2017-18 CCL qualifiers [R]

Discussion in 'CONCACAF Champions Cup' started by Paul Calixte, Jun 10, 2016.

  1. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #51 Paul Calixte, Dec 12, 2016
    Last edited: Dec 12, 2016
    We have a de facto final coming up in Costa Rica: Torneo de Invierno regular season winners Saprissa are one point behind Herediano in the semifinal group, and will host them on Wednesday at 9:30 p.m. EST. If Saprissa win, then they claim the Torneo de Invierno title as winners of both the regular season and the semifinals; any other result gives us two more Saprissa-Herediano showdowns for the championship.

    Also, Motagua beat Platense 1-0 in the first leg of the Honduran Apertura final; return leg's on Sunday. IIRC there are no tiebreakers in play, so Platense just has to win by one to force extra time.

    Finally, Alianza will take on Santa Tecla (on Sunday?) in the Salvadoran final.

    It is worth noting that the two-legged Guatemalan Apertura final between Municipal and Antigua will take place this week, but the winner will have to wait until the Guatemalan Fed gets right with FIFA before making any continental plans.
     
  2. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So, according to the Nicaraguan federation, major changes are imminent for the next CONCACAF Champions League. You can read more here; presumably, though, CONCACAF can't just pull out the rug under the 2017-18 CCL qualifiers to date.

    For now, with Nicaragua getting two berths, we can assume that Real Estelí are in.

    2017-18 CCL Qualifiers

    1. Toronto FC [CAN]
    2. FC Dallas [USA]
    3. Colorado Rapids [USA]
    4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
    5. Tigres UANL [MEX]
    6. Árabe Unido [PAN]
    7. Club América [MEX]
    8. Seattle Sounders [USA]
    9. Real Estelí [NCA]
     
  3. It's called FOOTBALL

    LMX Clubs
    Mexico
    May 4, 2009
    Chitown
    To determine who plays in the next CCL, they should pick who does better head-to-head during the season between 2016 qualifiers and 2017.

    For example, best h2h between Seattle and the 2017 league champ. If Seattle repeats, they get the berth.

    Best h2h between FC Dallas and the 2017 SS winner. Again, if FCD wins it again, the get berth #2.

    Since FCD won the 2016 usoc, then the 2017 usoc winner gets berth #3. If FCD wins 2017 usoc, then the berth goes to the Rapids or next best combined 2-season record if Rapids already qualified.

    Berth #4 goes to best h2h between NYRB and 2017 Non-SS Reg Season Conference Champ. If NYRB wins the 2017 SS jr., then they get the berth.

    Simple way to get caught up to the new format, which will now be the only CL without a group stage.
     
  4. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    At which point, does it still get to call itself a "league"? 'cause last time what you said was true, we were back in the CONCACAF Champions Cup days.
     
  5. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Saprissa got the job done at the first time of asking, winning 2-0 over Herediano to top the semifinal group and claim the Torneo de Invierno title. Now, did they qualify for both stages of the next CCL or just Stage 1? Who the hell knows... :confused:

    2017-18 CCL Qualifiers

    1. Toronto FC [CAN]
    2. FC Dallas [USA]
    3. Colorado Rapids [USA]
    4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
    5. Tigres UANL [MEX]
    6. Árabe Unido [PAN]
    7. Club América [MEX]
    8. Seattle Sounders [USA]
    9. Real Estelí [NCA]
    10. Deportivo Saprissa [CRC]
     
  6. It's called FOOTBALL

    LMX Clubs
    Mexico
    May 4, 2009
    Chitown
    You gotta love the clown show this has become, it's so 2016. What would your personal preference be wrt Saprissa?

    Would you rather they qualify for Fall CCL Stage, but not Spring? And instead have the Fall 2017 Tico League Champ qualify for Spring CCL 2018?
     
  7. dinamo_zagreb

    dinamo_zagreb Member+

    Jun 27, 2010
    San Jose, CA / Zagreb, Croatia
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    Now imagine this:
    they qualify for the First stage >
    they get eliminated in, let's say, semifinal >
    they win the Fall 2017 Tico League :laugh: >
    they play in Second (main) stage of a competition they already played in and got knocked-out

    :cool:


    Maybe Mr. Calixte is rushing things a bit. They might scrap all of this and start using only competitions that will be played in 2017 - like MLS 2017, LMX Clausura and Apertura 2017, Voyageurs Cup 2017 and so on. :laugh:
     
    Paul Calixte repped this.
  8. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I.



