The Official 15/16 UEFA Champion's League and International Club News Thread

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Klopp not knowing that winning it gets them in to the CL was great though

he legitimately looked like he was shocked "oh that's great news, I'll go tell the boys immediately"

He didnt know if it was CL qualifying or group stage

[Bagor]

Originally Posted by troutman

A Liverpool friend was trying to explain to me today that winning the Trophy (he called it a "major trophy") was more important than getting into Champions League. Is that true?

Originally Posted by diane_phaneuf

Trophy always over top 4

Disagree. I could care less about the FA cup now and a helluva lot less about the League Cup and more about playing in CL next season.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by troutman

A Liverpool friend was trying to explain to me today that winning the Trophy (he called it a "major trophy") was more important than getting into Champions League. Is that true?

It depends on the club's situation. If you haven't won anything for a while, a Cup win could help kick things on. If you keep getting beat in the CL Round of 16, the Europa League allows you to visit some new grounds and possibly gives you something to celebrate. If you won the CL the year before but dropped into the Europa League, you may fancy crashing out as you could possibly win the CL the following season.

Originally Posted by Locke

Well, yes and no. Liverpool are in a massive trophy drought so adding something is great, but that CL spot is HUGE! Its a guaranteed chunk of cash next season that can be borrowed against to invest this summer.

With the new TV deal, CL money is not as lucrative for BPL clubs as it was before.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by Bagor

Disagree. I could care less about the FA cup now and a helluva lot less about the League Cup and more about playing in CL next season.

So how much do you care about the cups then?

[devo22]

CL > PL >>> everything else

[nik-]

Originally Posted by rubecube

So how much do you care about the cups then?

just the worst

[Locke]

Originally Posted by devo22

CL > PL >>> everything else

Basically this. I mean, most 'Big Clubs' field reserve squads for League, FA and Capital One cups, the Europa League is the top of the Second Tier, but the Champion's League is THE prize.

Hence all of the talk of the Super Big Clubs separating into their own Super competition to separate the wheat from the chaff and keep out all the riffraff.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by Locke

Hence all of the talk of the Super Big Clubs separating into their own Super competition to separate the wheat from the chaff and keep out all the riffraff.

Going back to what I mentioned about the BPL prize money now eclipsing the CL's winnings, recent talk about a breakaway league has been initiated due to traditional big clubs' fear of the BPL's financial might. Having to compete with clubs like Stoke and West Ham in the transfer market isn't a development much liked by clubs like Inter Milan.

[GirlySports]

phhhfff i've heard of a UEFA Super League since i was 10. At that time Serie A was eclipsing everyone.

will never happen.

[cam_wmh]

Originally Posted by Addick

Going back to what I mentioned about the BPL prize money now eclipsing the CL's winnings, recent talk about a breakaway league has been initiated due to traditional big clubs' fear of the BPL's financial might. Having to compete with clubs like Stoke and West Ham in the transfer market isn't a development much liked by clubs like Inter Milan.

Which is, ya know, kinda odd.. as those Italians have preferred to play on uneven fields, and then, well you know, bet on it.

[Locke]

Red Bull Leipzig promoted to the Bundesliga.

I guess we'll see how this goes.

[devo22]

took quite a while before they got up, but here we are. I hope they fail miserably, but that is obviously not going to happen. They did absolutely everything to go up this season, including spending over €40m in transfer fees over the past two seasons (which is really ridiculous for a German team in the 2nd league) and sending six players from their Salzburg team to Leipzig.

They've also acquired Austrian coach Ralph Hasenhüttl from FC Ingolstadt (about to finish 10th in their first ever Bundesliga season) for, according to Ingolstadt, the highest transfer fee of a coach in Bundesliga history.

With all their money, I wouldn't be surprised if they were able to fight for a top 5 spot within a couple of years.

[nik-]

There's so much salt about them. As if the ownership model of the Bundesliga, which has allowed it to turn into a joke of a league, is something worth preserving.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by nik-

There's so much salt about them. As if the ownership model of the Bundesliga, which has allowed it to turn into a joke of a league, is something worth preserving.

I disagree, I certainly think it is something worth preserving and its hardly 'a joke.'

A little bit of fiscal responsibility is needed in sports, the current model with astronomical TV revenues and Billionaire playthings isnt going to last forever.

Not to mention the Bundesliga ahs two teams that compete at the top level in Europe and the next few teams generally compete well against top competition.

Not everyone can be Real Madrid.

[nik-]

It would be worth preserving if it hadn't basically made the entire league a farm team for Bayern. I don't see how fiscal responsibility is in any way relevant to the problems with that league. There's no fiscal responsibility, there's just only one team that can buy on a global scale. It's like saying I'm being fiscally responsible by not buying a yacht when I can't afford a yacht anyway.

Not everyone can be Real Madrid (which, along with Barcelona, is actually member owned, fully not just 50+1), but the Bundesliga is trying to maintain their rigged system which will ensure only Bayern can be on that level there.

[Addick]

Originally Posted by nik-

It would be worth preserving if it hadn't basically made the entire league a farm team for Bayern.

Are the financial restrictions and membership rules the primary reason for Bayern being so powerful? While they probably play a role, there are other factors in play and focusing on the financial restrictions and membership rules would be an unfortunate mistake. If there is one things the aforementioned rules have created, it is a football league for football fans.

The German system isn't perfect but in a world becoming dominated by football for profit, football for fans is something worth not only seeking but also protecting. I'd much rather read articles entitled "How Can Arsenal Compete With Petro-Pounds?" versus "Gooners Out, Tourists In".

[nik-]

How are Madrid and Barca doing it? (other than cheating with the TV money, which is ending now)

Perez, as much as he can't really build a team, built the brand and made them ridiculously wealthy. But those two clubs are the richest in the world and still fully member owned. And now Atletico has richer owners and are starting to make the league more competitive.

The problem with the German system is once that tilt has happened, towards Bayern in this case, it can never go back. Other teams will occassionally win, but it's just blips. I dunno, I appreciate the sentiment, but it's not leading to a very good league.

[devo22]

Bayern get both Mats Hummels and Renato Sanches for a combined €70m.

As a United fan I'm extremely pissed about Sanches right now. What the hell.

[cam_wmh]

Hummels image sure takes a hit, after his denial.

He's exactly what Bayern need though.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by cam_wmh

Hummels image sure takes a hit, after his denial.

He's exactly what Bayern need though.

Basically putting Germany's back 4 together.

Hummels-Boateng-Lahm

Whats Howedes up to these days?

Sanches is a surprise, I thought that was a done deal to United.