stitchface

https://www.espn.com/soccer/united-states-usa/story/4372747/mls-youngsters-ready-for-europe-whos-next-in-line-to-follow-aaronson-and-adams-across-the-atlantic

Actually, they don't control any more because if they finish level with RM, they lose the tiebreaker. I expect all teams to drop more points. How the hell do you lose with 82% possession? Well never mind then. I just thought it was off goal differential like the EPL. no, they do it off head to head first, then GD

yes, nice to see a race in France for once. Either Barca or Athletico can win out to win the league though the draw in the head to head now favors Barcelona. RM will be focused on CL And another twist with Barcelona losing at home to Granada. Barcelona still controls their own destiny but their game against Atletico next weekend is probably a must win. They obviously can’t lose that one now and while a draw wouldn’t be the worst result, they’d no longer control their own destiny. Actually, they don't control any more because if they finish level with RM, they lose the tiebreaker. I expect all teams to drop more points. How the hell do you lose with 82% possession?

Cade Cowell is basically the next stage in the Jordan Morris animorph this guy is everywhere all of a sudden . . .

fun game to watch!

Ramos didn't play and Pepe is gone (hacking for Porto now so had that shot last round), so that helps.

Every time I look up from work it seems like Marcelo commits a yellow card worthy foul against him. It took an especially cynical and dangerous sliding challenge to finally get booked that's been true for years and now he is slow as well as a hack defender.

Barcelona and Atletico still play as do Sevilla and Real Madrid. France appears to be a good race also. Lille came from 2-0 down on the road to beat 4th place Lyon over the weekend. yes, nice to see a race in France for once. Either Barca or Athletico can win out to win the league though the draw in the head to head now favors Barcelona. RM will be focused on CL

the La Liga title race is great - Barca has a game in hand and is two points off first. RM is two points out and now Sevilla is within three . . . I cheer for Barca but would be awesome if Sevilla snuck in and won it.

lol. turning around that RD quickly. Might be in first tomorrow . . .

yikes, reading the NFL's new replay policy, it sounds like they learned from the premier league even using clear and obvious. This should go well.

Grip it and rip it!

I read an article on players exceeding expected goals over meaningful timeframes. Essentially, there was Messi, who absolutely crushed it, and everyone else who as very close to xG

Schalke was just sad before this. This is pathetic. I think what grosses me out about the super league narrative is that somehow UEFA and FIFA come out looking like they support the fans. What a bunch of [expletive]. Koeman gets it about right. They are every bit as greedy as the clubs. https://www.espn.com/soccer/barcelona/story/4365944/barcelona-boss-koeman-uefa-focused-on-moneynot-listening-to-playersmanagers

so now we get 10 pointless group stage CL games. yay.

I think the Super League owners grossly underestimated how angry their own fanbases would be about this. I'm sure they figured the smaller clubs and fanbases would complain, but completely had no idea how unpopular it'd be among their own fans. I don't know. I suspect it's the players not the fanbases.

I'm surprised how quickly this fell apart. FIFA officials lecturing on the evils of greed is pretty rich.

I enjoyed it. Captures a lot of different issues of the day. Complain about global warming but drive an SUV.

Honestly, if it were an out and out league and not a concurrent tournament like Champions League, I don't care if they lock themselves in. There'd be some negative side effects, but an oligarch premier league would be entertaining, and more importantly, would make all the other domestic leagues much more competitive even at a slightly lower competitive level. What I was maybe poorly articulating above is that I hope everyone else pushes them to the point where the fork in the road is that or the status quo. A champions league replacement with rich teams auto-qualifying is the worst case scenario. The way it's described makes it sound almost like a third tier European competition where the CL and EL continue. This was helpful. https://www.espn.com/soccer/blog-marcottis-musings/story/4363633/uefa-and-leagues-vow-to-fight-breakaway-european-super-league-what-this-means One thing not being discussed is how the travel impacts the players - there is always that discussion amongst Europeans who come to the US and then are shocked to have to fly from Miami to Seattle for a game . . . I don't think the players can tolerate any additional games. All I'm hearing right now in resistance is teeth-gnashing and nostalgia - I don't think that will have any impact. UEFA and FIFA are so corrupt, I wonder if they can actually put together any sort of challenge to their authority - which is likely illegal.

I think it's also sad that (your rooting interests aside) this is about as much as we can hope for in terms of competitive excitement from European soccer. The pandemic year and congestion has leveled the playing field a bit more, but outside of Lille trying desperately to hold off PSG, you have Man City and Bayern coasting, the same Spanish names locked in at the top, and even with Juve not winning for the first time in a decade it'll be another Super League team winning Serie A. That's why I really hope FAs/Confederations use this opportunity to go nuclear and force the envelope. Michael Cox makes this point more eloquently than me here: https://theathletic.com/2529349/2021/04/19/europes-leagues-are-broken-a-super-league-might-be-the-only-solution/ Looks to me like it replaces the champions league and was put forth because the ECA capitulated on the CL changes. Teams would still play domestically. Reinforces my thought that this is largely about EPL teams not wanting to have to compete to get into the CL. I think they will force different changes to the CL. I actually don't think FIFA can stop it. They aren't going to ban the best players from internationals - that's a lose-lose. And they aren't going to ban clubs from domestic leagues. The big clubs hold all the cards. Fans aren't going to stay away - they will flock in droves. I think the resistance comes down to nostalgia to when QPR had a chance to win the EPL. As it is, sure West Ham can make the CL but then they are screwed next year because they don't have the resources to compete on multiple fronts. Summarily, the system is already broken.

Yeah I saw Grant Wahl comparing it to burofax day in the Messi saga and that feels like a decent comparison. I'm not as completely hostile to the idea of 'super leagues' as many(if you include the invited clubs, that group has been both finalists for champions league every year since 2004 and 95+% of domestic titles since then, so what are we really changing), but the more I think of it, the more I think the current version is the worst possible outcome. I hope the leagues and FIFA/UEFA call the bluff and kick them out and the super league either backs down or goes all in and makes a full league. The domestic leagues(especially the EPL) would lose a bit in the latter scenario, but not as much as a lot of folks seem to think, IMO. I think the big six want to be in the CL every year. Not as much of an issue in other countries where the top teams all make it every year anyway. I don't feel like I give up much losing the twice yearly matchup between Barca and Valladolid . . . to some degree, would be interesting to have domestic leagues that give opportunities for minnows to win every year. That just doesn't happen anymore. It's more like college football in the US.

Italy was even close for a while but Inter has pulled away. yes, and someone other than Juventus is fun in and of itself. Would have been fun if AC had stayed a little closer.

The PL looking a little less decided these days. Hard to see City dropping 8 points but you never know. Spain and France have great multi-team races going. Should be a fun run in. Champions League should be fun too - anyone but Madrid would be a welcome change!

Love the Haaland reaction on the goal. I can't help but feel like the dip and resurgence are both related to playing time . . . chicken or egg?

they have a DH The Cubs have a DH* *DickHead** **Eric Sogard just remembered why I'm not watching games this year