    Don't.



    Know.



    :confused:
     
  9. edcalvi

    edcalvi Moderator
    Staff Member

    Olimpia
    Guatemala
    May 1, 2005
    US
    Antigua GFC just won the Clausura 2016 league championship vs Municipal via penalty shootouts.

    They won't have suspended players this time so I expect a better performance.
     
  10. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Let's throw them up on the board, along with the champions crowned today in El Salvador and Honduras.

    2017-18 CCL Qualifiers

    1. Toronto FC [CAN]
    2. FC Dallas [USA]
    3. Colorado Rapids [USA]
    4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
    5. Tigres UANL [MEX]
    6. Árabe Unido [PAN]
    7. Club América [MEX]
    8. Seattle Sounders [USA]
    9. Real Estelí [NCA] *
    10. Deportivo Saprissa [CRC]
    11. Antigua GFC [GUA] **
    12. Santa Tecla [SLV]
    13. Motagua [HON]

    * Given reports of new CCL format
    ** Assuming FIFA suspension lifted in time
     
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  11. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Not exactly a vote of confidence in the CFU: Fútbol Boricua is reporting that CONCACAF has taken over the Caribbean Club Championship for next year. Sadly, it's probably for the best...
     
  12. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The CFU has announced the groups and schedule for its next Club Championship:

    [​IMG]

    For the first time in recent memory, it will include teams from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Sint-Maarten, as well as a welcome return for San Juan Jabloteh (a fixture in the first few editions of the CCL); OTOH, Puerto Rico FC was frozen out. According to CONCACAF, all five group winners will make the final round.
     
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  13. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Based on that schedule, the Final Round will have games every other day. The team that has Matchday 1 off will have to play 4 times in 7 days on May 15, 17, 19, and 21. The team that has Matchday 5 off will have to play 4 times in 7 days on May 13, 15, 17, and 19.
     
  14. dinamo_zagreb

    dinamo_zagreb Member+

    Jun 27, 2010
    San Jose, CA / Zagreb, Croatia
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    EvanJ repped this.
  15. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    If the CFU Club Championship added one club, they would need to have one group of five (which would require five matchdays with every club having one matchday off) or to increase the amount of groups to six and move some clubs around. It's also possible that a club will withdraw and be replaced by Puerto Rico FC.
     
  16. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    If they get in, this feels like the most likely way.
     
  17. dinamo_zagreb

    dinamo_zagreb Member+

    Jun 27, 2010
    San Jose, CA / Zagreb, Croatia
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    Or they could send PRFC into final stage and play it with six teams, two groups of three (three matchdays spread across five days) followed by final and third place match (if needed).

    Shame they aren't included when they obviously want to take part.
     
  18. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #68 Paul Calixte, Jan 23, 2017
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2017
    CONCACAF has finally confirmed what the Nicaraguan federation leaked weeks ago.

    [​IMG]

    I'm still trying to parse through how the transition will work, but CONCACAF has cleared up a few important details:

    1. There will be no double-qualification out of Central America and the Caribbean; rather, the best five out of Central America and the CFU champion will go directly to the CCL, while others below them will have to fight their way through the play-in tournament.

    2. Everyone on our current list of qualifiers is guaranteed to play in this tournament. Now, we'll have to go back and keep track of full-season tables in Central America to see who qualifies directly.

    2017-18 CCL Qualifiers

    1. Toronto FC [CAN]
    2. FC Dallas [USA]
    3. Colorado Rapids [USA]
    4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
    5. Tigres UANL [MEX]
    6. Árabe Unido [PAN1, PAN2 or PAN3]
    7. Club América [MEX]
    8. Seattle Sounders [USA]
    9. Real Estelí [NCA]
    10. Deportivo Saprissa [CRC1, CRC2 or CRC3]
    11. Antigua GFC [GUA1, GUA2 or GUA3] *
    12. Santa Tecla [SLV1, SLV2 or SLV3]
    13. Motagua [HON1, HON2 or HON3]

    * Assuming FIFA suspension lifted in time
     
  19. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    #69 Paul Calixte, Jan 23, 2017
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2017
    Btw: that probably explains why the CFU Club Champion final round was expanded to 5 teams. And I'm glad that CONCACAF finally bothered to give an incentive to win the CFU tournament...nearly a decade too late, but who's counting.

