Stadio: A Football Podcast

Musa and Ryan record a short bonus episode reflecting on the leak of details regarding the proposed Project Big Picture. They discuss some key points involved in the plan, which would send much-needed funding to lower tiers of English football in exchange for placing greater powers in the hands of nine Premier League clubs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan are back, following a weekend in which Musa received an unexpected birthday gift: Arsène Wenger declaring his preference for a roll neck jumper (00:42). They then look back at a pivotal weekend in the Frauen-Bundesliga and FA WSL, with wins for Arsenal, Everton, and Chelsea, while Wolfsburg dropped points to fall behind Bayern (07:33). They then get into a new bunch of what-ifs, including if Real Madrid had beaten Juventus in 2015 to progress to the Champions League final (16:37), Ronaldinho had been born in 1998 (24:12), Barcelona had hired Marcelo Bielsa in 2013 (31:41), and Jogi Löw had stepped down as Germany coach after the 2018 World Cup (43:10). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While just the 35th show since joining The Ringer, it’s the 100th ‘Stadio’ episode, and Musa and Ryan take questions on transfers and more. They begin by discussing Thomas Partey’s move to Arsenal (4:36), Arsenal’s financial situation in the wake of the Gunnersaurus and Mesut Özil sagas (8:32), Mario Götze to PSV (12:16), and Chelsea’s strong window (14:31). They then look at the loan moves of Ryan Sessegnon, Mattéo Guendouzi, and Michaël Cuisance (17:46), plus Hatem Ben Arfa heading to Bordeaux and how a top talent’s stock can fall (22:59). They also look at Edinson Cavani to Manchester United (29:40), and answer some fun ‘Stadio’ questions, including their ideal managerial careers and much more (35:11). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Another week, another round of chaotic Premier League fixtures. Musa and Ryan do their best to work their way through, beginning at Villa Park, where Aston Villa put on a master class of efficiency, beating Liverpool 7-2 (3:56). They heap more praise on Everton, who go into the international break top of the table after a 4-2 win over Brighton (15:56), before heading to Old Trafford to reflect on Spurs’ demolition of Manchester United (22:31) and where this leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (29:56). They admire the spectacle that was Leeds vs. Manchester City (46:39), round up of the rest of the Premier League (52:00), as well as share some love for Gio Reyna, who ran the show for Dortmund during their 4-0 win against Freiburg, and much more! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan reflect on the midweek Carabao Cup action, which included wins for Manchester United and Spurs (3:54). Everton continue to impress, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin scoring another hat trick and Everton Women progressing to the FA Cup Final (15:24). Next, they discuss Landon Donovan’s San Diego Loyal walking off the pitch against Phoenix Rising, after an opponent allegedly directed a homophobic slur at Collin Martin, just a week after another Loyal player was the target of a racial slur (23:47). There’s chat about Bayern’s win against Dortmund in the German Super Cup and more praise for Joshua Kimmich and Bibiana Steinhaus, who announced she is stepping back from refereeing in Germany (28:36). There’s a quick round-up of the midweek La Liga action (40:03) and finally, a lot of love for Inter and, of course, Atalanta, off the backs of big wins for both sides in Serie A (44:57). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan are back to try to make sense of a wildly chaotic weekend of soccer. They begin in the Premier League, where Leicester beat Manchester City 5-2 at the Etihad, thanks to a Jamie Vardy hat trick (4:40), where Sheffield United and Wolves are struggling at the start of the season following defeats to Leeds and West Ham (16:11), and where Brighton and Spurs were the victims of last-minute VAR calls (17:58) and Chelsea came from 3-0 down to salvage a draw at West Brom (21:25). The guys give a roundup of the Women’s FA Cup results and then move on to the Bundesliga, where the chaos continued as none of last season’s top five won, with Dortmund losing at Augsburg (25:38) and Bayern losing at Hoffenheim (30:25). Also, Lionel Messi was back in a Barcelona shirt, scoring in a stress-free 4-0 win at home to Villarreal (38:58), Luis Suarez scored two of Atleti's six in his debut (42:58), and the guys take a quick look at Serie A. