MLS in CCL (tourney resumes)

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by tigersoccer2005, Feb 20, 2017.

  1. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So the CONCACAF Champions league resumes this week! The knockout phase get underway with the first leg of the quarterfinals this week. The MLS teams see action on wednesday and thursday. In an unfortunate battle of 2 MLS teams NY Red Bulls will take on Vancouver Whitecaps on wednesday, while FC Dallas will take on Arabe Unido on thursday.

    The bracket is set up this way: The winner of Saprissa-Pachuca will take on the winner of FC Dallas-Arabe Unido ; The winner of Tigres-Pumas will take on the winner of Red Bulls -Whitecaps.

    This is an unfortunate reminder that CCL has been dropped from coverage entirely on English speaking sports networks. The only way to see the games live on tv is on Univision Deportes Network. I do believe that UDPN has an english SAP broadcast.

    Via the internet the game will definitely stream live on Fubo TV and may also stream (not sure) on the UDPN website..
    Sling and Direct TV Now will also definitely have the games.

    SCHEDULE (Feb 21-23, 2017)

    Saprissa (CR) vs Pachuca (MX) Tues Feb 21 @ 9 pm

    NY Red Bulls (MLS) vs Vancouver Whitecaps (MLS) Wed Feb 22 @ 8 pm
    Tigres (MX) vs Pumas (MX) Wed @ 10 pm

    FC Dallas (MLS) vs Arabe Unido (Panama) Thurs Feb 23 @ 8 pm
     
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  2. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Vancouver Whitecaps report they will be without dual role players Mezquida and Reyna for their game against the Red Bulls. They can play both midfield as well as forward. Midfield Bolaños also will not be available. Freddy Montero ,who was recently signed, will not be available for the 1st leg game as he continues to train and get in shape with the club--however he will be available for the return leg.

    http://www.cbc.ca/sports/soccer/mls...mpions-league-quarter-final-1st-leg-1.3990706
     
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  3. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    NY Red Bulls head coach Jesse Marsch states that upcoming series against Vancouver for the CCL is "one of the most important of the season." Lip service perhaps? I'll beleive it when I see it, this club has traditionally always tanked (deliberately) competitions that are not MLS league play or MLS playoffs. It has been frustrating to see them throw away chances at the USOC and CCL on a consistent basis. Here's to hoping that Marsch takes it seriously.

    http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/...l-opener-one-biggest-matches-red-bulls-season
     
  4. Nidal Baba Superstar

    Sep 20, 2006
    Far away
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Why ever would the networks drop such a fascinating, well-formatted tournament featuring much-talked-about teams such as Arabe Unido?

    Back in 2015, when the previous games were played, or back in 2011 when the participating teams qualified, this would have been unacceptable. By the time the next games are played in 2032, I should hope this situation will have been rectified.

    Some of us RBNY fans are taking up a collection in hopes of being able to bribe the refs as much as our opponents so we have a shot at winning this important and legitimate tournament.
     
  5. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Regarding the format: This will be the last edition of the CCL played under the old rules (group phase + knockouts). Starting with the next edition the new "2 tournament edition" of CCL will kick in.

    I understand your frustration with CONCACAF not doing a good enough job with the tournament, but at the end of the day it is still important as the only testing ground currently available against continental competition. If MLS is ever to mean something in this region it has to start winning the tourney consistently and end the Liga MX monopoly.
     
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  6. Nidal Baba Superstar

    Sep 20, 2006
    Far away
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As a fan of the team since '96, I hope we lose and quickly exit this meaningless, corrupt tournament. Firstly, because no one cares, and secondly, because it had been previously demonstrated that we will not be allowed to win it.

    Discussion of this fixed "tournament" should be confined to the pro wrestling forum.
     
  7. Nidal Baba Superstar

    Sep 20, 2006
    Far away
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I appreciate your polite and well-reasoned reply to my trolling, but it's ultimately going to be hard to convince me that the new format is going to make this a good competition. We're still dealing with CONCACAF, with a tournament that lasts too long, has too many teams, takes place way too long after qualification, means very little to anyone, features countries that should be banned from world soccer, prioritizes inclusion over interestingness, and doesn't give teams a fair shot to win (due to corruption). I'll quit trolling, but I continue to believe that a legitimate, well-run league like MLS has a better chance of putting together a solid interleague competition than the CONCACAF crooks.
     