    Finally, CONCACAF could do worse than just keep the fall-spring window for CCL qualification, e.g. pulling the qualifiers for the 2018 play-in tournament and the 2019 CCL from the period July 2017 to May 2018. Importantly, this allows Mexican teams to get back in the Copa Libertadores: if a participant were to qualify for the following season's CCL via the Clausura final, they would leave that for the following calendar year and finish up their Libertadores run without schedule conflicts. The only major downside would be teams from the US and Canada going over a full calendar year between qualifying for the CCL and actually playing in it (make that 1.5 years in Canada's case!).
     
  20. fridge46

    fridge46 Member

    Oct 23, 2011
    Dont like it
     
  21. Paul Calixte

    Paul Calixte Moderator
    Staff Member

    Orlando City SC
    Apr 30, 2009
    Miami, FL
    Club:
    Orlando City SC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Last note: I'm now going to have to break up the list in two as well. Central American teams will move up to the first list as they win their full-year tables...

    2018 CCL Qualifiers

    1. Toronto FC [CAN]
    2. FC Dallas [USA]
    3. Colorado Rapids [USA]
    4. New York Red Bulls [USA]
    5. Tigres UANL [MEX]
    6. Club América [MEX]
    7. Seattle Sounders [USA]

    2017 Play-In Qualifiers

    1. Árabe Unido [PAN1, PAN2 or PAN3]
    2. Real Estelí [NCA]
    3. Deportivo Saprissa [CRC1, CRC2 or CRC3]
    4. Antigua GFC [GUA1, GUA2 or GUA3] *
    5. Santa Tecla [SLV1, SLV2 or SLV3]
    6. Motagua [HON1, HON2 or HON3]

    * Assuming FIFA suspension lifted in time
     
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  22. eltapatio

    eltapatio Member

    Mar 25, 2016
    Guadalajara
    What will be the dates for phase 2?
     
  23. dinamo_zagreb

    dinamo_zagreb Member+

    Jun 27, 2010
    San Jose, CA / Zagreb, Croatia
    Club:
    --other--
    Nat'l Team:
    Croatia
    #73 dinamo_zagreb, Jan 23, 2017
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2017
    So it will still be named Champions League although there's no league format at all. LOL. If they didn't wanted to go back to Champions Cup (name), they could've named it CONCACAF Championship. If they are doing it to mirror UEFA's competition, it must have group (league) stage.

    24-team format was trash as there were too many (trash) teams, but they are expanding it now. Rhetoric is just like FIFA's - more teams get chance. LOL. 4/5 CFU teams qualifying. Something like they will do for 2026 WCQ where it will be tougher to get eliminated than to qualify.

    MLS teams aren't getting anything out of this. Main matches (actually all of them as there's no more Fall group stage matches) are still played in their preseason (or early part of season) what was the main objection by MLS fans since format change in 2008. We can't win as we are in preseason while Mexicans are fully fit.

    Also, for MLS, I hope this you-qualify-then-you-play-whole-new-season-between-qualification-and-playing-the-tournament-you-qualified-for nonsense won't last too long.

    Shame, such a shame. Worst run confederation.


    EDIT: If I understand it properly, there's no "expansion", they are actually starting new competition that serves as qualifying competition for the Champions.
     
  24. fero

    fero Member

    Oct 31, 2011
    Argentina
    Club:
    CA Boca Juniors
    Nat'l Team:
    Argentina
    the 16 teams that play the 1st phase gonna get good money for it? without fight any "big" team? and my face when first game in Canada in january, just 8 games to be continental champion but ucking too cold to be in the stadium.
     
  25. LaMascara

    LaMascara Member+

    Apr 11, 2013
    Club:
    Pachuca CF
    Mexico should get more spots....
     
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