Leeds would have scored 40
The European Football thread!
- Thread starter Strummer
- Start date
Never said they weren't. The criticism is of the tournament.
magicwoand
It tizwas it is
But that’s silly, they qualified for it by being Champions exactly like we did. The European Cup and a champions league was / is the tournament awarded to the best team in Europe. I don’t think anyone sensible could argue that we weren’t or City aren’t in this instance.
valspoodle
Steve Chettle
Short term memory loss. Keeps me happy, I think.
Did they play only teams that were Champions of their respective leagues?
Either way - 3/4 of the teams in that tournament are not in there on the same merits as they would have been pre-bastardisation and to use the word "Champions" in the title cheapens all previous winners' achievements.
Redemption
Agenda Benda
The death of Silvio Berlusconi was noted on the politics thread. But its worth mentioning on this thread as Berlusconi is the inspiration, if not the Architect, of the UCL.
As owner and president of AC Milan, he was a spectator at the European Cup first round tie in 1987 between Napoli and Real Madrid. A game featuring Diego Maradona for the Italians and Emilio Butragueno for Spanish
They were definitely the top two teams of Europe at the time. One of them was going out in the first round.
“The European Cup has become a historical anachronism," Berlusconi sadi. " It is economic nonsense that a club such as Milan might be eliminated in the first round. It is not modern thinking.”
While we rightly think of Murdoch and Sky as the TV manipulator, Berlusconi was ahead of the game with his Canale5+ service.
In the year that followed, Berlusconi delivered a proposal to Europe's elite clubs for a Super League model strongly tied to TV rights. This mirrored a format from an original proposal from 1955. A similar proposal had also been made by Liverpool FC in 1980 after Forest had upset the applecart.
The elite clubs then put pressure on UEFA to change the competition. Later, Saatchi and Saatchi were given the task of working out how to 'reform' and 'modernise' UEFA's club competitions.
The rest is history, as they say. Berlusconi had changed the game of football in Europe as we know it.
As owner and president of AC Milan, he was a spectator at the European Cup first round tie in 1987 between Napoli and Real Madrid. A game featuring Diego Maradona for the Italians and Emilio Butragueno for Spanish
They were definitely the top two teams of Europe at the time. One of them was going out in the first round.
“The European Cup has become a historical anachronism," Berlusconi sadi. " It is economic nonsense that a club such as Milan might be eliminated in the first round. It is not modern thinking.”
While we rightly think of Murdoch and Sky as the TV manipulator, Berlusconi was ahead of the game with his Canale5+ service.
In the year that followed, Berlusconi delivered a proposal to Europe's elite clubs for a Super League model strongly tied to TV rights. This mirrored a format from an original proposal from 1955. A similar proposal had also been made by Liverpool FC in 1980 after Forest had upset the applecart.
The elite clubs then put pressure on UEFA to change the competition. Later, Saatchi and Saatchi were given the task of working out how to 'reform' and 'modernise' UEFA's club competitions.
The rest is history, as they say. Berlusconi had changed the game of football in Europe as we know it.
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Senior Flange Technician
Andy!
Greed, it's always greed.
Redemption
Agenda Benda
Yes.
But professional football has always been about money and greed.
The reason there is professional clubs is rich people created an entertainment format they could charge tickets for workers who had won Saturday afternoons off.
magicwoand
It tizwas it is
They won a tournament that contained the Champions of all respective leagues.
The Bundesliga fixtures for season 23-24 will be announced on June 30th, with the first round of matches kicking off over the weekend of 18th-20th August.
The 2. Bundesliga fixtures will also be announced on the same date.
FC Bayern will meet LawnBallSport Leipzig in the German SuperCup on August 12th at München‘s Allianz Arena.
The 2. Bundesliga fixtures will also be announced on the same date.
FC Bayern will meet LawnBallSport Leipzig in the German SuperCup on August 12th at München‘s Allianz Arena.
Eddie Yates
Steve Chettle
I fancy Bayern Munich to win the Bundesliga this year
Bold shout that!
Funnily enough, I don‘t. They looked far from invincible last season, and if it had not been for Dortmund, Dortmunding it up on the final day against Mainz (a team that a struggling VfB Stuttgart thrashed 4-1 away, the previous week) Bayern would have finished second.
Their team has some gaping holes, they still don‘t have a proper centre forward, half their defence wants to leave, and Thomas Müller isn‘t getting any younger.
