Destination: European Nights (2023–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Episode #1.1 - full transcript

The Champions League trophy

is the holy grail
of club football.

But life is about the journey...

...not the destination.

- For my Champions League story

- this season...
- Shazam.

...I will travel
across the breadth of Europe.

To watch

the world's greatest club
competition.

All these stadiums we visit...

have their noise...



...their atmosphere,

so unique to that place.

And, as darkness descends,
the stars come to the fore.

Under the lights...

we come alive.

. Goal!

Just when you think
you've seen it all.

Great stories are told
and written...

onEuropean Nights.

At the end of the 19th century,

a lot of Irish came to this part
of Glasgow.

Many didn't have jobs,
they couldn't pay the bills.

They couldn't even feed
themselves.

So, the local priest,
the priest here,



Brother Wilfred, had an idea.

"How about
if we create a football club

to raise morale,
but to raise funds as well

so the locals
could feed themselves."

Next, he had to find a name,
a name that embraced Irish,

but also celebrated
Scottishness.

And he came up with Celtic.

Hello.
I've got a haircut with Scott.

- You must be Scott.
- You must be Guillem.

- That's right.
- Very pleased to meet you.

Come on in,
let me take your jacket for you.

You practically got
the same stuff

from Celtic and Rangers.

It's a fine balance.
And it's a fine line.

With unlimited amount of passion
for football in one city.

It's incredible.
So, you've got to be equal.

People take it
very seriously, huh?

Some would say
perhaps too serious, huh?

Two teams
dominate the city of Glasgow,

Celtic and Rangers.

The old firm rivalry is
one of the fiercest in football.

Immigration, religion, proximity

and the success of the two clubs

have fueled the passion
of the fans and players

for over 100 years.

There used to be
a lot of trouble

at the end of matches.

And I think that's fallen
to the wayside now.

Do Rangers fans back Celtic
when they play in Europe

- and vice versa.
- No. No.

It's a bit like
Atletico Madrid fans

not backing Real Madrid.

Yeah, same thing.

So, it's got--
the city has got districts

that are Rangers
and others are Celtics, right?

Yeah. Yeah.

But it doesn't mean
that there is like a--

you don't need
a special passport

- to go from one to the other?
- Not at all.

Can you go
if you're a Celtic fan

into the pubs of the Rangers?

- No, no--
- Not recommended.

No, I wouldn't recommend it.
No, no. I wouldn't.

I could have lied there
and said,

"No, everything's fine,"
but it would be a lie, yeah.

I wouldn't, no.

- Shazam.
- Thank you.

- Thank you very much.
Anytime, all right.

- Thank you very much.
- You take it easy.

- Thanks, Scott, see you later.
- It was more than a pleasure.

- I'll see you later.
- It's raining now.

That's all right, with a haircut
like that, don't worry,

the rain will fall off it.

Everybody around you
is a Celtic fan.

Family, friends,
they're all Celtic.

- Is that right?
- You're born a Celtic fan.

But being a Celtic fan,
it's so much more

than the colors that you wear

and the football that you
support.

It's a way of life.
It's a culture.

It's a cause.
I call myself .

It's all about protest

and it's all about
using your voice.

You're talking about cause

as in there's
a political meaning

to be a Celtic fan.

And I see
Palestine flags in the stands.

So, there's a bit of
a rebelliousness

about being a Celtic fan, no?

The club is
built on immigration,

and it goes back
to Brother Wilfred

who was from Ireland
and the Irish people

have dealt with a great struggle
in the sense of oppression.

You will see Palestinian flags
at Celtic Park

because we can relate
to Palestinian people.

We know what it's like
to be oppressed,

we know what
it's like to struggle.

People always say politics
doesn't belong in football.

Well, it does,
and I know that's controversial,

because if you've got a voice on
the global stage,

then use it.

Go on, Celtic!

Two hours before the game,
can you sense the vibe?

- Can you--
- Oh, absolutely.

I've got goosebumps already.

Over in Glasgow,
Real Madrid begin the defense

of their Champions League crown
against free-scoring Celtic.

It is the kickoff of
the UEFA Champions League.

So, here it is.

The beginning
of a nine-month competition

where 32 teams
from across Europe

will be whittled down
to one champion.

The group stage starts
with eight groups of four teams,

with the top two from each
qualifying for the round of 16.

Can Celtic escape Group F?

O'Riley tries to
send it in.

They can knock this.

Oh, smashed the woodwork.
That was from McGregor.

The noise.