  8. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    On that last point, I think that if MLS and Liga MX are able to put on a really well thought out and most importantly, a well sponsored and well funded SuperLiga 2.0, that it has the chance to catch fire and possibly become bigger than CCL. I welcome the prospect of this much buzzed about SuperLiga 2.0 as an exciting development for our region!

    I hear you on inclusiveness vs competitiveness--at the end of the day Saprissa, Alajuelense, and Olimpia are the only big teams outside of Liga MX and MLS. That makes for a very small pool of credible teams. Here's to hoping that maybe the new CCL format will act as a competitive incubator to further develop other teams in our region. Supposedly CONCACAF will start to use a new regional coefficient system (inspired by UEFA's) starting with the debut of the new CCL format in order to further foster and reward competitive play in the tournament.
     
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  9. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
  10. LordRobin

    LordRobin Member+

    Sep 1, 2006
    Akron, OH
    Club:
    Cleveland C. S.
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I have swung back and forth on my opinion of the CCL, from wishing it could be as big as the UEFA CL, to wishing that it would just go away. I get the logic that continental competition is important, which is why I'm always inclined to give the tournament another chance. But reality has never lived up to the ideals. The first stage means games against teams no one up here cares about and added travel in the middle of the playoff hunt. The second stage pits Mexican teams in prime shape against our guys still shaking the dust off. Every bit of the damned thing just sucks, even allowing that a couple of our teams have made it to the final.

    The "new" format is good start, but it essentially is just rolling the CCL back to the old Champion's Cup format, with a new longer tournament for qualifying minnows. Our rounds are still played at an awful time for us.

    And I'm beginning to think that a big reason for that is MLS (and by extension, the USSF) really doesn't give a shit about the tournament. You can't tell me they couldn't put their collective foot down and insist that the games be played in a more fair window. I honestly think this is what they want: Get it out of the way early, and now the new format means they won't have to deal with it again until the following spring.

    ------RM
     
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  11. teamitup76

    teamitup76 Member

    Mar 25, 2003
    CA
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    As an idealist, (and huge Metro/RBNY fan), I for one want trophies. Is this an ideal calendar date for an "important" fixture? No. But it is a real match, in a competitive competition, with a global competition as the carrot to put in some effort. At the end of the day, though, would you rather watch YOUR MLS team play a meaningless preseason game in the Carolinas or Arizona, OR get fired up this week for some actual, ramped up, s__t on the line games? I for one am pumped for Wednesday!!
     
  12. El Chico Carmona

    Mar 10, 2015
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    As an FCD fan, I'm pretty pumped. Our opponents come into Dallas in bad form.

    Also, FC Dallas is getting a lot of love from the Mexican Press.
     
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  13. EvanJ

    EvanJ Member+

    Manchester United
    United States
    Mar 30, 2004
    Club:
    Manchester United FC
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I'll copy what I posted yesterday at http://forums.bigsoccer.com/threads/mls-clubs-in-2016-2017-concacaf-champions-league-r.2034034/

    The Quarterfinal first legs will all be live on Univision Deportes. On Wednesday March 1 at 8:00 P.M., Arabe Unido will host FC Dallas in a second leg. Univision Deportes has that game scheduled but then has a Copa MX game at 9:25 P.M. Will they leave the CCL game in progress? If they do leave the game in progress, you can see some of the end in a 60 minute replay on March 2 at 3:00 P.M. They don't have any full replays scheduled.
     
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  14. largegarlic

    largegarlic Member+

    Jul 2, 2007
    As an MLS fan without any local team, I always really look forward to CCL games, since they give me a clear rooting interest. So, I bummed about the TV options. I don't get Univision Deportes. The MLS website says that the games will be streamed on Facebook Live, but at least when I tried this for the US u-20 game, it wouldn't work on my Chromecast. Not sure I'm invested enough to watch on my computer...I thought at least we'd moved to the point where I could see a crappy stream on TV.
     
  15. tigersoccer2005

    tigersoccer2005 Member+

    Dec 1, 2003
    North Bergen, NJ
    Club:
    New York Red Bulls
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    It will be streamed on Fubo
     
  16. El Chico Carmona

    Mar 10, 2015
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Club:
    FC Dallas
  17. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    What is more fair to you? The second half of the year?

