***Official Soccer Discussion Thread*** (3 Viewers)

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

I've been looking for this kind of story ever since the event happened at Queretaro, where someone tracked down the people who claimed to know that someone had been killed and did the legwork.

And it looks like I was wrong...

In Querétaro, though, it’s just the solitary reporter, Estrella. As she waited in front of the camera for the studio team to throw to her, she offered her thoughts on everything that’s happened. When she arrived at perhaps the most nebulous part of all of it — the death toll, which officially remains at zero — she pushed back against the assertion that the local government is covering up fatalities.

“No hay muertos,” she says, firmly. There are no deaths.

For days, she followed up with fans who posted accounts on Twitter saying that they lost a loved one in the attacks. For one reason or another — fear, anxiety, or fiction — none of those leads panned out. 

“I see all of those accounts (online),” she said. “But then you find those people — and you ask them for the names of those loved ones, or the names of their friends who died, and they have nothing to say. Where were they taken? They just don’t tell you.”

 

[Dinsy Ejotuz]

Over the moon that Liverpool drew Benfica while City have to deal with Atletico's BS twice -- immediately on either side of the City v Liverpool match. 

Would have been nice if Bayern had been on the other side of the bracket with City.

• Benfica v Liverpool
  
• Villareal v Bayern
  

• City v Atletico
  
• Chelsea v Real
  

If the favorites go through you'd end up with the top 4 teams in the world by 538's reckoning.

Bold teams are at home in 2nd leg of semis.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Chelsea-Real Madrid

Man City-At. Madrid

Villarreal-Bayern

Benfica-Liverpool

(Semi-final)

Semi-final 1: Winners of: Man City-Atleti v Chelsea-Real Madrid

Semi-final 2: Winners of: Benfica-Liverpool v Villarreal-Bayern

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Good that the English and Spanish teams all avoided each other. Chelsea played Real Madrid last year so that’s a bit stale for me but hopefully will be some good games. 

 

[The Gator]

This, please.

nailed it!

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

 Chelsea played Real Madrid last year so that’s a bit stale for me but hopefully will be some good games. 

Benzema is always fresh, silly boy.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

Kind of seems like a two-way race between Benz and Lewa for the Ballon D'or this year, though I suppose the World Cup could certainly change all that.  

 

[NewlyRetired]

Kind of seems like a two-way race between Benz and Lewa for the Ballon D'or this year, though I suppose the World Cup could certainly change all that.  

The Ballon D'or is no longer calendar based, it is seasonal based now around the UEFA calendar.

As such, the 2021-2022 winner will be chosen after Women's Euro 2022 tournament in the summer.

The WC in Qatar won't come into play until the 2022-2023 winner is chosen in the summer of 2023.

 

[Ramsay Hunt Experience]

The Ballon D'or is no longer calendar based, it is seasonal based now around the UEFA calendar.

As such, the 2021-2022 winner will be chosen after Women's Euro 2022 tournament in the summer.

The WC in Qatar won't come into play until the 2022-2023 winner is chosen in the summer of 2023.

Ah.  I guess on reflection, it's a three-man race between Benz, Lewa, and Salah.  

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Get your Chelsea bids in now - closing in one minute. 

 

[The Noid]

Union @ NYCFC this week, grudge match. No surprise this has turned into yet another Philly/NY rivalry. Bad taste in our mouths after the 2021 COVID match conference finals that might have cost us a legit shot at the championship. Hope we get out of their fugazi soccer stadium with 3 points! 

Boom! Satisfying win. Firmly puts us in the top tier teams conversation. 

 

[El Floppo]

Boom! Satisfying win. Firmly puts us in the top tier teams conversation. 

NYC are in a weird spot... not a pun on that shambolic stadium. Good team that has started the season pretty poorly. I didn't get to watch, but likely a deserved win for Philly.

so there are three main soccer threads...

this one is for general soccer stuff.