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After a heavy week, Musa and Ryan feel that some fun is in order and open the mailbag! They answer questions on the possibility of Kylian Mbappé potentially joining Liverpool and where he would fit (06:33) and which clubs would be their picks for a Last Dance and All or Nothing series, as well as who would direct them (11:49). They also discuss the importance of squad numbers (21:31), the potential of Dortmund’s golden generation and where they rank among the great BVB sides (23:37), and whether Callum Hudson-Odoi should leave Chelsea and where he should go (31:23). Finally, after trying to convert every player into one, Musa breaks down what makes a no. 8 (36:10) and which NWSL export will have the biggest impact in the FAWSL (41:39), and they recall their favorite 'Football Manager' game saves (43:52). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode, Musa and Ryan focus on the news of Macclesfield Town receiving a winding up order, following unpaid debts of over $600,000. They use the Macclesfield Town case to take a zoomed-out look at the crisis facing England's lower-league clubs, many of which are on the brink of collapse. They also examine how football clubs are the latest example of certain institutions being ignored by parts of England, discuss poor ownership scrutiny, and look at the parallels with wider social and cultural issues, including how COVID-19 measures are hitting smaller clubs the most. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan are back with the longest 'Stadio' episode ever! They begin by looking back at Liverpool’s 2-0 win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, including Thiago’s impressive debut, Sadio Mané’s man-of-the-match performance, and Fabinho (03:24). They move on to a weird game of two halves at St. Mary’s, which saw Spurs beat Southampton 5-2 (17:41), Manchester United’s 3-1 defeat at home to a brilliant Crystal Palace (26:40), Arsenal grinding out a win against West Ham (35:30), and Everton beginning to blossom (40:49). They then head to the Bundesliga opening weekend, where Bayern demolished Schalke 8-0 (46:51) and Dortmund were victorious in the Borussen Derby, with the young guns doing the damage for BVB (56:02). Then it’s off to Serie A for a first look at Andrea Pirlo’s Juventus, which featured a brilliant Weston McKennie performance in midfield (61:46), and they end up in La Liga (65:59). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a full mailbag episode in which Musa and Ryan answer listeners' questions, but before they do, there’s news of Musa’s new book with Ian Wright (03:00). They then talk about Gareth Bale’s return to Spurs from Real Madrid (05:31) and Neymar signing with Puma and where the King ranks on their list of iconic boots (09:57), offer one hot take each for the season ahead (13:40) and who they think is in the running for this season’s Premier League Golden Boot (15:50). There were many questions about Ronald Koeman’s choice of footwear for Barcelona’s midweek friendly against Girona (18:08). The news of Thiago’s move to Liverpool broke during the recording, so they discuss the move and how excited Liverpool fans should be about landing the former Barcelona and Bayern midfielder (19:44). They speculate about a possible landing spot for Ralf Rangnick (24:24), address the comments of the French Football Federation president about racism in football (27:11), share what they’re looking forward to this season (30:05), and much more (33:32). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan go through the opening round of Premier League fixtures, including Liverpool’s wild 4-3 win over Leeds at Anfield, where Marcelo Bielsa went head-to-head with Jürgen Klopp (02.56). They also chat about Arsenal’s win over Fulham (13.12), including some early sartorial talk thanks to Scott Parker (21.11); two great goals for Dijon and Huesca (24.49); a new-look Everton defeating Spurs (26.18); Chelsea opening the season with three points at Brighton (29.26); and a first glimpse at Kai Havertz and Timo Werner in the Premier League. They close by discussing three English-born players netting for Dortmund in the German Cup (37.51), Marseille's victory in a fiery Le Classique (41.03), and goals galore in the WSL (50.03). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a lighthearted show ahead of the return of the men’s domestic seasons, as Musa and Ryan touch on the Nations League between France and Croatia, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland (4:01) plus Cristiano Ronaldo’s 100th and 101st international goals (11:51). They then dive into talk on the new season’s kits (17:07), plus how the death of the two-year kit cycle has made it hard for fans to form relationships with shirts, resulting in modern kits not being remembered as fondly as those of old (25:38). There’s more big FA WSL signings (33:36), a lot of catfish talk (36:10), and a brief chat about the takeaway from the first six episodes of Spurs’ 'All or Nothing' documentary series (42:28). