Club World Cup

[Horatio]

It's not an excuse. It's dire reality.
Different dynamics when you play mid-season, as compared to off-season or pre-season

Honestly I agree. There is something to be said about this.

European players normally at this point are enjoying their holidays. Now they got to mentally charge up for a new format of football.

I think European teams will look better once this tourney has been more institutionalised.

Also the heat humidity will affect Europeans more. But that isn’t enough for an excuse.

Having said that, I enjoy seeing the South American teams beat them. For their fans as well.

 

[mc_lovin]

It's not like a European team won't win this

Would give it a solid 90% chance of happening.

 

[Don Juan Laporta Estruch]

Yes, a European team will win it, but it's not saying much as that European team will be a massive favourite going in to every game bar probably the final. Bit like Chelsea celebrating their Europa Conference League title really.

The point is that the Europeans have been shown up here. They seem to think the footballing world revolves around their clubs and they are the standard bearers of world football.

But the South Americans have shown Europeans they are miles behind in passion for football from their players and fans. And to a lot of football fans that is just as important a contribution to the game as spending billions to win trophies.

The Europeans are not taking this tournament lightly in the slightest either. They've been training the last few weeks in preparation for it. Saying they don't care about the tournament or they are not game ready is really not true at all.

The amounts on offer to progress, would make it incredibly foolish not to take this seriously. The European teams are breaking their backs, be in no doubt about that, but they have come up short so far.

 

[jamrock]

I mean they honestly clearly don't take it seriously and can't be bothered to he there, as every coach has said.

The team owners might for the money, but the players and coach who are the ones that matter see this more as a glorified pre season tournament.

Almost everyone would rather be on vacation, it's just a mentally thing, it's hard to flip that switch, when you want to be on a beach somewhere.

Maybe in the next 2 editions it will change, but after two back to back summers of football, I'm sure everyone in Europe was looking forward to the break.

South American fans are great though, Boca fans song all game yesterday, even though I watched all of the first half and the last 20 minutes of the 2nd half and I kid you not, I didn't see Boca put 4 passes together.

It also helps that they are in the middle of their season, so the mental adjustment isn't there, even though they've played a significantly amount of Games as well

 

[Porque]

We saw where the South American clubs are at, on the other old mid season format.

But yes, hot weather and post season has levelled the playing field.

 

[MonteCuler]

We should give more respect to south american football, Brazilian Serie A especially

If only Neymar was lucky to play in a easy league like Cristiano and Messi

 

[soul24rage]

Resultswise been interesting.

Commercially far from it.

Yesterday one of news headlines here in Netherlands was “Nobody watching Club World Cup”.

I switched channels too soon so don’t know if that is limited to Netherlands self, Europe or more globally.


Viewership could pick up in later stage

Cope

 

[Iniesta Ultra]

Dazn went from two ads to three to four now to stream matches.

 

[Iniesta Ultra]

Dazn went from two ads to three to four now to stream matches.

 

[Horatio]

Dazn went from two ads to three to four now to stream matches.

sly bastards

 

[Maradona37]

Famous last words, but games today don't look that competitive on paper. I would expect the European and South American sides (Dortmund, Inter, Fluminese, River) to control proceedings against the other teams (Sundowns, Red Diamonds, Ulsan and Monterrey, respectively).

While I have said that the world is too Eurocentric several times in here (sounding like a broken record) it has mainly (not entirely) been the South American sides (who are next best after UEFA sides) doing most of the heavy lifting for the rest of the world.

I am gonna try to watch 2 or 3 of these games anyway. River-Monterrey is maybe the pick of the bunch. The latter did manage to get a draw against Inter.

 

[Horatio]

Call me cray cray but Japan tends to display decent technical football. Or at least their NT does.

Maybe Ill catch a glimpse of inter - Urawa Reds.

 

[Maradona37]

Call me cray cray but Japan tends to display decent technical football. Or at least their NT does.

Maybe Ill catch a glimpse of inter - Urawa Reds.

No you are right, they do - not to sound like I am stereotyping but Japanese players tend to be more technical than physical. The Japan NT is one of those that has come a very long way in recent decades - being regular attendees at the World Cup has benefitted them enormously.

Hopefully Urawa can give Inter a game.

 

[Horatio]

No you are right, they do - not to sound like I am stereotyping but Japanese players tend to be more technical than physical.

Hopefully Urawa can give Inter a game.

It’s cause they have low center of gravity.

 

[Maradona37]

It’s cause they have low center of gravity.

I didn't wanna get like that but yeah. A lot of Japanese players are shorter, and shorter people often have great technical ability in football.