    While I agree that MLS probably doesn't mind the CCL not overlapping with the playoff race I think the main reason for holding it in the first half is Mexican Copa Libertadores participation - a competition that now lasts from January to November. Say a Mexican club starts playing Libertadores but then qualifies for a fall CCL in May. The schedule gets very messy.

    The upcoming format change has several positives for MLS. Starting 2019 teams won't have to wait long to participate post-qualification and the first round will be against weaker clubs outside Mexico (for the USSF teams). If MLS 3.0 - or whatever version we are at - can't beat Caribbean and Central American opposition at this time of the year then the problems are much bigger than mere scheduling. By the time the quarterfinals would come around the MLS season would have started.

    So positive changes are in store for MLS. But I guess it's always easier to focus on the negatives.
     
  18. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    According to some news reports MLS was asked if they favored a Spring or Fall tournament. They asked for Spring.

    http://www.foxsports.com/soccer/sto...-format-mls-scheduling-problems-remain-012317

    My understanding was that Mexico didn't care either way as long as it took place completely during the Apertura or Clausura. I don't have a cite for that.
     
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  19. El Chico Carmona

    Mar 10, 2015
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Club:
    FC Dallas
    Oscar Pareja was just live in the FC Dallas Facebook page.

    A must see.

    It was a press conference and he was fielding questions in English and Spanish, and was giving bilingual responses.

    He had some great things to say about MLS, American Players, and about teams needing to stop making excuses.
     
  20. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    #20 Nico Limmat, Feb 21, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2017
    I'm not convinced that is the case. Let's walk through a fall CCL scenario for Liga MX:

    The four participants would have to be determined in the preceding May and December Liguilla, with the May finalists qualifying closest in date to the CCL. The problem is that a Libertadores participant (commencing play in February) could end up qualifying in the May Liguilla but is now committed to the Copa Libertadores that lasts until November. The only way to avoid that is by cutting off Mexican CCL qualification in December before the Copa Libertadores starts. But that would mean two Liga MX clubs qualify about 14 months (!) before the CCL not to mention you give a CONMEBOL tournament preference (that can't sit well with CONCACAF).

    The result would be two clubs waiting around while also frozen out of South American competition.

    Right? Am I missing something?

    The needs of Liga MX (arguably the most important stakeholder) have to be considered here.
     
  21. newtex

    newtex Member+

    May 25, 2005
    Houston
    Club:
    Houston Dynamo
    That could be. I'm not saying Liga MX's interests were not considered. Maybe Liga MX did say they wanted a Spring CCL. I just haven't seen a source that says that. I'm also not sure about the 14 month thing. Liga MX could have stipulated that if the May finalists were already in Libertadores then there would be a step-down process. That conflict could happen but it is pretty unlikely.

    Does anyone even know if Liga MX teams will be getting back into the Libertadores?

    What would they have done if MLS had expressed a strong interest in having the tournament in the fall? Why even ask MLS if only a spring tournament was going to work for Liga MX?
     
  22. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    #22 ArsenalMetro, Feb 21, 2017
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2017
    Officially underway in Costa Rica.

    According to the broadcast and CONCACAF, Roy Miller is starting and captaining Saprissa. Didn't he sign with Portland last month?

    EDIT: Never mind.

    "The former New York Red Bull will remain with Saprissa through the end of February to participate in the club’s CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinal matches before joining the Timbers ahead of the 2017 MLS season."
     
  23. Boloni86

    Boloni86 Member+

    Jun 7, 2000
    Baltimore
    Club:
    DC United
    Nat'l Team:
    Gibraltar
    Historically I've always rooted against MLS teams in this tournament because I always wanted DC United to be the first to win it. Dallas this year will be the first time I break that tradition. Pareja at times seems to the the only one in MLS who really gets it. Youth academy matters. Coaching matters. Smart scouting matters. And winning the game in front of you matters. If you're not in this business to win competitions like CCL, then you need to re examine what the f**k you're doing this for. Soccer at its core is competition, not performance art.
     
  24. tab5g

    tab5g Member+

    May 17, 2002
    Roy Miller is Saprissa's captain.
     
  25. Autogolazo

    Autogolazo BigSoccer Supporter

    Feb 19, 2000
    Bombay Beach, CA
    Loving the return to real grass in the "monster's cave"--about time!

    Omar misses on a header from a corner....
     

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