USA TODAY Sports talked to Olivier Giroud about LAFC's quest to win another MLS Cup and the challenges (i.e. Lionel Messi) that potentially lie ahead.

MLS's 2024 playoff format features a best-of-three Round 1 series with no aggregate score tracking followed by single-game knockouts to the Cup.

If there's one thing it has brought, though, it's been drama.The Round 1 Best-of-3 format saw reigning MLS Cup champions Columbus Crew eliminated by the New York Red Bulls on Game 2 of the series, while Minnesota United upset Real Salt Lake.