And, now all six EPL clubs withdrawing…
And now formation “suspended”:
Not as fast as America First caucus, but just as bad an idea.
How embarrassing (rightfully so) for the clubs involved! Just surprised it collapsed so quickly.
RIP ESL
Born 4/19/2021
Died 4/20/2021
Unlike the parrot and much like the man in black, the ESL is just mostly dead.
Barça now heavily favored (74%) to win La Liga. They’ve been favored since Mar 10 on 538, when they were six back.
Now, only two back with a game in hand, and one critical match vs Athletico, it’s theirs to lose.
MCI come back to win on the road at PSG, up to prob. 63% of winning championship.
A better proposal: Cut, not expand, Champions League to 24. Four groups of six teams, play 10 matches in Group Stage. More matches, fewer shithole (oops, Trumpian slip) teams to play against.
Drop one team from each of the top 10 leagues, make them play in preliminary rounds. Or drop to Europa. Or, to give shithole leagues some share of glory, have these top league’s last picks play each other in a separate knockout bracket, while the lower leagues duke it out as they do now. Call it the “Super Play-off Round.”
Snow, in May??
EPL now has 2 finals in 3 years with 4 different teams, and none being ManU or Arsenal. While this year is not optimal, life is good.
And, back to a tougher road for Barca, losing to Granada. Still need (well, “need” meaning, “it would be better to be above them than below them with three matches left”) to beat Atletico on Saturday, AND Real have to drop points along the way (they play 4th place Sevilla Sunday).
And The EPL has two more playing today for spots in the Europa League Finals.
Also note that this will be the fourth meeting this season between MCI and CHE. The third will be this weekend.
Champions League Final likely getting moved, as Turkey is on England’s travel ban list.
ESPN expected to announce they have acquired La Liga US broadcast rights. Sweet!
Guessing it’s more streaming than on ESPN cable stations, because not enough commercial time.
Also, I’m guessing that the Cornhole championships draw better at 4AM on Saturdays here.
I will resubscribe to ESPN+ when the Euro leagues get started later this year. It’s a good deal IMO.
In honor of La Liga being back on TV here, Ray Hudson is one of my favorite soccer personalities that follows me on Twitter. Sure, probably a staff member clicked the follow button but that’s still fun
Will Juve sneak by Milan or Napoli this weekend or will Milan put forth a strong effort and beat Atalanta? It would be crushing for Milan to drop out. I am very hopeful that Juve doesn’t make CL. Would be willing to bet they would have to be sellers.
Barca lose a man (two yellows) and the match and the League this past weekend. Will they also lose Messi in the Summer? I don’t think he wants to leave, but I think he’ll make Barca create a team around him first, and if it’s up to his snuff, he’ll re-sign with them.
Might have to makes a women’s soccer thread, but until then:
Two Euro teams, two NWSL teams. See which geographic area has the best team.
I think Barca go get Mbappe and/or Neymar and let Messi walk. It’s time. I’m not a big Neymar fan, but they have history and PSG is not going anywhere. Those 2 playing in 5th best league for too long is not good. PSG was meant to be a stop over to win a CL title and cash out. Neymar signed through 2025 which is weird but Mbappe has one year left. Definitely a transfer this summer although 700K per week demand is high.
If Liverpool sign Mbappe, I am ok with letting Salah go to Madrid as offset and pushing for a younger winger to come in.
And the Spurs qualify for the new Europa Conference League. Finally, a competition they just might win!
Interestingly, they are not the highest ranked (by Euro Club Coefficient) team (so far – it’s possible some higher-ranked UCL or Europa qualifier team loses and is dropped down to UECL) in the UECL. That would be Roma.
Also, in this league, no one has qualified for the Group Stage yet.