with some opportunities but Chelsea's goalkeeper who Chelsea have got more player this season candidates so then I can shake a sick at burger maybe the the player this season saves their bacon with a crucial save in that second half your thoughts on this game.

I was really eager for it I was excited for it I was a little bit sad that all the you know super league stuff over shadowed how big this game should have been and then of course Chelsea makes the semifinals in the Champions League this match was supposed to be played on a weekend and they have to bump it up and now it played on a Wednesday.

It's just weird there's a lot of things that really took away from how good this match the all the promotion this match should have had and then of course with Chelsea's lineup you know our captain Magna Erickson she picked up a slight injury in the FA Cup when we had over London.

We had over London City and Engle was playing next to Millie Bright in social defense and that's not our best center back pairing we had about our third choice right back in Jess Carter playing.

It's man me already got injured not sure I knew Charles didn't play but that was happening so I got really nervous when I saw the lineup drop and I knew that city was pretty much full strength I think they're missing one of their key central defenders but Chelsea kind of did what they needed to do you know you get the goals.

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