Tomorrow is the quarterfinal draw of the AFC Champions League: - Guangzhou Evergrande (China) - Kashiwa Reysol (Japan) - FC Seoul (Korea Republic) - Buriram United (Thailand) - Al Ahli (Saudi Arabia) - Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia) - Lekhwiya (Qatar) - Esteghlal (Iran)
And the draw is... Al Ahli (Saudi Arabia) - FC Seoul (Korea Republic) Esteghlal (Iran) - Buriram United (Thailand) Kashiwa Reysol (Japan) - Al Shabab (Saudi Arabia) Guangzhou Evergrande (China) - Lekhwiya (Qatar) Very interesting, but a lot of traveling since every single pairing is East vs. West. First legs to be played on August 21.
I love that the quarter-finals will be 4 head to head matches between East and West Asia. I just wish there wasn't so much time between the round of 16 and the quarter-finals. Why do we have to wait 3 months?
I imagine it's a combination of factors. The Arab Gulf countries don't start their leagues until September in order to avoid the most extreme of summer heat. Then this year you have the Confederations Cup and Ramadan until about mid-August. Speaking of the Confederations Cup, there are times when that format is mentioned as a possible model for the Club World Cup. Seeing bench-heavy Spain put 10 past Tahiti has certainly dampened my enthusiasm to see Bayern vs. Auckland City in a group stage match.
It was a hypothetical thought without regard for scheduling issues. Anyway, Jerome Valcke has said there won't be any changes until after the 2014 edition. I do think there will be some kind of review soon, there is a reason the host bidding process hasn't yet started for 2015 - while it has for all other FIFA tournaments that year. It could be as simple as annual host rotation, but I do think we will see some changes.
True, but even after our 3 month wait through summer, we only get one set of games. Then we have to wait ANOTHER month for the return leg games. Back in spring, we got a game every week or two. Now it's all way too slow and drawn out, it kills my AFC Champions League buzz.
Not related to this year, but the OFC has decided to once again change its format: http://www.oceaniafootball.com/ofc/...b317-98136290fe62/language/en-US/Default.aspx More teams but the entire final phase at a single host country? Seems like a step back to cut costs. At least Fiji is getting it and not New Zealand.
The Libertadores semis started last night and Olimpia got themselves a nice advantage against Colombia's Santa Fe going into the second leg next week:
And Newell's Old Boys matched that with an identical 2:0 scoreline at home: The organisers in Morocco can't be too happy. They must have been rooting for Ronaldin....err....Atletico Mineiro.
They could still get Maxi Rodriguez, though. ...what, you all forgot about him? Ridiculous golazo against Mexico in the '06 World Cup? And...um...well, the marketing guys might just have their work cut out for them.
Big night for Santa Fe who will try to overcome a 2:0 deficit at home, and if successful, ensuring that there will be a new Libertadores champion this year. We now also know that the 2013 CWC draw will be in early October.
First leg on the 17th. Olimpia will probably need another two-goal margin going into the Mineirão (CONMEBOL insisted on the Confederations Cup venue over the usual Atletico Mineiro home stadium - the Estádio Independência). Ronaldinho has won everything at the International level. World Cup, Copa America and Confederations Cup. He is still however missing the world title in club football after Barcelona fell to SC Internacional in 2006. This would be his second and probably final opportunity. Not that three-times Libertadores champions Olimpia care about that or the Moroccan promoters.
He also has never won the Libertadores. Does anyone lurking about have a list of players who have won both the Copa Libertadores and UEFA Champions League? Or an even bigger challenge: How about a list of players who have won at least two of the different continental club titles - OFC, AFC, CAF, UEFA, CONMEBOL, CONCACAF - it takes to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup. The list can include continental titles pre-FCWC.
Six players have won both: Code: Player (Country) Champions League Copa Libertadores =============================================================================================== Nelson de Jesus Silva “Dida” (BRA) Milan 2002-03 & 2006-07 Cruzeiro 1997 Marcos Evangelista de Moraes “Cafu” (BRA) Milan 2006-07 São Paulo 1992 & 1993 Juan Pablo Sorín (ARG) Juventus 1995-96 River Plate 1996 José Vítor Roque Júnior (BRA) Milan 2002-03 Palmeiras 1999 Carlos Alberto Tévez (ARG) Manchester United 2007-08 Boca Juniors 2003 Walter Adrián Samuel (ARG) FC Internazionale 2009-10 CA Boca Juniors 2000 Source: http://www.rsssf.com/players/eclcopalib.html Out of these six only Cafu and Tevez won the Intercontinental Cup/Club World Cup with both clubs. I don't know of any other players with other combinations of continental titles. There was a lot of talk last year from the MLS corner that Beckham could be the first player to win UEFA and CONCACAF, but then LA fell flat on their faces against lowly Toronto.
Without looking it up right now, I'd have to think that some Brazilian would have won both the Libertadores and the AFC Champions League with a Japanese or Korean team.
Obviously there were 4 Brazilians in Milan 2007 team Kaka, Dida, Emerson and Cafu who won both UCL07 and Worldclub 07 (unfortunately Ronaldo was cup-tied)
I honestly can't think of anyone. Zico certainly didn't do it with Kashima. The only one I can think of who got close was Rivaldo when he reached the Asian semis with Bunyodkor in 2008.