Club World Cup 2011: The “Easiest” Path
Posted on November 17, 2011 5:05 pm
Early this morning (here on the East coast), FIFA conducted the draw for the 2011 Club World Cup in Nagoya, Japan. Circumstances didn’t allow me to stay up and watch; as it turns out, I didn’t miss anything. There was no live coverage of the draw on FIFA’s website, and I only found out the result when FIFA published an article after the fact. But I do mainly focus on CONCACAF tournaments, so this is par for the course.
Speaking of our region, I am sure that no one who watched the last match of the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League has forgotten how Monterrey (CONCACAF/Mexico) held on against a relentless onslaught from Real Salt Lake at a packed and energetic Rio Tinto Stadium. They managed to win the continental championship in spite of a sub-par domestic campaign (they only reached the playoffs on the last matchday of the Clausura regular season); and after having missed out on the playoffs in the current Apertura, the rayados will have plenty of time to rest up and prepare for their debut on the biggest stage.
Before we get into the matchup that awaits them, let me say one thing to this tournament’s detractors: yes, the current competitive imbalance in the Club World Cup discourages neutrals from tuning in before the inevitable UEFA v. CONMEBOL final (last year notwithstanding). And for fans of European football, the drop in quality from UEFA Champions League matches to, say, CWC quarterfinals is significant. But I appreciate the CWC because it interconnects global football. Think about it: whether you find yourself in Papua New Guinea, Congo-Kinshasa or Ecuador, your favorite club plays in the same competition as Manchester United, Barcelona and AC Milan, every year. In my case, there is nothing stopping FC Tampa Bay or Orlando City (closest professional teams to my hometown) from qualifying for the CCL through the US Open Cup, winning our Champions League and going on to face Real Madrid for a world title. Only world volleyball has a similar championship; and none of the biggest sports in the United States has anything like it.
The Club World Cup also has a considerable knock-on effect for continental club tournaments not named the UEFA Champions League and the Copa Libertadores. It is no accident that since the CWC was reinstated back in 2005, Mexican clubs have mercilessly dominated the region: the chance to reach the Mundial de clubes has given them much more incentive to go after the continental championship, whereas in the past Mexican teams hardly gave much attention or effort in CONCACAF play. The fact that it has been almost four years since a Mexican club was eliminated by a non-Mexican one tells you all you need to know about the seriousness with which they approach the CCL…once the CWC is in sight.
Monterrey earned the privilege this year, and their path towards international fame and glory will begin with a December 11 match against: TBD.
The tournament is set up in a ladder format, in which CF Barcelona (UEFA/Spain) and Santos (CONMEBOL/Brazil) await their competition in the semifinals, while Monterrey will only find out their quarterfinal opponent after the opening match between Auckland City (OFC/New Zealand) and the J-League champion (Host). And the latter spot is still very much in contention: as of right now, Gamba Osaka and Nagoya Grampus Eight are within three points of league leader Kashiwa Reysol with three matchdays to go.
While the lower part of the bracket is filled with uncertainty, Victor Manuel “King Midas” Vucetich’s side will breathe much easier once they look up at the road to the Club World Cup Final. The winner of their quarterfinal will take on Santos in the semifinals, while Al-Sadd (AFC/Qatar) and Espérance (CAF/Tunisia) will face off for the right to the best view in the house when an already-legendary Barcelona touch down in Japan in search of their second world championship. A game against the Catalans in the Club World Cup Final would instantly be the biggest match in Monterrey’s history; then again, given how they crashed and burned in the group stage of the 2010 Copa Libertadores, Monterrey will have to play to their full potential (which is impressive, with Cesar Delgado and Humberto Suazo leading the front line) in order to get past Santos.
And even their quarterfinal will be a difficult encounter, allowing them no time to relax once the opening whistle begins. It is true that the one time a Mexican club faced Oceanian opposition (in the 2009 CWC), Altlante brushed aside Auckland City 3-0 without breaking a sweat. But given the quality of the J-League, Monterrey will most likely start off with an unmistakable “away game.”
Japanese teams have only participated twice in the Club World Cup, since 2005. Their brief record, however, must inspire no small envy in Mexico: in 2007, the Urawa Red Diamonds knocked out Sepahan of Iran (the AFC’s rightful representative) in the quarterfinals, barely lost 1-0 to AC Milan in the semis and snatched third place on penalties. Then, in 2008, Gamba Osaka followed a similar path: they beat Adelaide United of Australia in the quarterfinals, lost 5-3 to Manchester United in an incredible semifinal and finished on a good note by overcoming Pachuca 1-0 for third place. Yes, Necaxa pulled it off back in 2000; but in the current format, Costa Rica’s Deportivo Saprissa is the only club from our corner of the world to have finished a CWC in third.
