2012 FIFA Club World Cup: News & Analysis [R]

jared9999 · Feb 6, 2012

I see another all mexican final in the CCL, maybe a Santos vs Morelia final.

jared9999 · Feb 6, 2012

SwissGCZ said: ↑

Major Changes to the CONCACAF Champions League

Not a big fan of this format.
Click to expand...

I know, lame. The current format is great, basing it on the greatest football competition on earth, the UEFA Champions League

Nico Limmat · Feb 6, 2012

The first stage (playoff round) of the Copa Libertadores was completed this weekend. There was no major upset, Colombia's Once Caldas and Mexico's UANL got eliminated.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZDhYJBoRd74"]Melhores Momentos Once Caldas 2 x Inter 2 - YouTube[/ame]

puertorricane · Feb 6, 2012

Inter is winning the libertadores cup they are too strong for the rest

druryfire · Feb 11, 2012

A lot's been happening in Asia.

The 1st round playoff was played yesterday, an all Iranian matchup. Esteghlal beat Zob Ahan 2:0. Esteghlal now go on to play Al Ettifaq of Saudi Arabia next week.

In East Asia, Perispura of Indonesia are back in the competition after a CAS appeal. They playe Adelaide this Thursday for a place in the Group Stages.

Nico Limmat · Feb 17, 2012

UCL Results this week (R16; First Leg)

Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) - FC Barcelona (Spain) 1:3
Olympique Lyonnais (France) - Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus) 1:0
Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia) - Benfica Lisbon (Portugal) 3:2
AC Milan (Italy) - Arsenal (England) 4:0

Impressive result by AC Milan that most likely leaves Chelsea as the sole English challenger this year. Surpise team Nicosia is still hanging in there.

What a goal by Zenit...

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6ZhfZiPHfU"]Zenit - Benfica (2-1 Semak) Champions League 15-02 - YouTube[/ame]

Nico Limmat · Feb 22, 2012

The AFC CL qualifying round is completed and all teams with the benefit of home field advantage prevailed. Iranian giants Esteghlal beat Saudi club Al Ettifaq in front of over 60k at the Azadi stadium.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHQrOMmiPqg"]‫??????? ????? ( 3-1 ) ??????? | ???? ????? ???? 2012‬&lrm; - YouTube[/ame]

In Africa Espérance lost one of their key players from last year. Oussama Darragi signed for FC Sion and further increases the Tunisian player contingent in the Swiss League.

druryfire · Feb 22, 2012

SwissGCZ said: ↑

The AFC CL qualifying round is completed and all teams with the benefit of home field advantage prevailed. Iranian giants Esteghlal beat Saudi club Al Ettifaq in front of over 60k at the Azadi stadium.
Click to expand...

There is the possiblilty of Adelaide result being overturned due to an suspended player taking the field. The player (Cassio??) should have served a suspension form collecting two yellows in a previous edition of the tournament, but AFC rules can be funny sometimes, so no announcment yet.

Nico Limmat · Feb 22, 2012

UCL Results this week (R16; First Leg)

CSKA Moscow (Russia) - Real Madrid (Spain) 1:1
Basel (Switzerland) - Bayern Munich (Germany) 1:0
Marseille (France) - Inter Milan (Italy) 1:0
Napoli (Italy) - Chelsea (England) 3:1

The way things stand it looks like we might not have a single English team in the final eight. That hasn't happened in a long, long time. Basel with the upset of the round so far with yet another impressive performance after ousting Manchester United.

Jaer007ll · Feb 22, 2012

South Korea lost a direct spot generally because of the corruption issues in the K-League Cup.

druryfire · Feb 23, 2012

Jaer007ll said: ↑

South Korea lost a direct spot generally because of the corruption issues in the K-League Cup.
Click to expand...

Not a direct spot to this competition though. Just ACL.

Nico Limmat · Feb 23, 2012

So has the AFC raised the Adelaide player issue yet? The group stage starts in less than a month. Great match last night between FCB & FCB. Glad I stayed up to watch.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FE_LqZSkd18"]FC Basel 1893 1 : 0 FC Bayern München (Highlights CL Achtelfinale) - Der Traum geht weiter! - YouTube[/ame]

Nico Limmat · Mar 4, 2012

OFC Update:

Auckland City have booked their place in the O-League final, but the surpise of Round 5 in the Group Stage is Waitakere United's loss away to Ba FC (Fiji Islands). That allowed Tahiti's AS Tefana to take control of Group B and their own destiny.

Amazingly enough Tefana lost on the very first matchday to Waitakere 10:0!

Nico Limmat · Mar 6, 2012

After all the discussion about Adelaide in the AFC CL they have now played their first match in the group stage, a winning start in Uzbekistan against Bunyodkor.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlysQy_E6Po"]AFC Champions League 2012: Bunyodkor vs Adelaide United - YouTube[/ame]

On an interesting note - UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF and the AFC all play continental matches today and tomorrow. Unlike CAF and the OFC that play theirs on the weekend.

blurroske · Mar 6, 2012

Barca will win the World Cup for the third time.

