Podcast: Xabi Alonso interview, Robert Lewandowski's goal spree

Bayern Munich's Xabi Alonso joins the latest Planet Fútbol Podcast for an exclusive interview with SI's Grant Wahl.

Author:
SI Staff
Publish date:
Sep 24, 2015

Bayern Munich's Xabi Alonso has earned plenty of distinctions in his storied career, but his latest sets him apart from the rest: He becomes the first men's World Cup winner to join the Planet Fútbol Podcast.

Alonso speaks with SI's Grant Wahl about the club's start to the season, the challenge that Borussia Dortmund poses to Bayern's quest for a fourth straight Bundesliga title, the all-star cast of managers under whom he's played at Real Sociedad, Liverpool, Real Madrid and Bayern, and the growth of MLS (a future option?) and the U.S. men's national team.

Wahl and SI's Avi Creditor and Brian Straus then shift gears to Alonso's teammate, Robert Lewandowski. His five-goal/nine-minute masterclass vs. Wolfsburg has been the talk of the soccer world. Does it compare to anything we've ever seen before?

LYTTLETON: Midweek mania around Europe

The guys then riff on some of the more eye-raising developments that have come to light–Michel Platini admitting he "might have told" U.S. Soccer he'd vote for its 2022 World Cup hosting bid before doing a 180 and voting for Qatar and the proposal for a CONCACAF-CONMEBOL combined America's Champions League.

Listen to the new Planet Fútbol Podcast below (and subscribe to us on iTunes here):

GALLERY: Bayern Munich through the years

FC Bayern Munich Through the Years

1900

A Munich gymnastics club refuses to let eleven of its members join the German Football Association, so those eleven form Bayern Munich as a standalone football club that same evening.

1965

Franz Beckenbauer and Bayern Munich enter the Bundesliga for the first time, having been passed over for the initial collection of teams in favor of 1860 Munich. They win the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) in their first season and finish third in the league.

1967

The club captures its first European trophy, winning the 1967 Winner's Cup with an extra-time victory over Glasgow Rangers.

1970

Udo Lattek is hired as head coach. In two different stints in charge of the club, Lattek (seen here in '87) would coach for more days (over 3,000) and win more trophies (10) than any other coach in the club's history.

1971

The club moves from the Grunwalder Stadion to the Olympiastadion, which had been built for the 1972 Summer Olympics. It would be Bayern's home for 35 years.

1972

Bayern Munich defeats Schalke 5-1 in the first live televised match in Bundesliga history, winning that season's league title as a result.

1974

The club wins its first European Cup (now Champions League), 4-0 over Atletico Madrid. It goes on to win the competition the subsequent two years as well.

1974

The club signs Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. The striker would go on to score 162 goals for the club and is currently the CEO of the corporation that owns Bayern Munich.

1976

The club wins its first international trophy, defeating Brazilian club Cruzeiro to win the Intercontinental Cup (now abolished).

1987

Jupp Heynckes is hired as head coach. He would win two Bundesligas and two Super Cups.

1993

Norwich City defeats Lothar Matthaus and Bayern Munich 2-1 at the Olympiastadion in the UEFA Cup (now Europa League), the only time a British club was able to defeat Bayern at its old home ground.

1996

With Franz Beckenbauer as interim manager, Bayern wins the UEFA Cup final against Bordeaux, the only time they have won the competition.

1998

Ottmar Hitzfeld is hired as head coach. He would go on to coach the second-most total games and win the second-most total honors in club history (both behind Uto Lattek).

1999

Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images

Bayern loses the Champions League final in extra time to Manchester United.

2001

Bayern wins its third consecutive Bundesliga title with a stoppage-time goal against Hamburg from Patrik Andersson on a rare free kick from inside the penalty area.

2001

Bayern wins the Champions League after defeating Valencia on penalty kicks at the San Siro in Milan, Italy.

2001

Bayern wins the Intercontinental Cup in extra time against Boca Juniors, thanks to a goal from Samuel Kuffour.

2005

The club moves from the Olympiastadion to the newly-built Allianz Arena, which they share with local rivals 1860 Munich.

2008

The club hires Jurgen Klinsmann (left) as head coach following his success with the German national team at the 2006 World Cup. He is fired 10 months later.

2012

Bayern reaches the final of the Champions League in its home stadium, but loses on penalties to Chelsea. It is the first time the club is defeated by an English team in Munich.

2013

Bayern Munich wins the Bundesliga with six games left, the earliest a champion has ever secured the title. Bayern also sets the record for most points in a season, most wins in a season, and fewest defeats.