USMNT- for US soccer related, often including game-day discussion (and there's a HUGE 3 game window coming up for all the WC qualifying marbles).

match-day- for.... match-day game talk and anything Manchester United talk for some of us regardless of the day.

and of course the S####horpe United thread.

all that to say...
WRONG THREAD

maybe. I have no idea, tbh...I just like saying WRONG THREAD because I wanted just one thread to rule them all.

 

[Mjolnirs]

The Oceana Confederation has a mess on their hands in World Cup Qualifying.
Their tournament to see who (read that as New Zealand) will face the 4th team from CONCACAF is falling apart.

Group A
3/17 Solomon Islands beats Cook Island 2-0
3/17 Vanuatu v Tahiti cancelled due to COVID outbreak on Vanuatu team
3/20 Cook Island v Tahiti cancelled due to COVID outbreak on Cook Island team
3/20 Solomon Islands v Vanuatu cancelled due to Vanuatu withdrawing .... due to COVID
3/24 Vanuatu v Cook Island due to Vanuatu's withdrawal
3/24 Solomon Islands v Tahiti ... still on as of now.

Group B hasn't had any cancellations, yet.

 

[El Floppo]

NZ looked fairly decent in a recent, but not that recent (covid) u-something WC. one of those WCs the US did so well in... wait- scratch that- the US didn't make that WC.

 

[NewlyRetired]

saw this on twitter

==============

MLS by the numbers this week:

75: MLS players called up for international duty

31: Countries with MLS player representation

28: All MLS clubs represented

 

[NewlyRetired]

[Zach Lowy] In 2000, Zlatan Ibrahimović played alongside Cameroonian defender Joseph Elanga at Malmö. 22 years later, Zlatan is playing alongside Joseph’s son Anthony Elanga at Sweden.

 

[El Floppo]

[Zach Lowy] In 2000, Zlatan Ibrahimović played alongside Cameroonian defender Joseph Elanga at Malmö. 22 years later, Zlatan is playing alongside Joseph’s son Anthony Elanga at Sweden.

I just saw some headline blurb on my news feed about Zlat singing his praises... figured there was some kind of backstory (the Zlat doesn't sing praises unless there is one).

 

[Mjolnirs]

The next week will see 58 matches secure 15 spots in the 2022 World Cup. 
Leaving only the two spots from the Inter Confederation Playin matches in June.  Well, AFC has a match in June to finalize their team for that.  So three matches, two spots.

Africa 3/24, 3/28 - ten teams left for five spots
Egypt v Senegal, Cameroon v Algeria, Ghana v Nigeria, DR Congo v Morocco, Mali v Tunisia
Each winner qualifies.

Asia six teams left for 2.5 spots
Two already qualified.  Iran, South Korea. Plus hosts, Qatar.
Group A 
3/24 South Korea v Iran, Iraq v UAE, Lebanon v Syria
3/29 Iran v Lebanon, UAE v South Korea, Syria v Iraq
Iran and South Korea have qualified, the 3rd place slot is between UA(9), Lebanon(6) and Iraq(5).  Syria is eliminated.
Group B
3/24 Australia v Japan, China v Saudi Arabia, Vietnam v Oman
3/29 Japan v Vietnam, Saudi Arabia v Australia, Oman v China
It is between Saudi Arabia(19), Japan(18) and Australia(15)
The top two qualify, and the 3rd place team plays Group A's in a single match on 6/7.  The winner then facing the CONMEBOL 5th place team.

Europe 3/24 eleven teams left for three spots
Ten already qualified.  Germany, Denmark, France, Belgium, Serbia, Spain, Croatia, England, Switzerland, Netherlands.
Scotland v Ukraine, Wales v Austria - winners play 3/29
Sweden v Czech Republic - winner plays Poland 3/29
Italy v North Macedonia, Portugal v Turkey - winners play 3/29
The three winners qualify

North America Six teams alive for 3.5 spots
Matches on 3/24, 3/27, 3/30
Multiple clinching scenarios starting tomorrow.

