I just assume anything with the Russians comes with bribery. A default setting. Like when the the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced in February 2013 that it would drop the sport from the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Americans did the Public Relations, the Russians and Iranians used their political and economic clout to influence the decision. They payed the bribes to the right people in the IOC in Switzerland. Bottom line Russians and sketchy stuff happening with money.
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I’m with you though this I do not understand. Conference league? Really now!?
I’m in the vast “WHO CARES!” camp on that one. Winning that league gets a side a trophy and a mere place in …Europa League!
Champions League is the serious money and Villa well-earned that place.
Europa League is a worthy consolation, though Thursday night play is not optimal over the course of the season especially away, but after that, well no.
Dont get me wrong the champions league is great news for us for the reasons outlined. Both would have been brilliant.
I havent seen Villa win a major trophy since i was at wembley since 1996 as a young man. We have lost 4 finals since then. Conference league would have been that. To see my kids watching us win a trophy.
Still they are both exciting at the prospect of playing Real Madrid etc.
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As expected there is not and won’t be much material news on the proposed “European Super League” until perhaps autumn, noting that due to a trademark case as linked above in March, the new league might not even be able to use the name.
Here was an article that I overlooked from March in which it’s essentially pointed out to the Big Six clubs in the Premiere League that if they were able to pay to play in the Super League in 2021, they can now pay more to STAY in English football.
It’s noteworthy though that this “independent regulator” is not involved either, for which the enforcement has been inconsistent of course, in enforcement of the “Profitability and Sustainability Rules”, which continue to elude Manchester City for now though are rumoured to likely be at hand in July after Euro 2024, as well as Chelsea.
Speaking of never taking professionals for granted, on Saturday in the FA Cup and a derby at Wembley Stadium, Manchester City 1 Manchester United 2, and that single goal near the end by Man City was via a goalkeeping error at any pro level of play.
Now Man City played all their big guns on their best starting side so there was no taking for granted, but like anybody honest and leaving out those few who laid money on a flyer on Man U, NOBODY expected such a historic upset in the FA Cup Final.
Well two months after the last legal update, here is news that arrived early!
The Madrid Commercial Court No. 17 ruled on Monday that FIFA and UEFA must cease any “anti-competitive conduct” that would preclude the formation of rival, pan-European leagues such as the ESL, and that the two governing bodies “have abused their dominant position … and are preventing free competition in the market by imposing unjustified and disproportionate restrictions” on clubs.
The decision follows a similar ruling in December by the European Court of Justice. Described as the first application of the legal framework of that prior case, the decision is enforceable across the European Union.
The Premier League is not subject to the ruling due to the U.K.’s Brexit move to leave the European Union.
Of course FIFA and UEFA are doing somersaults to downplay the ruling against them.
Recently FIFA settled so as to allow the option for clubs to play regular-season matches outside of the European Union and the UK.
FIFA also has been forced to adjust to a new commercial reality elsewhere, as a recent legal settlement is likely to help enable European pro leagues playing regular-season matches outside of their home territories—something FIFA previously resisted.
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This makes sense because for the most part the EU is way harder on Apple, MS and Google than the US courts are. I think that an ESL - with teams from Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, France, Portugal and where ever would be a solid league and would do okay on TV in europe and in the States. Not being a soccer guy - just my take.
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When there’s opportunity for a better and more profitable show in live sports, it’s only a matter of time before it will happen. This point goes well beyond soccer.
Though originally sceptical of the idea of Super League, my eyes opened on the matter in the aftermath after the first attempt in 2021 that failed.
As I heard in the aftermath from one commenter on Sirius XM, the attempt didn’t fail because it was a bad idea. As he pointed out, the days of mere appeal in British, Irish, and various European pubs are long gone with all the money behind football. The original Super League failed because it was poorly packaged for sale to the public and via the mass media.
Let’s recall J.P. Morgan Chase had pledged $4 billion to the cause.
As posted in an expose` by the Tifo series above, we also found out that a Super League had been attempted by FIFA in 2018 as funded by SoftBank and then secretly the Saudis.
When there are such vast sums behind an idea, it is only a matter of time.
Florentino Perez of Real Madrid is still leading the effort as we know, and he has quite a successful track record beyond soccer.
So back in April 2021, I remember all the sheeple American fans who were largely uninformed and in the Premier League camp with their line against the Super League after weeks earlier they were either for it or clueless on the matter.
The small American soccer media, though at least now we hear more global crossover via CBS and Sirius XM instead of so many of our homegrown windbags like the deceased Grant Wahl, does American fans few favours.
Meanwhile I heard about UEFA’s stupid Conference League tournament and the proposed reforms for Champions League that were in favour of larger clubs and less dependent of performance in the prior season.
And since the expedited sale of Chelsea in 2022, we know all the more of the hijinks of Financial Fair Play in the Premier League.
When there are going to be now innumerable filler games in what I call the Euro Soccer Diarrhoea tournaments like an enlarged and bloated Europa and Conference League starting in autumn 2024, nope, I want more of the top teams playing each other seriously in a different show when it’s not Champions League instead of places like Bulgaria on a Thursday night.
UEFA had only reformed the dull format for years now of the group play in their tournaments due to the threat of Super League mind you.
So now we shall see what money shows up to sponsor the Super League again for the leagues on the continent without the far larger success of the Premier League, which will go it on its own just fine along with the Bundesliga.
I’m all for it to see another tournament of top sides playing each other as Champions League will do just fine with all who remain in it.
