For the first time in 6 years, we won't have any La Liga side in the UCL Final! So either Ajax takes it all, or a Premier League side wins the UCL and South American teams perk up all of a sudden
In a heartbreaking turn of events, Ajax crashed out of a final appearance in the dying seconds of their home leg against Tottenham. Instead Spurs will face Liverpool in the Madrid-based final. I fear it could be decades before a club from a non "big five" league gets this far again. If ever. Spurs of course don't care and look forward to their first UCL final in club history. Given the certainty of a English winner, I'm sure South American fans don't care either. I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate the 2019 Copa Libertadores winner on their club world title. (if it takes place)
The OFC Champions League has a brand-new winner... It was a 60 meter (!) strike that decided the final: A New Caledonian champion was already unexpected, but Hienghène Sport beating AS Magenta appears even more surprising. AS Magenta are record domestic champions and have won four out of the last five league titles.
Just checked Wikipedia, still no plans for a 2019 WCC. Next WCC planned in the 24 team abomination in 202? (whenever it is). I'll keep an open mind, maybe it will be good, but I am not optimistic.
No finalized plans yet, but it's comforting to know that both Brazilian and New Caledonian outlets have reached out to FIFA and gotten at least a verbal confirmation that 2019 is still on.
Wikipedia isn't an authoritative source. Anyone can edit it and add information about what FIFA has been reported to say about holding the 2019 edition, adding the sources we've discussed here.
Meanwhile this completely unsourced article says that the 2018 through 2021 Europa and UEFA Champions League teams will all qualify for the 2021 24-team cup https://en.as.com/en/2019/05/12/football/1557648288_541846.html This despite the 2018 champion already playing tin the 2018 Club World Cup, and the tournament beginning only days after the 2021 champions are determined. Would be interesting to see something confirmed ... it seems like different people at FIFA are telling different things to people.
From that article: Wait - either the author's simply wrong, or there's a FIFA world club ranking we never heard of before
2019 and 2020 in Japan? https://www.record.com.mx/futbol-fu...vo-de-conmebol-confirma-que-mundial-de-clubes Please no, I would rather go for a second round of Morocco. Or give it to Qatar to replace the Confederations Cup. Japan has had many, many times and the expanded CWC will almost certainly go to that area of the world (China).
What a shambles... It is Esperance's 4th title. Tunisia now pulls even with DR Congo and Morocco for 6 titles total, good enough for shared second-best all-time after Egypt's 14 titles.
In the AFC the R16 is now also finalized after, Al Nassr - Zob Ahan, one of the "Iran vs. Saudi at neutral venue" matches had to be postponed as Iraq was deemed not safe enough for the match to proceed. Anyway, here are the match-ups. Saudi Arabia has had a fantastic tournament with all four clubs progressing. China, Japan and South Korea are also represented with three clubs. Disappointing edition for the UAE and Iran and disaster for Australia. Interestingly, the East will complete its R16 matches in June while the West won't play them until August. I don't remember that ever happening before. And of course, the big UEFA CL final is tonight.
And Liverpool does it... 2:0 over Spurs. It is their 6th title, good enough for third best all-time after Real Madrid (13) and AC Milan (7). Bit of a lackluster final but I'm sure Juergen Klopp doesn't mind after having lost two UCL finals (and one Europa League final) to date. And now the big question, can Liverpool finally conquer the world? The one title that has eluded them all these years?
Four down, three to go: UEFA: Liverpool Football Club (England) CONMEBOL: TBD (Nov 23) CONCACAF: Club de Fútbol Monterrey (Mexico) AFC: TBD (Nov 24) CAF: Espérance Sportive de Tunis (Tunisia) OFC: Hienghène Sport (New Caledonia) Host: TBD Depending on the host selection the fifth participant could be known this month. For example, Wydad Casablanca could start plotting their revenge very shortly against Espérance if Morocco is selected. The Copa Libertadores R16 matches are also set. No Colombian clubs made it this far in what is surely a disappointing outing for them.
Tomorrow's FIFA Council meeting (June 3) will pick the host for 2019 and 2020. Here it is on the agenda, item 6.1.
What is item 5.3.1 going to entail, other than Infantino giving a rote apology to Conmebol for canning their proposal?
Did you notice how it says CWC hosts? So are we looking at: 2019 - Japan/Morocco 2020 - Qatar Or will FIFA pull a “Mo Salah” CWC in Egypt out of the hat? Or is it simply a typo?
Any chance one of those could go to India? Doubt it, unless the security situation has improved that much.
According to this Qatar will get 2019 and 2020. @glennaldo_sf Presumably as a Confederations Cup replacement. 16 matches replaced with 16 matches. Not easy for me to attend but it beats Japan. PS: that would make Al Sadd the host team.
Confirmed: As revealed earlier, Qatar will host Club World Cup in December 2019 and December 2020 https://t.co/dRs8UB7scf— Rob Harris (@RobHarris) June 3, 2019
I have no idea how FIFA plan on having CWCs in 2020 (current version) and 2021 (expanded) with a straight face. Having said that, it also gives me the idea that FIFA are planning to draw the qualifiers for the 2021 edition entirely from the 2020-21 season, i.e. all UCL and UEL semifinalists, all 2020 Libertadores semifinalists and Sudamericana finalists, top 3 in the Concacaf, CAF and AFC CLs and the OFC champ.