South America Six teams alive for 2.5 spots
Two already qualified. Brazil, Argentina
Matches on 3/24 and 3/29
Multiple clinching scenarios starting tomorrow.

Oceana Five teams for 1/2 spot
Group A
3/24 Solomon Islands v Tahiti for seeding, Vanuatu and Cook Islands have withdrawn
Group B
3/24 New Zealand v New Caledonia, Fiji v Papua New Guinea
New Zealand has advanced and New Caledonia has been eliminated.
3/27, 3/30 4 team single, single elimination with the winner getting the CONCACAF 4th place team.

 

[NewlyRetired]

This is not an example of reading the room well

========

Russia is launching a bid to host the 2028 European Championship in a challenge to the British Isles entry or against Italy for the 2032 edition, despite its teams being suspended from international competitions over the war in Ukraine.

A meeting of the Russian Football Union (RFU) executive committee decided on Wednesday to "support the decision to declare interest" in the 2028 and 2032 tournaments, the organization said in a statement ahead of the deadline for expressions of interest to be submitted to UEFA.

 

[Mjolnirs]

Asia six teams left for 2.5 spots
Two already qualified.  Iran, South Korea. Plus hosts, Qatar.
Group B
3/24 Australia v Japan, China v Saudi Arabia, Vietnam v Oman
3/29 Japan v Vietnam, Saudi Arabia v Australia, Oman v China
It is between Saudi Arabia(19), Japan(18) and Australia(15)
The top two qualify, and the 3rd place team plays Group A's in a single match on 6/7.  The winner then facing the CONMEBOL 5th place team.

Japan score at 89 and 90+4 to beat Australia 2-0.
This puts Japan and Saudi Arabia in the final 32. (now up to 17)
Australia will face either UAE, Lebanon or Iraq on 6/7 for the spot against CONMEBOL

 

[El Floppo]

Japan score at 89 and 90+4 to beat Australia 2-0.
This puts Japan and Saudi Arabia in the final 32. (now up to 17)
Australia will face either UAE, Lebanon or Iraq on 6/7 for the spot against CONMEBOL

saw the result in my feed this AM, but didn't know what it meant- thank for spelling it all out!

 

[Jobber]

This is not an example of reading the room well

========

Russia is launching a bid to host the 2028 European Championship in a challenge to the British Isles entry or against Italy for the 2032 edition, despite its teams being suspended from international competitions over the war in Ukraine.

A meeting of the Russian Football Union (RFU) executive committee decided on Wednesday to "support the decision to declare interest" in the 2028 and 2032 tournaments, the organization said in a statement ahead of the deadline for expressions of interest to be submitted to UEFA.

Knowing FIFA, Russia is a lock.

 

[Mjolnirs]

Oceana Five teams for 1/2 spot
Group A
3/24 Solomon Islands v Tahiti for seeding, Vanuatu and Cook Islands have withdrawn
Group B
3/24 New Zealand v New Caledonia, Fiji v Papua New Guinea
New Zealand has advanced and New Caledonia has been eliminated.
3/27, 3/30 4 team single, single elimination with the winner getting the CONCACAF 4th place team.

Solomon Islands over Tahiti 3-1, NZ over New Caledonia 3-1, Papua New Guinea over Fiji 2-1

3/27 Solomon Islands v Papua New Guinea, New Zealand v Fiji
3/30 winners play for position in playin game

 

[El Floppo]

are these EUFA WCQs one-offs, or home and away?

 

[Eephus]

are these EUFA WCQs one-offs, or home and away?

Three single elimination mini brackets of four teams with one advancing from each.

 

[El Floppo]

Italy can't get one past N Macedonia.

 

[El Floppo]

OOOOOOMMMMMMMMGGGGGGGG

 

[Eephus]

North Macedonia 

 

[El Floppo]

hfs

sorry gbs, djackson and kafka.

 

[Sand]

North Macedonia 

No joke.  

