burnspbesq
Member
Despite having to completely rebuild their defense in real time, PSV are leading the Eredivisie at 3-0 with a goal difference of +12.
Soccer, Fútbol, It's just Football
- Thread starter Kdogg
- Start date
sciencegeek
Member
Anyone a NWSL fan? Been to a bunch of NC Courage games in the past, but not this year.
Phredd3
Member
The Courage are just far enough away from Durham that we also have not been in a several years. I've certainly enjoyed the games the few times I've seen them.
Champions League Draw today! If anyone wants to make a murder board from the new format here are all the details.
www.uefa.com
Part of it will be a computer draw because a ceremony with like a 1000 ping pong balls would take six hours....so 30 minutes more than a standard UEFA event.
New format for Champions League post-2024: Everything you need to know | UEFA Champions League
The 2024/25 edition of the UEFA Champions League will follow a new format. We explain what will change, what will stay the same, what it means for fans and how it impacts UEFA's other club competitions.
Part of it will be a computer draw because a ceremony with like a 1000 ping pong balls would take six hours....so 30 minutes more than a standard UEFA event.
Phredd3
Member
I didn't even realize there was a format change. I'm not a huge fan of adding games. PL players in the top teams have plenty of games already between the PL, the League Cup, and the FA Cup. Putting in two more UCL games is adding to what's already a big burden.Champions League Draw today! If anyone wants to make a murder board from the new format here are all the details.
New format for Champions League post-2024: Everything you need to know | UEFA Champions League
The 2024/25 edition of the UEFA Champions League will follow a new format. We explain what will change, what will stay the same, what it means for fans and how it impacts UEFA's other club competitions.
Part of it will be a computer draw because a ceremony with like a 1000 ping pong balls would take six hours....so 30 minutes more than a standard UEFA event.
It's all about the money. First from the added games. Then from getting rid of the group stage format. Instead of three opponents twice (home and away) each team but will play eight different teams. That will lead to more marque games earlier in the competition. It's the result of some marketing studies that showed younger and non-European fans (Asian) want big name games and not the traditional round robin. Of course I hate. Just like I hate the reworked anthem. - GET OFF MY LAWN.
The next reason is because of the cold war between EUFA and FIFA. As great as the World Cup is it doesn't come anywhere close to generating the money that Champions League does. FIFA wants in and is trying to use their Club World Cup as it's leading front. They moved it to a summer competition next year. It's supposed to be hosted on the east coast of the US. I haven't heard much on it lately. Image a team like Real Madrid or City doing their League games, their League Cup, the secondary League Cup, the Champions League AND another month of club games.
burnspbesq
Member
Initial impressions from a quick review of the Champions League draw.
(1) Nobody got a worse draw than Lille: Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juve, Atleti, Feyenoord, Sporting, Sturm Graz, and Bologna.
(2) None of the English clubs have any reason to whinge. Villa in particular got a very manageable slate (what the heck are Club Brugge and Shaktar doing in Pot 2, anyway?).
(3) Not at all upset with PSV’s draw. They’ve got five winnable matches (Shaktar, Sporting, Red Star, Girona, and Brest), and they get Liverpool at home.
(1) Nobody got a worse draw than Lille: Real Madrid, Liverpool, Juve, Atleti, Feyenoord, Sporting, Sturm Graz, and Bologna.
(2) None of the English clubs have any reason to whinge. Villa in particular got a very manageable slate (what the heck are Club Brugge and Shaktar doing in Pot 2, anyway?).
(3) Not at all upset with PSV’s draw. They’ve got five winnable matches (Shaktar, Sporting, Red Star, Girona, and Brest), and they get Liverpool at home.
burnspbesq
Member
Chelsea’s Conference League draw is an absolute joke: Gent, Heidenheim, Astana, Shamrock Rovers, Panathanaikos, and Noah. And they play Noah at home, so their fans will be spared the task of getting to Armavir, Armenia on a Thursday night.
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OldPhiKap
Super Moderator
Yes, sorry if my post was ambiguous. (It’s a feature with me, not a bug unfortunately).
Some good matches this weekend. Odd/sad to see Belgium - Israel played yesterday without a crowd being allowed for security reasons.
Phredd3
Member
Oh, that's what was going on. I saw just a part of that game, but I was wondering why they were playing in a echo chamber.
OldPhiKap
Super Moderator
Yeah, I had to look it up. It reminded me of COVID games when the leagues resumed.
Apparently, Belgium has done this at several locations with matches against the Israeli teams or teams from that area, even moving the games to neutral counties. It is reported as being for security reasons due to the current war in Gaza as opposed to a political statement, and I personally have no reason to doubt that.
How to watch Belgium vs. Israel in the Nations League: With and without cable
There have been calls from the Palestine Football Association to suspend Israel from international soccer due to the war with Gaza. However, no decision has bee
burnspbesq
Member
ICYMI, San Marino won for the first time in 20 years the other day, beating Liechtenstein 1-0. The goal scorer wasn’t even born the last time they won.
OldPhiKap
Super Moderator
Sadly, I’m getting to the point where most players weren’t born before my kids were born.
It's a UEFA event so FIFA can't really do anything about it. It's a third international competition after the World Cup, and the Euros and steps down the significance scale. There's a partially linked with World Cup qualifying too. I'm sure the event was to get ahead of FIFA trying to get another tournament off the ground to tap into the pot of money. EUFA is by far the richer organization. If FIFA get's out of line, UEFA's ultimate threat is to leave and bring CONMEBOL with them to form a new completely new tournament.
mph
Well-known member
Our first half performance was pathetic. We are slow and passive. Canada is forcing the issue all over the pitch, giving us no space to operate. It looks like they are playing with an extra man.