I don't think
that many league players

have experienced this very often
in their careers.

Real Madrid rattled
in the east end of Glasgow.

Real Madrid looked to
spread their wings

and now suddenly venture forward

and it's a dangerous ball.

It's the opening goal
of the match.

Vinícius Júnior.

That's more like vintage Hazard.

And now it's with Luka Modric.

And still Modric. It's two-nil.

Celtic gave Real Madrid
a really good game

and then Real Madrid
started to get used to

the pace of the game.

Karim's across, Carvajal,

tapped it by Eden Hazard
for number three.

Excellent match to start
the group stage campaign.

Celtic just couldn't match
the quality

and the class of Real Madrid.

Right. Is that a wrap?

It is? Okay. That's that.

Thank you very much.

In, say, a year, two-year,
three-years' time,

I won't remember the score.

What I'll remember
is the amazing electric noise

that this place makes.
Fantastic.

It affected Real Madrid.
It really did.

For about 40 minutes.

But, it was a fantastic night
of football.

I'll see you later. Cheers.

Match Day two
of the Champions League sees

a David and Goliath meeting,

as the stars to the Paris
Saint-Germain side traveled

to the smallest club
in this year's competition.

We go to Haifa,
which is about 70 kilometers,

an hour and something
from Tel Aviv.

Because we're watching
Maccabi Haifa PSG.

And more importantly,

because I need to know more
about this fascinating place.

Located near
the border with Lebanon,

Haifa
is the largest city in Israel

where Arab
and Jewish communities

live alongside each other.

We have to stop the taxi
because we saw these ceramics.

Fantastic. Really nice.

That's two faces.

Two faces, which probably means

mixing of races and colors.

What else can we see?
People holding hands.

I'm traveling
to a nearby town

to meet members
of Maccabi Bnei Raina,

a football club
that has found success

with a mixed faith squad
of Arab and Jewish players.

- I know no English.

No, that's okay. That's okay.

Right. Where is training?

Do I look the part?

I think I do.

- Oh.
- Am I a coach?

- Mr. Coach.
- Oh, yes.

You are sacked.

No, no, no, no, no, no,
you're not sacked,

- you're not sacked.

In the news,
you get the conflict,

and you get the bad things,

and then you walk
into this country,

and there is a lot of
good stories happening here.

The story of our life in Israel

is that the things
you saw in Israel--

you see in Israel,
it's different, like,

180% that what you see outside

'cause they bring the bad things
all the time in the news.

So, when you live here,

it's the best country
in the world.

You see the sun,
you see the beaches,

you see everything.

Most of the communication

between Arabs and Christians
are very good.

It's only small parts
of the area that there is...

people is out of the normal,
understand?

So, they take us
to a different way,

but they are not the main,
there are only few,

and they make all the mess
in the world that you hear.

I'm not sure
it's gonna get there.

- Okay.
- You okay?

It probably will bounce a bit.

Without end, without end.

It took a long time
to get there.

Thank you very much.

It feels like the country
has been shaped

by the different forces at play.

And everything you do here,
it's important.

It's not politics. Nothing.

In sport, you became a family.

You became equal,
one with each other.

And this is
the best thing in sport,

this is what we like in sport.

Okay? You want to speak?

I don't want to speak.
Great-- great session guys.

Yeah. Thank you.
Thank you. Yeah.

Ahead of what will be
Maccabi Haifa's biggest game

in many years, I've arranged
to meet the Jewish goalkeeper,

Josh Cohen.

Nice stadium.

This is Josh.

Josh.
- Hi, Guillem.

.
- Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Is this the biggest game
of your career would you say?

Yeah.
I would say so.

- Like-- in a big, big way?
- Yeah, I mean, yeah.

The biggest game
was the last game,

- and now it's this game.
Come over here.

Josh, how did you manage
to end up here?

I had a teammate in America
that was a club legend here,

a number of years back,
a captain.

And he kind of
helped make a connection.

I was a bit scared
but ended up on a plane,

got here, and it's been amazing.

Because the rules here means
that you being Jewish means

you just have to go through
a small process, not a big one.

Exactly,
I count as a domestic player.

Mountain View,
is that where you come from?

Sunnyvale, which is
a small city, you know,

they're both small cities,
Silicon Valley,

so nestled between San Jose
and San Francisco.

What's fascinating
here though in Haifa

is that there is Arab Christians
and Muslims

and Jewish mixing together.

Yes,
it's very multicultural here,

and there's a lot of openness,

and there's different areas
of the city

where you really can just see,
those different cultures,

and you can go around
and there's a lot of

blending across barriers.