 

[NewlyRetired]

I might be wrong but I will be shocked if a half dozen or so of the slightly older Italian national team players don't end up in MLS in the coming months.

 

[DJackson10]

I might be wrong but I will be shocked if a half dozen or so of the slightly older Italian national team players don't end up in MLS in the coming months.

Don't think many will be. MLS is getting past the whole sign players outside their prime. Insigne is an exception as he's still playing at a high level. 

 

[DJackson10]

I'm at a loss of words just I don't know. Most of us at the cafe were pretty PO'd but a lot of us weren't as upset with us not being there as it was it was an opportunity for the calico community in our region to all get together for a short brief time and cheer for the same team. It's a comrade thing. 

I think Mancini "retires" before he's sacked but I feel bad for him. Just a horrible group to select from in terms of attack. Berardi is great in the league can't seem to do well on the national team. Same with Immobile. Loosing Chiesa hurt. Our MF is great and I think Defensively we are set. Gigi not playing enough at PSG I think hurt. Gigi playing constant mins in league saves that Macedonia shot. 

A lot is gonna change with this team hopefully in the future. I blame FIGC mostly and the fact us Italians we win something and we lose our hunger right away. 

 

[Mjolnirs]

What a day.
Italy losing to North Macedonia is astounding.  They fired a shot across the bow of all of Europe by beating Germany 2-1 in the group phase a year ago, in Germany.

Europe is down to 7 teams for 3 spots.

CONMEBOL saw Ecuador and Uruguay qualify, and Bolivia eliminated.
Peru(21), Colombia(20) and Chile(19) are all up for the last spot, the playin against Asia.
Peru plays Paraguay, Colombia plays Venezuela, and Chile plays Uruguay all on 3/29

CONCACAF saw Canada, USA and Mexico at least qualify for the playin; Costa Rica and Panama still alive and El Salvador eliminated.
 

19 teams qualified for WC 2022 right now.

 

[NewlyRetired]

CONCACAF saw Canada, USA and Mexico at least qualify for the playin; 

I don't think this is correct.  Only Canada has 4th locked up.

I am pretty sure US has not yet locked up 4th as both CR and Panama can pass the US with specific results.

If the US loses both their final two games, they will have 22 points.

If CR and Panama both win their final 2 games, they will have 25 and 24 points respectively.

 

[NewlyRetired]

At the very earliest, Italy will go 20 years (20 years!!) between knock out round games in the WC.  The next possible chance will be in 2026 and their last was way back in 2006.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Per the AthleticUK, Raine Group have shortlisted 4 bidding groups for the Chelsea FC purchase:

Team Boehly

Harris/Blitzer & friends

Stephen Pagliuca & Bain

The Ricketts & Ken Griffin

Now the real work begins.  Sale price could be the highest ever paid for a sports franchise.

 

[waiver wire]

Per the AthleticUK, Raine Group have shortlisted 4 bidding groups for the Chelsea FC purchase:

Team Boehly

Harris/Blitzer & friends

Stephen Pagliuca & Bain

The Ricketts & Ken Griffin

Now the real work begins.  Sale price could be the highest ever paid for a sports franchise.

the question i have 
who gets the money for the sale ? if  Abramovich is under sanctions , does the money go into a trust until he isnt ? 

 

[encaitar]

Per the AthleticUK, Raine Group have shortlisted 4 bidding groups for the Chelsea FC purchase:

Team Boehly

Harris/Blitzer & friends

Stephen Pagliuca & Bain

The Ricketts & Ken Griffin

Now the real work begins.  Sale price could be the highest ever paid for a sports franchise.

Wow...  Essentially 4 Americans?!  I'm guessing most/all of these groups are looking at Chelsea as an investment?  Likely to immediately be on the side of Super League from the outset?

What are you and other Chelsea fans hoping for?  Obviously not Ricketts.  As a Cubs fan I'll tell you that you guys need to do anything and everything you can to make sure he's not the future Chelsea owner.  One of the worst owners in baseball who basically singlehandedly destroyed a World Series winning team.

