Total Soccer Show: USMNT, Champions League, EPL, and more ...

There's more to the Leo Messi story than is immediately obvious. La Liga expert Graham Ruthven gives Daryl all the detail on what's going on at Barcelona

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The Best Soccer Show is back! Daryl is joined by BSS co-host Jason Davis to discuss what's going on in American soccer, including the investment that's coming as 2026 gets closer, how to form an American soccer identity, why we shouldn't tear down MLS, as well as his own career in soccer media. 

Daryl and Jason also answer five listener questions. Here are the timestamps:

35:50 — What is considered "hipster" in a soccer context?

41:00 — What is the realistic top end that MLS can reach?

49:10 — If you could change one and only one soccer moment, what would it be?

57:25 — Which "end of era" players would you like to see at which MLS clubs and why? (And yes, we talk Leo Messi to an MLS team here.)

1:04:43 — What was the Chivas USA experiment? Why did it fail? Could something similar succeed?

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We go deep on the Champions League final, starting with the tactics:

What did Bayern and PSG tweak for the final and how well did those changes work?

We also give a detailed account of the breakdown in PSG's otherwise impressive defending for Bayern's goal, and the key Bayern players who made it happen.

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For the first 35 minutes, we preview PSG vs Bayern, looking at all the important individual and tactical matchups and considering how each team might adjust their approach for the big game

Starting at 37:45, we also do a Europa League Final recap, discuss Antonee Robinson's move to Fulham, Steve Cherundolo's appointment as Germany U15 coach, Guud Hiddink become Curacao coach (look out CONCACAF!) and the rekindling of the Weston McKennie to Southampton rumor.

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In honor of Alphonso Davies and Tyler Adams playing in the Champions League semifinals, the fellas take a look at MLS and its evolving position on the selling of players. Why did the league change its stance, how can teams know when the moment is right to sell a player, and which teams are in the best position to capitalize? Plus, Sam's dog makes a cameo, ostensibly to weigh in on Paul's take on Alphonso Davies.

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0:00 - Bayern Munich stick to their proven style and come away with a 3-0 win in the Champions League semifinal. What vulnerabilities did they exploit in the Lyon defense, how impressive was Serge Gnabry, and how Manuel Neuer remains important in big matches.

22:28 - The USMNT has a World Cup qualifying schedule and a rough idea of who it will be playing. We review the basics, and look ahead to what a crowded list of fixtures might mean for Berhalter's various squad selections next summer. 

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Ryan and Taylor get into what went so wrong for Leipzig and so very right for PSG, plus the tactical adjustments that made the difference, expectations going forward for PSG, and the importance of a fully motivated Neymar (and a mostly fully fit Kylian Mbappe). There's also some Manchester City and Barcelona chat at the the end, with a little overlap that is probably somewhat obvious in-between.

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First up, we talk Messi's rumored Barcelona exit. Where did this story start? Where might he go? Is he actually going to leave? And what do we think  Leo Messi really wants?

Then we preview the Champions League semifinals. Here are your timestamps:

29:05 — RB Leipzig vs PSG

Will Tyler Adams start? How long can Kylian Mbappe go? And what has Nagelsmann got planned for PSG?

53:40 — Lyon vs Bayern Munich

Will Bayern push high or will they fear Lyon's counter? Is there space for Bayern to exploit? Is there raum for Mueller to deut? Are Cornet and Caqueret the real deal?

1:08:45 — Sam Mewis and Rose Lavelle are joining Man City in the FAWSL. We get into the details of the deals and what is means for the NWSL

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For the first 36 minutes, Daryl and Joe analyze Lyon's win over Man City. Did Pep overthink it? Listen to find out.

Then we answer some USMNT and MLS-themed listener questions that were asked specifically because Joe was coming on the show:

36:10 — Which young USMNT players impressed during MLS is Back? (We talk Akinola, Ebobisse, Aaronson, Sands)

49:40 — Which coach surprised you the most at the MLS is Back: Tournament?

53:35 — Do you want to see the MLS is Back tournament return?

58:10 — What changes should MLS make with their DP and salary cap rules?

1:06:00 — Is a Yueill-Adams-McKennie thee-man midfield a balanced enough midfield to provide stout defense in situations where the USMNT has less possession and also create dangerous chances when they do have the ball?

1:11:50 — Should Berhalter call up Artur De Lima now that he has US citizenship?

1:16:40 — Would a Minimum domestic player requirement be good for the growth of MLS?

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We review Bayern Munich's comprehensive victory over Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals. When did it go from being an open game to being a slaughter, what did Bayern do to create such chaos, and how absurdly fun is Alphonso Davies? Plus, we spend the final third of the show giving a quick overview of the problems that have been mounting at Barcelona over the last 6-7 years, what they can do to solve some of them, and what the present situation means for the future of Leo Messi.

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