Nico Limmat · Mar 8, 2012

UCL Results this week (R16; Second Leg)

FC Barcelona (Spain) - Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 7:1 [10:2 on Agg.]
Apoel Nicosia (Cyprus) - Olympique Lyonnais (France) 1:0 [Apoel wins on Penalties]
Benfica Lisbon (Portugal) - Zenit St. Petersburg (Russia) 2:0 [4:3 on Agg.]
Arsenal (England) - AC Milan (Italy) 3:0 [3:4 on Agg.]

What a sensational result in Cyprus. Apoel the first Cypriot team to make the final eight! AC Milan with a terrible performace in London that nearly cost them their advancement. And Benfica also find themselves in the final eight. Out of Europe's most storied clubs, they are the only ones next to Liverpool to never lift a club world title.

Moving on to Asia, there were some real shockers on Matchday 1 of the Group Stage. The very same Kashiwa Reysol who looked good just last December at the CWC lost in Thailand to Buriram United:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-9YtawmAco"]Buriram United vs Kashiwa Reysol: AFC Champions League 2012 (Group Stage MD1) - YouTube[/ame]

The Chinese Super League in the meantime finally provides some sporting headlines after the Anelka transfer. Guangzhou Evergrande beat 2011 ACL finalist Jeonbuk 5:1 in South Korea! Lots of traveling support for Evergrande.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lvr4jKBtyXw"]Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Vs Guangzhou Evergrande: AFC Champions League 2012 (Group Stage MD1) - YouTube[/ame]

Paul Calixte · Mar 8, 2012

Wow, some really good goals scored in Asia this week.

Nico Limmat · Mar 9, 2012

CONCACAF Quarterfinals - First Leg:

Toronto FC (Canada) - LA Galaxy (USA) 2:2
Monarcas Morelia (Mexico) - Monterrey (Mexico) 1:3
Seattle Sounders (USA) - Santos Laguna (Mexico) 2:1
Isidro Metapan (El Salvador) - Pumas UNAM (Mexico) 2:1

Monterrey is looking like a CCL finalist and really wants to get back to the CWC. Santos and Pumas will have to do better in the second leg.

Toronto - Galaxy was played in front of over 47K at Rogers Centre:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DegdyqSE9Co"]Toronto Fc vs L.A.Galaxy Champions League - YouTube[/ame]

puertorricane · Mar 9, 2012

I thought inter was going to win it but seeing how santos destroyed them i think santos will win it again.

:hat

Nico Limmat · Mar 10, 2012

Looking at Africa where the Preliminary Round is all but complete, the South African PSL continues to remain a complete non-factor. Orlando Pirates were eliminated 4:2 overall by Angola's CRD Libolo. You would think hosting the World Cup would have some effect on the club game?

Egypt's Zamalek also faced a diffucult test in Tanzania's Young Africans but prevailed in the end with a margin of one goal. Highlights from the first leg:

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVeYHTOQrIQ"]Zamalek vs Young Africans - YouTube[/ame]

druryfire · Mar 10, 2012

SwissGCZ said: ↑

Looking at Africa where the Preliminary Round is all but complete, the South African PSL continues to remain a complete non-factor. Orlando Pirates were eliminated 4:2 overall by Angola's CRD Libolo. You would think hosting the World Cup would have some effect on the club game?
Click to expand...

I've often thought, even before the World Cup that surely South African teams should be making the Group Phases on a more regular basis.

There does appear though to be some very good unknown African teams on a whole and what we think are upsets are more common than you would see in Europe or even Concacaf.

I would like to see the South African teams push on though, I think it could help make CAF club football even stronger

EvanJ · Mar 10, 2012

SwissGCZ said: ↑

Looking at Africa where the Preliminary Round is all but complete, the South African PSL continues to remain a complete non-factor. Orlando Pirates were eliminated 4:2 overall by Angola's CRD Libolo. You would think hosting the World Cup would have some effect on the club game?
Click to expand...

Looking at the coefficients what surprises me is that Ghana, with obviously one of the best national teams in CAF, is only 15th in the club rankings.

Nico Limmat · Mar 13, 2012

druryfire said: ↑

There does appear though to be some very good unknown African teams on a whole and what we think are upsets are more common than you would see in Europe or even Concacaf.
Click to expand...

Yes, after TP Mazembe and the top Arab teams there is a lot of mystery in the African club game. For example, I have no idea what to expect when Lesotho Correctional Services take the field.

druryfire · Mar 13, 2012

SwissGCZ said: ↑

Yes, after TP Mazembe and the top Arab teams there is a lot of mystery in the African club game. For example, I have no idea what to expect when Lesotho Correctional Services take the field.
Click to expand...

And that is what makes the CWC great. Every club in the world is in it (although very minor for many) and if anything it does introduce the footballing fan to such teams that you would never have come across before.

Lesotho Correctional Services up against Uganda Revenue Authority in the next round, should be a cracker.

As for African teams, I'm currently a fan of Ethiopian Coffee!!

butlerana · Mar 13, 2012

Really good thread.I like this!