Josh, I had another
20 questions to ask you,

- but I think our time is up.
- Got some work to do.

Try to stop
Messi and Neymar, and prepare.

- Prepare as best I can.
- Good luck with that.

For Josh and co.
at Maccabi Haifa,

the task of beating
the stars of Paris

and finishing
in the top two of Group H

could not be bigger.

Match day two
of the UEFA Champions League,

Maccabi Haifa
against Paris Saint-Germain.

Try to tell the people here
that they've got no chance.

They won't believe you.

Mbappé on his way,

clean throw on goal.

And defied by Cohen.

Tjaronn Chery.

They've gone in front.

Maccabi Haifa one,
Paris Saint-Germain nil.

Mbappé.

He's got to the byline.

Here's Messi. 1-1.

Messi again,
gap has opened up for him.

It's Messi.

It's a fine save,

and it's a brilliant recovery.

Mbappé.

What a goal that was.

Fantastic from Kylian Mbappé.

What a pass from Messi.

It was this much of a space,
it's just--

And they've got
their third goal

put away by Neymar.

A second win in Group H for PSG.

Maccabi Haifa have
the consolation of knowing

they've got their first goal
in this competition,

but ultimately,
they were second best.

This is Milan.

And when you think of Milan,
you think of the Duomo.

You, of course,
think of Leonardo da Vinci.

And The Last Supper
is hosted here.

And of course, this is
the Italian capital of fashion,

and this is Fashion Week.

It's Fashion Week.
It's time to express yourself.

The three C's, Contrast.
Compliment. Confidence.

It is the center of the world.

I need someone to guide me
through the chaotic,

creative world of Fashion Week,
And I've got somebody,

her name is Queen,
She's a model.

But I don't know
anything else about her.

She said, "Do you know what?

When you see me,
you know who I am."

- You must be Queen.
- Yeah.

- Are you ready for the fashion?
- I'm ready.

- Okay, let's go.
- All right. Let's go.

How do you feel
being a paparazzi?

First of all,
do I look like one?

What are you wearing today?
Can I take a picture?

Tell us about the jacket.

The classic, but... pirate.

I think
you're getting used to it.

- She's stopping the traffic.
- Stopping the traffic.

Do you want to stop the traffic?

I'll tell you what,
should we try to get in?

- Straight.
- Straight.

- Chest out.
- Chest out.

Strong, strong.

No.

My name
is Guillem Balagué, B, A, L, A.

- Can you try Queen?

- Queen ?
- Esie Queen.

For CBS. CBS? No? Last one. CBS.

- But now we have to move.
- Yeah.

- She knew we were trying.
- Yeah. She knew it.

So, after all that fun,

I'm back to my day job
at the San Siro.

- Can I have one? Grazie.
Of course.

Basically history.
That's what we see in here.

Those walls have had
so many big games.

Fashion, football, religion,

that's the three legs
of Milan, isn't it?

And when Milan organizes
an event as massive

as Fashion Week,
and the whole city stops,

they're telling you
and the world something.

They actually say, "Look at us.
We are fashionable.

We have class. We're stylish."

And of course,
football cannot be left behind.

It's just massive.
It's gigantic.

You feel the weight of history.

But they're thinking
of pulling it down

and doing another one
over there.

A more modern one.

Not today, though.
Today is their big game.

Inter faces
Football Club Barcelona.

Xavi, good to see you.

The Champions League
resumes today,

and for European aristocrats,
ambition fueled new contenders,

and scrappy minnows alike,

the football calculation
is the same for everyone.

That's all you need for tonight.
This and the stuff here.

With Bayern Munich in control
at the top of Group C,

three points here
for either side will be massive

to finish second
and qualify for the next round.

A shot from distance
tests the gloves

of Marc-André ter Stegen,
the German keeper.

Ah! Shot score!

the blue touch

distance!

Dembélé rattles the post.

It's as close
as Barcelona has come.

It's Dembélé
who levels the back post.

And the goal is wiped out
for Ansu Fati's hand ball.

It's a famous win for Inter.

Inter with their second win

move past Barcelona in Group C.

They'll do it again
at Camp Nou, next time.

That's a wrap. Okay.

This is an intriguing tie

because it's a knock-out tie.

Bayern Munich are definitely
going to win this group.

So, Barcelona out,
the return leg in Barcelona.

So, after a week of fashion,
new clothes and new friends,

it's time to go home,
see you later.