On The Continent - A European Football Podcast Ask OTC: High stakes in Turkey, the fall of Fiorentina, and under the radar players
Nov 7, 2025
Lars Sivertsen, a European football expert, joins to discuss a major Turkish refereeing scandal and its implications for the future of Turkish football. They explore whether foreign referees or VAR might improve standards. The conversation shifts to Qarabağ's rising recognition after a draw with Chelsea and the struggles Fiorentina faces in avoiding relegation, with insights into their poor finishing and managerial changes. Finally, the team highlights some underrated players making waves this season, including Nico Paz and Ismail Saibari.
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Qarabağ Are Gaining European Credibility
- Qarabağ's Champions League performances and draw with Chelsea show they're earning respect on the continent.
- Geographic and travel factors still make trips to Baku tricky for major clubs despite competitive displays.
Fiorentina's Panic Doesn't Match Underlying Numbers
- Fiorentina's poor start combines tough fixtures, misfiring strikers and collapsing confidence.
- Rapid dismissals of sporting director and coach risk deep destabilisation despite decent underlying chance metrics.
XG Reveals Fiorentina's Misfortune
- Fiorentina rank high in XG but sit rock bottom due to poor finishing and defensive issues.
- Lars suggests the owner's mass changes may be excessive given the underlying performance data.