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan reflect on Lionel Messi staying at Barcelona, the interview with Goal, and what it may mean for the season ahead (6:27). They then discuss Kai Havertz joining Chelsea (34:27) and Donny van de Beek joining Manchester United (41:50) and how they will fit in at their respective new clubs. There’s also a lot of praise for Ansu Fati’s Nations League performances (44:20) and questions about whether the tournament should be taking place at all during a pandemic (48:28) Finally, they finish with a quick round-up of the opening FAWSL weekend, including Vivianne Miedema’s angry goal (52:42). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan take another stroll through alternate soccer universes, beginning with what if Roman Abramovich had decided to buy Portsmouth, instead of Chelsea (03:30) in 2003. They then discuss what would have happened had Arsenal hired Johan Cruyff, not Arsène Wenger in 1996 (18:30), the Barcelona board hadn’t sanctioned a deal for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in 2009 (34:26), and Neymar had joined Pep Guardiola’s Bayern instead of Barcelona in 2014 (46:20). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan begin by reflecting on the death of Chadwick Boseman (00:25), and then partake in some much-needed cheering up thanks to a couple of brilliant listener emails. They then look back at the Women’s Champions League final, which saw Lyon win a fifth straight championship by beating Wolfsburg 3-1 to maintain an unbeaten run that is well into its third year (07:57). The domestic season began in England this weekend, with Chelsea beating Manchester City in the Women’s Community Shield (21:12), and Arsenal beating Liverpool in the men’s. There’s praise for Mikel Arteta, who notched his third Wembley win and his second trophy as Arsenal manager (24:55), plus talk of why this defeat may not be the worst thing in the world for Jürgen Klopp ahead of a season defending the Premier League title. They wrap up by talking about Marco Rose topping a sexy survey in Germany (45:49), and answering questions on which clubs they would invest in (48:33) and La Liga’s weighing in on the Lionel Messi situation (54:16). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan reflect on the news that Lionel Messi has notified Barcelona of his wish to leave the club and the circumstances that led to this point, including the conflicting philosophies surrounding the club (04:02). They also speculate about where Messi might land, or whether he will leave at all. They then look back at this week’s Women’s Champions League semifinals, which saw Wolfsburg and Lyon remain undefeated and progress to Sunday’s final (26:46). Then they open the mailbag to answer questions on statement signings made by clubs promoted into the Premier League (37:01) and which current coach would improve the side they manage if they were in it as a player at the peak of their career (41:06), and they finish by mapping out their dream careers had they been professional footballers (45:06). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan discuss Sunday’s Champions League final, which saw Bayern defeat PSG 1-0 to clinch their sixth European Cup and the second treble in their history (04:54). The guys heap praise on a number of Bayern players, including Thiago, and discuss the attributes that make him such a wonderful midfielder (11:18). There’s also discussion about the amazing job that Bayern coach Hansi Flick has done since taking over in 2019, when they were fourth in the Bundesliga and a long way off from looking like the side they are now (27:17). The pair discuss the Women’s Champions League, which also returned last weekend and saw Wolfsburg, Barcelona, Lyon, and PSG progress (32:21), and then finish up by looking back at Friday’s brilliant Europa League final in which Sevilla clinched the trophy for the sixth time (44:02). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan look back at Bayern’s 8-2 destruction of Barcelona, focusing on the game itself (00:23) and then moving on to how mismanagement at the board level has led to the current situation at Camp Nou (13:25). The guys also discuss what they're like on the pitch (24:14) before moving on to Rose Lavelle’s move to Manchester City and her NWSL rights being acquired by OL Reign (30:17). Then they wrap up the rest of the Champions League games, including more disappointment for Pep Guardiola with Manchester City exiting at the hands of Lyon (32:00) and RB Leipzig eliminating Atletico Madrid and what that might mean for Diego Simeone’s future (40:35). And then they wrap up with their reaction to Manchester United’s loss to Sevilla in the Europa League semifinal (47:57). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan discuss the first Champions League quarterfinal, in which PSG came from a goal behind to score two goals in stoppage time and eliminate Atalanta (04:49). They then run through the four quarterfinal matches of the Europa League (22:00), which will now see Inter meet Shakhtar and Sevilla face Manchester United in the semifinals. There’s also chat about the MLS Is Back final (37:58), as the Portland Timbers beat Orlando City to secure a second piece of MLS silverware. Finally, there’s news about Musa’s new book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Champions League is back! Musa and Ryan round up the round of 16 second legs that were played over the weekend ahead of its move to Lisbon for the remainder of the tournament. They begin with Manchester City’s drama-free win over Real Madrid (03:56), and Musa is accused of jinxing Raphaël Varane. Lyon went through thanks to the away goal rule (11:42), and there's discussion about Maurizio Sarri's replacement, Andrea Pirlo (17:50). There’s also talk of Bayern cruising through against Chelsea as well as Barcelona progressing despite failing to impress, before the guys look ahead to this week’s quarterfinals (34:46). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s another what-if episode, in which Musa and Ryan take a trip through an alternate football reality. Before they do, they reflect on the news that Arsenal are to lay off 55 staff members, including roles in recruitment and scouting (04:34). Then it’s on to the what-ifs, beginning with if Gareth Bale had been sold to Birmingham City in 2009 (19:35), if Antonio Conte had signed Romelu Lukaku for Chelsea in 2018 (35:38), if the current football and social media climate had existed when Alex Ferguson was under pressure during his early days as Manchester United manager (43:07), and if Celtic had beaten Chelsea in the 2003 UEFA Cup Final (47:53). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan break down Arsenal’s FA Cup Final win over Chelsea at Wembley, thanks to two goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (03:40). They discuss Christian Pulisic, who scored before suffering a hamstring injury, and Mikel Arteta’s securing the first trophy of his young managerial career. They also reflect on Eddie Howe leaving Bournemouth and predict where he may go next (24:55), before moving on to the failed Newcastle takeover bid and what it means for the wider context of ownership of European clubs (28:55). There’s also a quick chat about Inter, Atalanta, and looking ahead to the Champions League’s return (40.28). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ahead of the FA Cup final between Chelsea and Arsenal, Musa and Ryan are joined by two-time FA Cup winner and Arsenal, Crystal Palace, and England legend Ian Wright. He talks about how it feels to play and score in multiple FA Cup finals, how his first experience with Crystal Palace differed from his second and third with Arsenal, what makes Wembley unique, pre-match nerves, the differences between the three managers he went to the final with, and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Premier League season wrapped up this weekend, almost a full year after it began. Musa and Ryan do an extended round-up of the key last matchday fixtures, including Watford’s relegation after defeat to Arsenal (06:40) and Bournemouth’s joining them despite beating Everton at Goodison Park (13:15). Aston Villa’s draw away at West Ham was enough to keep them up, and there’s talk about Jack Grealish’s potential future (16:59). Manchester United beat Leicester to secure Champions League football next season, and there is analysis on the jobs that Brendan Rodgers and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer have done at their respective clubs (19:30), as well as the job Frank Lampard has done at Chelsea, who will also be in Europe’s premier competition next season (31:51). There’s also chat about Manchester City, Liverpool, Jordan Henderson’s Football Writers’ Player of the Year award (39:10), Houston Dash’s first trophy in the NWSL Challenge Cup (49:40), and Juventus securing a ninth straight Scudetto (57:32), plus much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan take questions on who would be in contention for the Ballon d’Or had the 2020 edition gone ahead (05:06), whether Chelsea’s new signings can disrupt the Premier League top two next season (09:46), Leganés’s heartbreaking relegation (16:04), underrated players (21:26), Jose Mourinho’s ever-reducing cycle, which leads to a discussion about pairing managers and actors (21:26), plus Ralf Rangnick’s proposed move to AC Milan being off (34:26). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan reflect on the FA Cup semifinals, which saw Chelsea and Arsenal progress to the final and highlighted potential problems within the two Manchester clubs (05:50). In the US, the NWSL was full of shocks as the top four seeds all exited the competition and Britt Eckerstrom stole the show (22:35), plus Ryan shares his love of the numerous novelty Twitter accounts that have sprung up around the tournament. The MLS was also wild, with goals, sendoffs, and plenty of VAR drama, much like La Liga’s final day, which saw Leganés relegated, two legends leave, and Villarreal and Granada seal their first ever European spot (32:00). Finally, they touch on Bielsa’s Leeds United getting promoted to the Premier League, Nigel Pearson’s sacking with two games left, and World Cup winner Andre Schürrle retiring at the age of 29 (42:25). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It’s a mailbag episode this time around, as Musa and Ryan let the questions guide them. They begin with Arsenal’s win over Liverpool (06:40) despite registering just three attempts on goal and a record-low possession total at home. They also discuss how the schedule is starting to take its toll on players, heap praise on the absent Jordan Henderson (12:32), and choose what players they would take from ’90s Arsenal and Manchester United teams onto today’s (14:23). Next, they host the first-ever ‘Stadio’ competition, in which they’ll be giving away a copy of Issue 2 of the brilliant Caricom Magazine, which contains an essay by Musa (20:11). Finally, they round up the latest from Portugal, Italy, and the U.S. (21:30) before moving on to discuss the Women’s Champions League (26:45), the USWNT players they’d like to see on European clubs (29:11), the rules they’d take from other sports into soccer, (32:24) and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Musa and Ryan discuss how the Court of Arbitration for Sport’s ruling to overturn UEFA’s punishment of Manchester City for alleged breaching of Financial Fair Play regulations will affect European soccer. They also touch on the damage to UEFA’s authority and how it played a part in creating a handful of powerful European superclubs (03:43). Next, they reflect on the North London Derby, in which Spurs beat Arsenal to land yet another victory for Jose Mourinho over the Gunners (16:47), before praising Chris Wilder as he continues to do a brilliant job at Sheffield United (32:00), and hitting a couple other Premier League talking points. Finally, following a letter by an anonymous Premier League player revealing they are gay but not able to go public, they discuss why men’s soccer has still so much to do to prove that the game really is for all (36:18), plus much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The MLS Is Back Tournament kicked off last Wednesday, so Musa and Ryan discuss the conditions surrounding its questionable return as well as Orlando’s beating Inter Miami in the opener and how the circumstances differ from the NWSL Challenge Cup (03.48). They take a question on how the NWSL compares to leagues in Europe, and explore whether the next NWSL CBA may allow USWNT players to play in Europe (10:40). They recap the wild Milan vs. Juventus game, Ralf Rangnick taking over for Stefano Pioli next season (15:11), whether Kai Havertz would fit at Chelsea as a rumored move to London gains steam (23:05), how the lack of a crowd affects field-player traits (30:05), and what footballing minutiae they love, including player and managerial sartorial choices (34:37). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was German Cup final weekend in Germany, so Musa and Ryan begin by discussing Wolfsburg and Bayern securing domestic doubles (02.00) and touch on the developments in German women's football for next season. They then move to the Premier League, with a big Southampton win over Manchester City yet again confirming the great job that Ralph Hasenhüttl is doing on England's south coast (15.27) and the differing trajectories for Liverpool and Spurs (19.00). After the break they touch on Manchester United looking extremely good and Mason Greenwood's potential (27.48), then reflect upon victories for Chelsea and Arsenal. There's Barcelona's win over Villarreal (33.49), Inter's slip-up at home to Bologna and the rest of Serie A (38.01), Ashley Sanchez with the highlight of the weekend's NWSL action and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this bonus episode, Musa and Ryan take a trip through multiple alternate footballing universes with their first “what if?” episode since joining Ringer FC. They speculate what happens to Liverpool if Coutinho doesn’t leave for Barcelona in 2017 (03:10), the FA doesn’t ban women’s football in the 1920s (10:55), John Terry doesn’t slip in the Champions League final penalty shootout of 2008 (17:57), Bayer Leverkusen win the treble in 2002 (29:26), and a certain group of players declare for Brazil over other nations (42:39). Plus, there’s a cameo that may please ‘Star Wars’ fans (21:44) and some more wholesome Jupp Heynckes chat (48:45). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Barcelona dropped more points against Atlético Madrid midweek, so Musa and Ryan discuss the troubles facing the defending La Liga champions (04:50), including the mismanagement at board level of a squad that has a player of Messi's caliber and how his brilliance is being wasted, before heading around the rest of La Liga (27:10). They move on to Serie A, following big wins for Juventus and Inter (29:58) and a much-needed win for Sampdoria. There's a roundup the NWSL Challenge Cup, including the impressive North Carolina Courage win over Washington Spirit (34:28), and then the Premier League, which saw West Ham upset Chelsea, Manchester United impress again, and Newcastle continue to play well (44:30). We'll publish a bonus episode on Friday, when Musa and Ryan go through some footballing what-ifs. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What a hectic weekend of soccer! Musa and Ryan begin by talking about the dramatic final days of the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga, including Werder Bremen’s 6-1 win over Köln to book a place in the relegation playoff, Gladbach securing Champions League football, Dortmund losing 4-0 at home to Hoffenheim, and the continuation of Schalke’s terrible run (1:20). Things also heated up in La Liga over the weekend (17:25), thanks in no small part to wonderful assists from Santi Cazorla and Karim Benzema, plus a late equalizer for Celta de Vigo against Barcelona. They also have tons of praise for Rose Lavelle after the Washington Spirit’s 2-1 win over Chicago (31:30) and take a quick trip to the Premier League and FA Cup (36.40). Plus, news of the first ‘What-If’ episode, coming this Thursday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Following Chelsea’s victory over Manchester City, Musa and Ryan record a bonus episode to discuss Liverpool’s first league title in 30 years (0:30), including heaps of praise for the job Jürgen Klopp has done at Anfield. They also touch on the game that won them the title, Chelsea’s position in the race for the Champions League spots, and Manchester City giving up the Premier League crown (20:02). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

There were so many goals in the midweek European fixtures, but Musa and Ryan begin with the NWSL Challenge Cup, which will be the first major league to return in the U.S. this Saturday (02.58), and the complications caused by Orlando Pride pulling out due to positive coronarvirus tests throughout the squad. The first wave of goals comes from Liga NOS, as Benfica are doing their best to not win the league (04.30), before moving on to Serie A with Atalanta v Lazio, and Inter v Sassuolo (05.43). Liverpool got four against Crystal Palace, which sees them one game away from clinching their first league title in 30 years (13.27) and Manchester United gave another impressive performance, recording their first EPL hat-trick since Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement. There’s La Liga (19.06), after Barcelona continues to struggle, Sergio Ramos’s beard and Atletico Madrid returning to form, before opening up the mailbag to answer questions on whether it’s better to win the league after watching or playing (24.20), Barcelona’s problems upstairs (25.20), who will win the Women’s Champions League (30.40), and much more. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the inaugural ‘Stadio’ podcast for 'Ringer FC', Musa Okwonga and Ryan Hunn introduce the show and get into the first full weekend of Premier League matches in over 100 days (01:50). They open with Spurs vs. Manchester United, featuring a brilliant Paul Pogba (06:00), and discuss how the United midfield might look going forward. Next, they move on to the Merseyside Derby (13:10), Brighton’s victory over Arsenal, including a bad injury to Bernd Leno (17:37), and Chelsea’s future following the announcement of the signing of Timo Werner (25:23). After the break, they round up the weekend’s Bundesliga action (30:00) and Ryan shares his experience of attending the Hertha vs. Leverkusen game behind closed doors (35:34). Plus, problems for Barcelona in La Liga (41:13), a great win for Celta, and the return of Serie A (46:57), before playing out on Patrick Cowley. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoicesFor more podcasts, ad-free and in full, plus access to the Stadio Social Club and much more, you can become a Stadio member by signing up at patreon.com/stadio. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.