The pressure will be on Flamengo to win the semi because of this bad record of the South Americans since the begining of this format. If we pass, anything can happen in the final against Liverpool, although they are clear favorites. But since the Europeans don't seem to care much about this tournament..
Matchday 2 - Summary: M1 | 11.12.19 | Al Sadd - Hienghène Sport 3:1 AET (Playoff) M2 | 14.12.19 | CF Monterrey - Al Sadd 3:2 (Quarterfinal) M3 | 14.12.19 | Al Hilal - Espérance Tunis 1:0 (Quarterfinal) M4 | 17.12.19 | Al Sadd - Espérance Tunis (Match for 5th Place) M5 | 17.12.19 | CR Flamengo - Al Hilal (Semifinal) M6 | 18.12.19 | CF Monterrey - Liverpool FC (Semifinal) M7 | 21.12.19 | Loser M6 - Loser M5 (Match for 3rd Place) M8 | 21.12.19 | Winner M6 - Winner M5 (Final)
You forgot 2016. There is quite a bit of pressure on Flamengo this year. If they lose this year that would mean three losses in the last five years for the Libertadores winners at the semi-final stage: 2015: Sanfrecce Hiroshima - River Plate 0:1 2016: Atlético Nacional - Kashima Antlers 0:3 2017: Grêmio - Pachuca 1:0 AET 2018: River Plate - Al Ain 2:2; 4:5 PSO 2019: ??? I'm sure most neutral viewers would relish a rematch of the 1981 Intercontinental Cup, but Flamengo will have to earn it against a hungry Al Hilal side.
Anything can happen with English participation. Excluding European associations with one single appearance (Serbia, Scotland, Greece, Sweden and Romania) England has by far the weakest European record in the participation/winner ratio: England's record breaks down as follows: 1968: Manchester United loses to Estudiantes (ARG) over two legs 1980: Nottingham – Nacional (URU) 0:1 1981: Liverpool – Flamengo (BRA) 0:3 1982: Aston Villa – Peñarol (URU) 0:2 1984: Liverpool – Independiente (ARG) 0:1 1999: Manchester United – Palmeiras (BRA) 1:0 2000: Manchester United eliminated in group stage 2005: Liverpool – Sao Paulo (BRA) 0:1 2008: Manchester United – LDU Quito (ECU) 1:0 2012: Chelsea – Corinthians (BRA) 0:1 It doesn't matter how you regard the competition. That record is flat out poor.
Lionel Vangioni and Marcelo Barovero participated in the 2015 CWC as starters in River Plate’s two matches. This year, they both played vs Al Sadd and are expected to start again vs Liverpool. Have there been any other players who have played more than one CWC for different teams? Off top I can think of Ronaldinho (2006 Barcelona & 2013 Atletico Mineiro) and Franco Armani (2016 Atletico Nacional & 2018 River Plate) but no other names immediately comes to mind. Anyone? Edit: Just thought of Walter Kannemann (2014 San Lorenzo & 2017 Gremio) and Neri Cardozo (2007 Boca Juniors & 2011/12/13 Monterrey). Please keep adding names to the list, though. I am especially less aware of the Asian, African, and European players.
So was at the games last night. First of all, I really don't like the double-header quarterfinal as instead of getting two fairly full stadiums, you get one semi-full stadium twice. The majority of the fans were obviously Esperance fans. They came in droves not just local Tunisian residents, but many flew in from Tunis itself. Problem is they mostly left after the first game, while most of the Monterrey fans only came for the 2nd game. Anyway, first time I've ever seen pyrotechnics at a game here in Qatar. Honestly, I think the authorities had no idea what to do. Anyhoo, here's some highlights from the first match: Al Hilal 1-0 Esperance..... The pyromaniac show starts at about a minute... Didn't get so much from the 2nd game, but here's a bit of the Monterrey fans celebrating.... pretty disappointing turnout from Al Sadd fans to be honest....
I really enjoyed their presence at the stadium when attending their quarterfinal against Al Ain last year. Unfortunately for them there too they had little reason to celebrate. Maybe in Esperance's fourth participation. PS: Is it true that Gomis went over to the Flamengo team in the stands to celebrate his goal? If yes that is an interesting setup for the semifinal.
Hmm maybe... well you could see from where I was sitting, the VIP box was just one block over... and they even used our gate to come through.. in fact, right before the match, the Saudi manager Hevre Renard walked right past my seat with his lady, who is ironically former Qatar's late manager Bruno Metsu's widow-- ouch! Anyhoo, he seemed very friendly taking photos with fans who recognized him on his way. Then next thing I know the entire Flamengo team walks right past. I guess they were checking out their perspective opponents. Just wondering, why would Gomis go over to the Flamengo area? Could be there was some banter going on while Gomis was on the bench or something like that... anyhoo, yeah will be a good semifinal. I hope Gomis starts, he didn't this match for some reason.