England‘s Jude Bellingham will wear Zinedine Zidane‘s old No.5 shirt at Real Madrid:
Those are big boots to fill!
Those are big boots to fill!
Huxley
John Robertson
Rudi Garcia appointed as the new Napoli coach.
valspoodle
Steve Chettle
Because I got up at some ridiculous hour this morning to water the allotment, I've snoozed through a fair bit of SSN today and seen Jude's press conferences etc.
For such a young lad, he seems to have a very sensible attitude and speaks very well. Nice lad.
For such a young lad, he seems to have a very sensible attitude and speaks very well. Nice lad.
An interesting graphic from the Bundesliga this past season, showing the number of fully sold-out „Home“ Matches for each side (out of 17).
In the case of VfB Stuttgart, I can tell you the two „non-sellouts“ were the games against VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Hoffenheim, both of whoms‘ away followings are rubbish.
In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Arena was at a reduced capacity of around 46k this season, due to the rebuilding of the Haupttribüne (otherwise, there would have been more fans in).
Also, 1. FC Union Berlin sell out every game because their ground currently only holds around 22k, and they’ve become rather popular.
In the case of VfB Stuttgart, I can tell you the two „non-sellouts“ were the games against VfL Wolfsburg and 1. FC Hoffenheim, both of whoms‘ away followings are rubbish.
In addition, the Mercedes-Benz Arena was at a reduced capacity of around 46k this season, due to the rebuilding of the Haupttribüne (otherwise, there would have been more fans in).
Also, 1. FC Union Berlin sell out every game because their ground currently only holds around 22k, and they’ve become rather popular.
Bob Fossil
Nottingham's dirty secret
Not a kit nerd but this one is a full on banger:
Huxley
John Robertson
Loftus-cheek to Milan seems to be back on.
Got a few quid in the bank now we’ve sold the soul of the club to the Saudis.
Got a few quid in the bank now we’ve sold the soul of the club to the Saudis.
Some rather massive news from my local side this morning; from - seemingly - out of nowhere, the club have announced that a small local car company named Porsche (who you may have heard of) will become a major financial investor in the club, alongside longtime sponsor Mercedes-Benz, and kit-supplier JAKO.
In the words of the club, Mercedes-Benz will remain „anchor partner“ (which means they will retain their equity, but probably not put any additional money in) and Porsche will acquire a stake equivalent to that of Mercedes-Benz.
As part of this, the clubs‘ home stadium will be renamed; it will no longer be the Mercedes-Benz Arena, instead, it will apparently be sponsored/named for Porsche-subsidiary MHP, and this could happen as soon as this coming season.
(Note: Porsche already sponsors the indoor venue next to the football stadium, which is used for concerts, handball and tennis, among other things).
There is also speculation that MHP could become the shirt-sponsor too, replacing Mercedes-Benz Bank.
This is a massive boost for the club, and will put them on a secure financial footing, after some years of financial issues (effectively, the constant having to sell their best players).
In the words of the club, Mercedes-Benz will remain „anchor partner“ (which means they will retain their equity, but probably not put any additional money in) and Porsche will acquire a stake equivalent to that of Mercedes-Benz.
As part of this, the clubs‘ home stadium will be renamed; it will no longer be the Mercedes-Benz Arena, instead, it will apparently be sponsored/named for Porsche-subsidiary MHP, and this could happen as soon as this coming season.
(Note: Porsche already sponsors the indoor venue next to the football stadium, which is used for concerts, handball and tennis, among other things).
There is also speculation that MHP could become the shirt-sponsor too, replacing Mercedes-Benz Bank.
This is a massive boost for the club, and will put them on a secure financial footing, after some years of financial issues (effectively, the constant having to sell their best players).
Well, the press conference has just finished, and the total investment will be apparently worth around €100m, which is a staggering sum for the Bundesliga.
And still a new shirt-sponsor to come as well (apparently it is open, and might not be MHP either).
And still a new shirt-sponsor to come as well (apparently it is open, and might not be MHP either).
Andrea Pirlo is the new Coach of Sampdoria!
Homer is a Red
First Team Squad
2023 Under-21 EURO final tournament: All the results | UEFA Under-21
Check out every result from the 2023 Under-21 EURO in Georgia and Romania.
www.uefa.com
PS, Couldn't find an obvious place to post this. Mods, feel free to move if necessary!
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