Sale price WILL be the highest in history.  A top 5 team in the world at an open auction?  Unless there's collusion, there's no way this doesn't go for more than $3.5 million.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

the question i have 
who gets the money for the sale ? if  Abramovich is under sanctions , does the money go into a trust until he isnt ? 

Multiple sources, including the club, have reported that Abramovich will cancel the 1.5bln in debt the club owes him and all sale proceeds will go to a charity set up for the benefit of victims from the war in Ukraine.  That's probably the most anyone can say at this point.

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Wow...  Essentially 4 Americans?!  I'm guessing most/all of these groups are looking at Chelsea as an investment?  Likely to immediately be on the side of Super League from the outset?

What are you and other Chelsea fans hoping for?  Obviously not Ricketts.  As a Cubs fan I'll tell you that you guys need to do anything and everything you can to make sure he's not the future Chelsea owner.  One of the worst owners in baseball who basically singlehandedly destroyed a World Series winning team.

Sale price WILL be the highest in history.  A top 5 team in the world at an open auction?  Unless there's collusion, there's no way this doesn't go for more than $3.5 million.

These bidders are all part of larger groups and most of it is still completely confidential. I don't believe the Pagliuca bid was publicly known until today. But it does appear the 4 shortlisted buyer groups are all heavily backed by US-based interests. I don't pretend to have my finger on the pulse of the street-level match-going Chelsea supporters, but my strong impressions are:

1. Most are happy the Saudi Media Group is no longer in the running.

2. There is a very strong anti-Ricketts movement among fans. Mostly because of the elder Ricketts' racist comments on record, rather than anything to do with the Cubs.

3. It will be very hard (likely impossible) to find another owner like Roman - who ran the club "for cups not for profit" for 20 years. But yeah, that is probably what most fans are hoping for. Abramovich still has final say in who the buyer is - there's no way they can take that away from him unless he voluntarily removes himself from the process and leaves it to his board. Most expect his legacy with Chelsea is important to him. In any event, I think buyers will see this as a situation in which a successful investment depends on winning trophies much moreso than any American sports franchise for obvious reasons. Even a private equity type investor will understand this is a long term investment that pays off at the end, rather than an investment that pays substantial dividends along the way (like the Glazers' approach).

I was somewhat active online in 2003 when Abramovich bought Chelsea from Ken Bates. I also had a few real-life friends in Europe to discuss it with.  We were all scared he would treat it like a toy for a few years, an ego thing or whatever, then bow out and leave us worse off.  Obviously, he's been the most fantastic owner any sports club can possibly imagine. It's impossible to imagine anything that meets our hopes or expectations. For now, only time will tell. 

 

[leftcoastguy7]

How to tell when you're taking soccer a little too seriously....

 

[waiver wire]

Multiple sources, including the club, have reported that Abramovich will cancel the 1.5bln in debt the club owes him and all sale proceeds will go to a charity set up for the benefit of victims from the war in Ukraine.  That's probably the most anyone can say at this point.

that sounds great but if he doesnt give it to the charity he gets to to keep it  , i assume 

A little of topic from soccer but interested in the fall out of all the building's , boats and estates that all the governments have seized and the sale of chelsea got me going down this rabbit hole

 

[CletiusMaximus]

Multiple sources, including the club, have reported that Abramovich will cancel the 1.5bln in debt the club owes him and all sale proceeds will go to a charity set up for the benefit of victims from the war in Ukraine.  That's probably the most anyone can say at this point.

that sounds great but if he doesnt give it to the charity he gets to to keep it  , i assume 

A little of topic from soccer but interested in the fall out of all the building's , boats and estates that all the governments have seized and the sale of chelsea got me going down this rabbit hole

