'Yunus Musah has to start turning this around' - Tony Meola worried about USMNT midfielder's continued decline despite move to Atalanta BC

Meola acknowledged Musah getting his first start for La Dea against the European Champions isn't ideal, but also insisted his struggles aren't isolated to that match. 

“It was a tough test for Yunus Musah,” Meola said on the Call it What You Want podcast. “When you talk about performances, I’m still more worried about Yunus Musah because this, for me, isn’t a one off. Remember, he was at Milan. I watched him all year, I watched him all season, and the play just continued to decline and decline. 

“So this is, for me, like an extension of what happened last year. And I get worried because at some point, I want it to turn around. And I don’t know if we should be judging in this game, because as [co-host] Charlie [Davies] mentioned, [Fabian] Ruiz, Vitinha, [Joao] Neves. Like you’re dealing with a midfield that is the best midfield in the world, arguably…but I’m a little bit concerned that Yunus Musah has to start turning this around.”

While Musah struggled in his Champions League debut for Atalanta, there was plenty of praise for Tim Weah's first Champions League match for Marseille.  Davies offered glowing praise for the winger's impressive showing for Marseille against Real Madrid in the Champions League, calling it one of the best performances of his career. 

“Oh, [he was] phenomenal,” Davies said. “He absolutely torched the backline with his movement. He was running, and he was confident. The 1-v-1s, I was really impressed with his influence for Marseille. Remember, they signed Igor Paxiao. They have Mason Greenwood, and Igor Paxiao is just catching up. You have [Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang there as well. 

"So this is a talented Marseille team, and I think Weah proved that he’s got to be on the pitch. To do this against a Real Madrid side? Phenomenal! This was probably one of the best games I’ve seen from Timothy Weah in his career.”

Both players have some signature moments in the Champions League, arguably the best club competition in global football. Musah, 22, made his Champions League debut with AC Milan in September 2023 against Newcastle United and has since built steady experience, logging 13 total appearances in his career. While he has yet to register a goal or assist in the competition, the fact that he has now featured for two clubs in the competition showcases the value of his versatility to teams. Weah, who previously featured in Europe for Paris Saint-Germain and Lille, has made 13 total Champions League appearances and is on an upward trend in the competition, scoring in his last two games. 

Weah will likely feature in one of Marseille's biggest matches of the season when they host PSG in Le Classique. Musah will look to rebound when Atalanta take on Torino.