Welcome to the Social Soccer Show and a show that may help you cast aside any feelings you have about the international break.

Good or otherwise. The domestic game is back, baby. And so is the Champions League. Yes, it barely seems a minute since Pep Guardiola had his way through the 2021 final, but here we are at the precipice of another one, and we're going to preview it right here, right now. My name is Ryan Bailey, and joining me to Chat Champions League is a man who is the first one to go for for facts on Shaktar Donyx, and many others, Taylor Rockwell. Hello, yes to Shaktar, I guess, less so to a few other clubs. I did spend a ton of time trying to figure out what Moldova is. I kept reading Breakaway Republic. I went down a rabbit hole on Moldova. But aside from that, I feel like I'm pretty ready to talk Champions League. In my research, Taylor, I got worried that I thought Dr. Doom lived in Moldova, but then I realized that was Latvira. Yeah, of course. And New Latvira. New Latvira might be the one he found later on. I'm a nerd. Yes, he does not. But Moldova is, in fact, a Republic of Moldova. But again, breakaway Republic. You had me at breakaway. I'm all in on that one. And indeed the home of Sheriff Tyros Ball who are in this one there.

Crest is a sheriff badge. It's their first ever time in this Champions League. They played eight qualifying games, Taylor, to get to this tournament. The first one was on July 7th when we were engaged in other things Euro 2020-wise. Whoa. I thought I was doing the frantic research to figure

out when young boys started because they started July 21st and I assumed that was the earliest

possible start. You have outdone me, Mr. Ryan Bailey. That is ridiculous that they have already

played that many games, but maybe that just means they're a battle-hardened, weathered team that will go very far in the Champions League. For sure, that's what that means. Indeed. We'll maybe find out who's going to shoot to Sherry or otherwise later in this podcast, but also here is a man who is desperate for a forum to present his thoughts on Sergio Conce Soutta Tactics. He now has it. It's Joe Lowry. Oh, Ryan, whatyan what a throwback right i feel like that in some of

these champions league shows that we got to do last year is when we all kind of started to bond on

air i mean you and taylor have been doing stuff but at least it's when i got to start uh talking

some sergio concedo i have his name in my notes and some thoughts on porto in my notes. It's like you read my mind. I like to think I did read your mind, Joe. My, my funniest fact about Porto this season is that they have double Pepe. They got another Pepe. A left winger from Gromio called Pepe. They have Pepe and Pepe. Oh, it doesn't get better than that guys. Come on now.

I don't think so. I'm looking forward to talking about them and many, many others.

By the way, listener, Graham is not here. He's been on vacation.

So like a Brazilian Premier League player, we banned him from appearing on this pod for a little while.

Also, it's his birthday today. And I have to share a listener.

We wished him, or Joe specifically wished him happy birthday on our TSS WhatsApp chat.

Joe's exact words were, happy birthday.

Graham's reply, if you say so.

Just, like, I don't know what the birthday for what a ba humbug is, but it's that. It's that.

It is that, of course.

Oh, well, happy birthday, Graham. We love you very much, and we're looking forward to

have you join us again next week when you're back from your Vait. I really do just picture, like,

the birth of his first child and him just sitting there like, yeah, it's all right. Like, it's just

always very, very low key, which I think he just saves his high energy for when Scotland do anything exciting. He just briefly pauses the Hibernian game is watching to go and check out what's happening with the birth of his child before returning to his 14th game of the day. Yes, I think that's how it went down. Oh, Graham. We love you very much, as we say, Graham. And we're looking forward to returning, and we hope you had a wonderful birthday. But for now, James, why don't we talk about the Champions League? European Cup is in its 67th season. And it's the 30th since the rebrand as the Champions League, 30 years old, just like Graham

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