Also an auspicious tournament is the FA Cup much like some other national cups, and like this past season, I think the FA Cup becomes even more elevated in prestige as a consequence of such developments on the continent. That’s for later discussion should much come to pass.
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About That Saudi Football Money, Again …
These funds as accepted may have violated the law in Spain.
Of course there are plenty of funds flowing out in the open from Saudi Arabia, including also via the Saudi Vision 2030 initiative, but the funds are obviously overflowing especially when again here they are changing hands in secret.
Note that Gerard Pique’s estranged wife Shakira, separated since 2022, had also been in hot water in court in Spain already after being charged with tax fraud and settling the case in late 2023.
It’s all looking awful for Pique, who is otherwise a national hero in sporting circles.
MADRID, May 30 (Reuters) - A Spanish judge has placed former Barcelona FC player Gerard Pique under official investigation for his alleged involvement in illegal payments in the relocation of Spain’s Super Cup to Saudi Arabia.
Judge Delia Rodrigo concluded there were indications of wrongdoing in the deal between Pique’s company Kosmos and the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF), according to a court document.
According to the court documents, former RFEF President Luis Rubiales, Saudi government-owned Sela Sport Company and Pique signed agreements in 2019 and 2020 in which Pique’s company would receive 40 million euros ($43.3 million) as a “success bonus” for the games being held in Saudi Arabia each year.
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Today is like Super Bowl of Soccer, Go Borussia!!!
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That was a good game overall though lacking in excitement.
I thought the referee was below average. In the first half, I can’t see how that was not a penalty in favour of Dortmund, and it did not even go to VAR!
Having seen enough of these finals over especially recent years, I am convinced that the semifinals are actually the better action in this tournament and in some years, at least one of the quarterfinals.
That’s where I geared up for viewing a few years ago with far better coverage via CBS here in the US, and that’s where I will make sure to view more each season.
If you look up the posts to 28 May with the latest development in favour, it’s ironic that Real Madrid, the champions yet again, are leading this effort with Barcelona to start the European Super League 2.0 in 2025.
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I really hate Real Madrid because of those plays, they are supposedly the best soccer club in the world and in history, but they always get some kind of help from the referees, against Bayern in the Semifinals it was the same, and so have been the other finals they have played (Ramos against Salah was iconic).
and about the finals, they are the same in the FIFA World Cup, soccer finals I think are really very tactical, with very little risk and just waiting for the opponent’s mistake.
Anyway, Real Madrid wins again, another cup for Don Florentino, but I think it takes him further away from his Super Liga.
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Many of us have had it with the legal drama now, for go figure, league champions Manchester City decided to sue the Premier League.
In the bigger picture, this appears to be a shrewd legal manoeuvre to weaken the Premier League’s belated case against Manchester City.
### How is this linked to Man City’s existing 115 charges from the Premier League?
Manchester City were first charged in February 2023 with breaking financial fair play rules around 100 times over a nine-year period, which starts in 2009 and goes on until 2018.
Allegedly, they did not fully disclose the financial remunerations that were made to one of their managers over a four-year period. The suggestion is that there was a secret contract so one of the managers was getting paid much more than officially stated.
The Premier League also allege Man City didn’t comply with UEFA’s financial fair play rules over a five-year period. They also allege that Man City have not fully co-operated with the Premier League’s investigation.
The Times report claims the hearing into City’s alleged 115 breaches, all of which the club denies, will be heard in November. Read more about the charges in full here.
Sky Sports News chief reporter Kaveh Solhekol said: "The charges and this case are two separate things.
"The 115 charges have been brought by the Premier League against Man City for allegations that they have broken the league’s financial rules over 12 or 13 years.
"The hearing into those charges is set for November but obviously, a lot of those charges are also to do with sponsorship deals, deals that were done with companies that are connected to the owners of Manchester City.
"So, if Man City win this case, which starts next week, that would blow a big hole in the Premier League’s case at the hearing in November about the 115 charges because Man City would have argued successfully next week that some of these rules are unlawful and incompatible with UK competition law."
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There’s not much solid to go on other than a rumour that the league will start in September 2025.
As there are only two teams who have signed on, Real Madrid and Barcelona, and as teams from the Premier League and Bundesliga have declined interest since at least late April 2021, there are ambitions for a whopping 64 teams.
Well, what teams?
Here’s a neat table that compares the proposal to UEFA Champions League:
FREE viewing did they say? I’m in already for that at the very least.
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Well I am not holding my breath for punishment at all here, including especially when Chelsea still have been given a massive pass after 19 years of ownership by a Russian oligarch and all his known hijinks and associations, but we shall see here any week now.
Now why this matter could not be heard during the heart of the summer before the Premier League season begins is most baffling, but maybe in the UK they didn’t want any interference with Euro 2024, Copa America 2024, and those Olympics in filthy Paris. Or maybe there is more to that story.
The start of proceedings is not until…Champions League play begins.
Gee, I wonder how that happened, hmmmm?
It is to be wondered how UEFA will see the situation, after any penalties imposed by the FA and whether or not Man City are penalized enough to be effectively relegated from the Premier League.
For the 2024-2025 season, the band plays on I figure.
Here in this short video is probably the best explanation of the new format of the UEFA Champions League, for which the premiere was last week during the draw.
I think if the inaugural season of the new format works out, there won’t be any incentive for Real Madrid and the Super League to press on their case for next season in 2025.
It IS indeed the prospect of the Super League that got us here though, and those who prevailed in the litigation against UEFA have a legal check on UEFA should it screw things up anew.
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