You will never see UEFA win like 10 in-a-row regardless because anything can happen in a single knockout cup competition. Plus you're going to have surprise UEFA champs like Chelsea and Inter in the future who are much more beatable than Bayern are now. But even if they win 70-80% of the time, I think that would be pretty dominant especially if a majority of UEFA wins continue to be blowouts. For now maybe "dominant" is too strong of a word, but I think its safe to say: 1. UEFA; <gap> 2. CONMEBOL; <gap> 3-6. the ROW
Maybe because they have to play an extra game. Maybe FIFA should change the rule to the following, what ever confederation the 2 finalists belong to the following year those 2 confederations get the bye to the semi-finals.
2 finals appearances in from CAF in the last 4, lets not forget the seeding system makes it a bit trickier for them inherently. That being said, i dont think they can trouble European sides like Comnebol can, then again zahzah did concede they are under them so he seems about right
For one thing CONMEBOL champs always avoid the UEFA side, so they essentially have a way bigger chance of making the final in the first place and since they play their first game in the semis they are guaranteed a 4th place finish at worst. Due to how this tournament works it doesn't really matter who finishes 5th, 6th or 4th, as it says nothing about the relative strengths of the respective champions. For all we know Mineiro should be 7th in this competition... Essentially all that counts is what happens from the semis onwards.
Has a CONMEBOL team ever finished 4th? If not, then its safe to say they wouldn't have finished 6th either (if they had to enter a round sooner), since in both cases it involves losing 2 games against non-UEFA teams.
They were terrible in this competition. But, I don't know if you remember, Mineiro had two players disputing the Confederation Cup for Brazil (Jô and Réver), and 4 dream with a call (Victor, Marcos Rocha, Ronaldinho and Tardelli). Well, maybe, dreamed... Mineiro aren't that bad, in Brazil they are between the favorites for win Libertadores next year. The problem is that they were not playing well at some time and now, with this loss, they are with low morale.
A CONMEBOL team has failed to make the final only twice (the second time this year), largely thanks to CONMEBOL advantage of only having to play semis onwards. Like mentioned before - if this game was played earlier in the competition or the TP Mazembe game in 2010, than Mineiro could have been 5th or lower.
I'm not sure if they are favorites. I'd say Cruzeiro are favorites and after that, it's hard to say..... Jo reverted back to his old self. Rever is a joke. Victor does have a chance. Marcos Rocha? Ronaldinho? Ja' era.. and Tardelli has a remote possibility. After the Libertadores, Galo lost Bernard, had several players drop in form (Jo, Rever, Rocha) and get injured (R10, Donizete) and Cuca completely lost focus, especially after the deal he got for China. Seeing a Cuca team play exceptionally well for a few months and later play horribly is the norm for him. Just look at his Botafogo squads...
The goals: On a separate note, are the SC Internacional fans happy to get this monkey off their back or what?
Well, that's not quite accurate because they may have played against a weaker team than TP Mazembe in the QF, depending on the draw (only a 1-in-3 chance that they would have drawn TPM). Also they would have finished 5th (not "5th or lower") given that they always won the 3rd-place match which is tougher than the 5th-place match. That said, maybe its time to have the CONMEBOL team enter in the QF-stage. Especially since they usually travel to the CWC a week in advance anyway, so they obviously have the free time.
I don't said they are THE favorites. I said between favorites. The same about chances in Brazilian squad, I don't said they will be called, but they dreamed. Several in the press spoke these names, you agreeing or not. I not agree. But the moroccan players could have the same chance if they were Brazilians? I'm only saying they not that bad and, at least on paper, they are better than the other teams of this cup.
I'd give it a couple more tournaments before changing the full format. But if a Conmebol team fails to reach the final again in the next two tournaments, even with their seeding advantage, the format should probably be revisited