Apparently Gomis recently had surgery on his arm. Could it be a connection to his former coach Jorge Jesus? Jesus coached Al Hilal until June this year with Gomis on the team. As pointed out earlier that's only one of the connections between the two clubs. Midfielder Gustavo Cuéllar went the other way to Al Hilal this August. Are you attending Flamengo-Al Hilal after all? This could be a good one. It's also interesting that both clubs have players who narrowly missed out participating in the CWC previously with other clubs in other confederations. Sebastian Giovinco (Al Hilal) missed out with Toronto FC in the 2018 CONCACAF final while Éverton Ribeiro (Flamengo) lost the 2015 Asian final with the UAE's Al Ahli.
This tweet can explain why Gomis went to celebrate in the direction of the Flamengo team. Jesus was there. During this diner we promised each other that we will meet again and it’s with a real pleasure that I will play against you and your team @Flamengo hope that we will have a big game! See you mister ❤️ pic.twitter.com/MNaYU8vXk8— Bafétimbi Gomis (@BafGomis) December 14, 2019
Ahh.. okay of course... he was finding Jesus - makes sense! Sadly, nah, I think I'll pass on Tuesday nights game. First of all, the wife and kid are leaving that night (oh joy! Oh joy!). But I'm honestly getting a little burned out from football matches to be honest... went to seven Gulf Cup matches (well, two were doubleheaders), but after last night's doubleheader, that makes it 9 games in 19 days. Too much of a good thing ya know... Never bought semfinal tickets because I was supposed to be going to Algeria but given the situation there I cancelled that trip. I'm still in for the final of course.
In hindsight you may regret not going. This one has the potential to be the match of the tournament, especially if Al Hilal manage to pull off the upset. River Plate - Al Ain was the standout memory for me last year. In other news, Jürgen Klopp is not impressed with the decision to use one pitch for the remaining five matches in a span of five days. I tend to agree with that view. They really should have put Flamengo's semifinal and the 5th place match in the new (and tested) Al Janoub Stadium.
Well, I was very young in 1981 so it's not a direct memory for me. But its nearly mythological stories do resonate with me. Of course it's a final that has been built up by a "starved" Flamengo fan-base over the decades. Flamengo fans have waited 38 years for their second Libertadores title. No other fan-base of the participating clubs has waited longer for a continental title. Not even Hienghène Sport - their club was only founded in 1997!
Liverpool have arrived in Doha: While they have some injury concerns (Fabinho and Lovren didn't travel at all, Wijnaldum traveled but is questionable) they nevertheless can enter the competition relatively carefree. They won their UEFA CL group and are 14 points ahead of Manchester City in the table. Second-placed Leicester also dropped points yesterday and are 10 points behind. It's about time the Reds get properly tested. The league has been a walkover for them.
I want Liverpool to win this so I can have an excuse to be even more unbearable at work. And also because I really want to erase the demons of 2005. I was heartbroken after that final, and unfortunately my closest buddy at uni a few years later turned out to be a Sao Paolo fan, and he was insufferable whenever I tried to bring up football.
According to this at least 15,000 Flamengo fans are expected in Doha. And that may only be those traveling from Brazil - not other countries. And to not completely ignore the 5th place match, if Esperance - Al Sadd sounds familiar it's because they met in a 2011 CWC quarterfinal. Al Sadd won 2:1:
Interesting perspective. I only think Liverpool will be tested in that each game is a one off, if it is just one of those days when all their chances miss, then maybe they'll come undone. Or if they underestimate the opposition and don't take the competition seriously enough. I say this without relish, and will gladly be proved wrong; but they are far superior in squad and management quality to their opposition at the CWC. Still, that is why they play the games, maybe someone can pull off a miracle. I am looking forward to the next rounds.
I hate this argument. As a professional competitor you always want to win, sometimes more than ofhers, but if you train every day for years with the sole purpose of being superior to your opposition you’ll always be itching for the win... especially when an international title to add to your resume is at stake. The whole “not taking the cup seriously” bs is just a cheap excuse for the Europeans to fallback on in case anything goes wrong. If they lose it isn’t because of their own wrongdoing, but rather the opposition’s merit.
I very much believe that South American players on UEFA clubs understand how much this tournament means to people back 'home'. The times when the UEFA champion have lost the final it's usually the South American players on the team who show the most emotion. I'm not saying that European players don't play this tournament seriously and are not disappinted when they lose but, in general (there are exceptions), often their emotions are just that. Disappointment. They don't display as much hurt and pain that their South American teammates show. My opinion/observation, anyway.