Of course, Monterrey’s primary goal will be to reach the Club World Cup Final. But right from the start, they will face an opponent with similar ambitions. Should Gamba Osaka return to the global stage, they will have an advantage in experience over the Mexicans; but whichever team wins the J-League will confidently chase a third Japanese appearance in the CWC semifinals in front of an ecstatic home crowd. And somehow, if Auckland City shock the world again and move on, they will have already proven that they are to be underestimated at dire cost. As Monterrey’s GM Luis Miguel Salvador knows very well, no one said this would be easy.
I will see it, hope my Boca Junior win the Libertadores next year, we are unstopable in the National Championsip righ now, and maybe Tevez come back.
Also hope they expand the CWC to 8 teams soon, at least 3 games to win it, split asia in 2 or allow 2 host teams, anything but 3 games obligatory.
A small expansion would be ok, but nothing too big. One of the main attractions for me is the “mystery” when some of these club teams meet because they hardly ever play each other. You don’t find that same mystery in the national team game anymore.
Euro and South American teams have a harder road to the CWC semis. The bye is deserved. Because they have Rounds of 16, while CONCACAF and CAF don’t, then there really isn’t a bye.
Orlando would kill Madrid too.
I wonder why they don’t rotate the CWC like they do the regular WC. It seems to have only been staged in Japan and in the UAE so far. Why not bring it here and let the MLS Cup champion have a crack at it?
If everything gets squared away, the CWC will be moving to Morocco in 2013 and 2014.
There is interest to host the CWC in Asia (and now) Africa, so that’s where it’s going. The CWC must be too expensive for the USSF to host as FIFA requires financial guarantees of at least USD 35 million per edition. Personally I would like to see annual rotation but I guess holding it back-to-back cuts down on the cost. Anyway, FIFA stated last year that everything remains the same until 2014. After that they will do a major review of the competition and we would see any changes then.
“And for fans of European football, the drop in quality from UEFA Champions League matches to, say, CWC quarterfinals is significant.”
Man, do you really believe on this!? Do you actually believe that Santos will beat Barcelona??
Wake up man, you are dreaming big time!
And BTW, for everyone else, if MLS is so great (for me, it’s barely on the TOP 20 in the world), why don’t you make pressure for CONCACAF to merge with CONMEBOL??
Are you asking me if I believe Champions League matches are of higher quality than CWC quarterfinals? I believe I already conceded that in the article.
As for the possibility of Santos beating Barcelona: it wouldn’t be the first time that Barcelona’s lost to a Brazilian team.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxAZe2FonsU
As for CONCACAF and CONMEBOL, take a second and ask yourself: why would CONMEBOL want to merge with us? Based on sheer numbers, a united American confederation would be just as much under the thumb of the CFU as CONCACAF is now; and adding the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, Honduras and Panama to qualifying would make life more difficult for pretty much all the Andean countries. I am not denying that there are benefits, but football politics make any such merger highly unlikely.
I , I’m GI Joe
Sorry I didn’t got your point at that time.
Of course that happens, because CWC usually occurs when UEFA Champions League is ending the group stage, it’s close to Christmas and it’s important to finish the year strong…
2006 Barcelona isn’t like 2011 Barcelona, Rijkaard was the manager, now is Guardiola. Barcelona on that time had players like Ronaldinho, Deco, Marquez, Motta, Gudjohnsen, Giuly, Zambrotta and van Bronckhorst… no isn’t going to happen, Santos will lose!
Actually sometime ago, CONMEBOL got interested in having MLS teams for Copa Libertadores, that would mean for CONMEBOL more money coming from better sponsorship deals, broadcasting rights,etc. They want a good slice of CONCACAF! Countries like the US, Canada, Costa Rica, Mexico would be huge for CONMEBOL.
For some reason MLS got cold feet, perhaps, going over there and underperform against top teams would make MLS lose this ‘virtual standard’.
You have it wrong. In 2007 Urawa was the AFC representative as they won the AFC champions league. Sepahan was the “host” representative.
You’re right – I read the 2007 CWC qualifications too quickly. Thanks for the correction.
Personally I don’t see the need for this restriction. In the unlikely event that a league has two teams, let them have to teams. It would further strengthen attendance.
Saprissa’s 2005 CWC run was awesome. Starting from their epic Concacaf CHAMPIONS CUP campaign(anybody used to watch those?) in which they beat Pumas IN Mexico. They lost 3-0 to Liverpool in the semis of the CWC, but in the 3rd place match they won 3-2 with a brutal free kick to the top corner at the very last minute, will never forget that performance.
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