No one really knows what will happen with all the Russian frozen/seized assets around the world.  If we are talking about a Western country like England, the rule of law generally applies and a government can't simply take private property without charges being filed and a court proceeding of some sort being held. But we know US police and other government actors for example can and often do seize assets outside of any judicial process and those assets (cash, cars, guns, etc.) are effectively no longer the property of the rightful owner, presumption of innocence notwithstanding. In this case, it seems certain any proceeds from the sale of Chelsea FC will be "frozen" and at that point, no one knows what the Brexit clowns in power in England will do. It seems highly likely that Nadine Dorries is fantasizing a private tryst with Boris Johnson in one of Roman's London villas as we speak. Abramovich has publicly stated he wants and intends to have the sale proceeds go to charity.  Whether he can make that happen is a huge question mark.

 

[El Floppo]

Don't think many will be. MLS is getting past the whole sign players outside their prime. Insigne is an exception as he's still playing at a high level. 

True about MLS being done with guys in the twilight of their careers. But I've been amazed at how little most of these guys make in Italy...even their stars. At this point with the salaries, MLS teams could probably bring some guys over who are younger...if they were interested. 

 

[Eephus]

Ghana-Nigeria was a pretty bland scoreless draw.

Elsewhere in CAF, it was a good day for North Africans.

 

[NewlyRetired]

True about MLS being done with guys in the twilight of their careers. But I've been amazed at how little most of these guys make in Italy...even their stars. At this point with the salaries, MLS teams could probably bring some guys over who are younger...if they were interested. 

I was not talking about old players per say in my post.  I was talking about guys who are closer to their prime, think 27-30ish years old.  Players that would not have normally come to MLS because they may have been afraid of losing a WC spot but for players this age, a move to MLS is a lot more enticing now since that worry is, unfortunately,  removed.

 

[Mjolnirs]

I don't think this is correct.  Only Canada has 4th locked up.

I am pretty sure US has not yet locked up 4th as both CR and Panama can pass the US with specific results.

If the US loses both their final two games, they will have 22 points.

If CR and Panama both win their final 2 games, they will have 25 and 24 points respectively.

Yeh, looked at it incorrectly.

 

[NewlyRetired]

Charlotte did not take long to get caught up in International drama.  Seeing as this has happened to US players over the years I am not shocked Poland is pissed given how big the game is they have coming up.

https://twitter.com/MLS_Buzz/status/1507861774820954113

 

[DJackson10]

These bidders are all part of larger groups and most of it is still completely confidential. I don't believe the Pagliuca bid was publicly known until today. But it does appear the 4 shortlisted buyer groups are all heavily backed by US-based interests. I don't pretend to have my finger on the pulse of the street-level match-going Chelsea supporters, but my strong impressions are:

1. Most are happy the Saudi Media Group is no longer in the running.

2. There is a very strong anti-Ricketts movement among fans. Mostly because of the elder Ricketts' racist comments on record, rather than anything to do with the Cubs.

3. It will be very hard (likely impossible) to find another owner like Roman - who ran the club "for cups not for profit" for 20 years. But yeah, that is probably what most fans are hoping for. Abramovich still has final say in who the buyer is - there's no way they can take that away from him unless he voluntarily removes himself from the process and leaves it to his board. Most expect his legacy with Chelsea is important to him. In any event, I think buyers will see this as a situation in which a successful investment depends on winning trophies much moreso than any American sports franchise for obvious reasons. Even a private equity type investor will understand this is a long term investment that pays off at the end, rather than an investment that pays substantial dividends along the way (like the Glazers' approach).

I was somewhat active online in 2003 when Abramovich bought Chelsea from Ken Bates. I also had a few real-life friends in Europe to discuss it with.  We were all scared he would treat it like a toy for a few years, an ego thing or whatever, then bow out and leave us worse off.  Obviously, he's been the most fantastic owner any sports club can possibly imagine. It's impossible to imagine anything that meets our hopes or expectations. For now, only time will tell. 

Elliot management is apparently in a partnership with one of the groups. My guess funding their investment