I could also say that the clubs are nothing more than yo-yos. Good one year , not so good in the next. That doesn't necessarily translates as parity, one might even suggest it's more likely over-reaching and busted. , But I'll go along with your assessment of parity.
Yeah, but its not just that you have "yo-yos" from one season to the next. In Russia its typically about 25 points that separates championship contenders from relegation zone in any particular season, so there's obviously a lot of parity there.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PLAYOFF - 1st Leg Dinamo Kyiv (UKR) 1 - 1 Ajax Zenit (RUS) 1 - 0 Auxerre Braga (POR) 1 - 0 Sevilla RANKING UKR---------35.716 (6/6 teams) RUS---------35.707 (6/6 teams) POR---------35.196 (5/5 teams)
Especially if you consider that Sibir are in the last place in RPL two thirds of the way through the season.
...and Sporting lost 0:2 at home... Really, really bad start for Portugal. And a pretty good one for Russia. The wins/points don't really matter at this point, but it seems almost certain that only 3 Portuguese teams will play continue to the group stage, while Russia still has a decent chance to get 6 of 6 through the qualification, and even 5 would give them a huge advantage.
I don't think Sibir will advance but even without them RPL will have 5 teams in the group stages, where points will truly add up. Unless Sporting and/or maritimo recover from tonight's losses, Portugal will find it hard to keep up. Ukraine did not do themselves any favors either. Karpaty allowed Galatasaray to escape a home loss (2-2), Dnipro lost at home to Lech Poznan, 0-1. Tavriya got demolished at Leverkusen (0-3). Only Metalist Kharkiv won (at Omonia)
RANKING RUS---------36.124 (6/6 teams) UKR---------35.966 (6/6 teams) POR---------35.396 (5/5 teams) Safe to say that Turkey won't be joining this race at any point this season.
Braga already made it to the CL (i'm not too surprised to be honest). Maritimo is going out, as expected. Sporting's 2-0 loss against Brondby was 50% shocking and 50% expected. Mix feelings about Sporting right now. I still think they can qualify for the EL group stage though. If Sporting goes out it'll have a big impact on Portugal's ranking.
if Maritimo do go out on thursday it will be with 4 maybe 5 wins in the EL this year = points for Portugal
BRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGGAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Show me a Russian side swatting Celtic and Sevilla away like they were just promoted to their respective top flight.
La Liga third through about 7th-best teams aren't what they were a few years back unfortunately. And it doesn't help that Sevilla were/are still in preseason. At least Braga had a few competitive matches already this season.
Yes, I'm sure that the 1st leg of the playoff and the Supercup wasn't enough to gain some competitive rhythm. Braga is far ahead in the season...by a difference of 2 games. By that logic then DK and Zenit should of been clear winners against more acessible teams ah?
The difference was 3 weeks actually. I'm not saying its the difference between winning and losing but it's just one contributing factor that couldn't have helped Sevilla. Especially when their 2 most important players are returning late due to the World Cup.
Braga is a team that looks like they can do some damage during the group stages and surprise some of the big teams. I believe they beat Celtic before beating Sevilla which was the biggest shock of the CL qualifier, they look ready for CL imo.
That's wasn't even an upset. Scottish teams rarely get through CL qualifying nowadays. I remember Rangers losing to Kaunas of Lithuania a couple years ago and Celtic lost a first-leg something like 4-nil to some minnow a year before that (can't remember who). Rangers, Celtic and the top Turkish teams are the most overrated in UEFA. Every season they get destroyed in the CL and yet people continue to rate them.
That's true for the Turkish teams. In the last 5 seasons 9 out of 10 Turkish teams were eliminated in the CL qualifiers or ended dead last in the group. For Scotland only 5 out of 9 teams met the same fate. And 3 times they qualified out of the CL groupstage.
scotland had a mini revival of sorts a few seasons back, i doubt it was planned and it certainly didnt last. its not entirely their fault. for one there is no money, and secondly the fans of the big two want to see them attack the minnows of the spl. they have no plan b and no defence. turkey is a different kettle of fish as they have some money to play with and get a few stars, and modern coaches. the fact that they suck perenially is a bit of mystery tbh. the similarity between the two is their psychotic home support, i doubt anyone relished the challenge of glasgow or istanbull in a do or die match up.
Braga beat them. Do you think Braga has lots of money? Celtic has as much money as Benfica or Porto, which is like 6 or 10x more than Braga. Celtic doesn't suck because they have no money, they suck because they don't know how to spend their money on players. Braga lost some of their key players from last season (the RB in January, and then the LB, one of the CM and the goalkeeper in the summer). They didn't even spend 2 million euros replacing them and they look just as strong as last year. They even beat Sevilla fair and square both home and away. The future is looking bright for portuguese teams this year in Europe. - Benfica will advance it's CL group. It would be shocking not to. - Porto obviously will advance, no matter what group they draw (it's the EL). - Braga may get the 2nd place in their CL group. I Believe they have what it takes to overcome Shahktar and Auxerre. - Sporting will advance... if they get their act toguether. - Maritimo was knocked out early as expected. Portugal is on the right track to end this season in 6th.