CONCACAF Champions Cup 2025

Discussion in 'MLS: News & Analysis' started by wantmlsphilly, Dec 9, 2024.

  1. STR1

    STR1 Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    May 29, 2010
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    As much as I want the final to be home and away it was decided years ago that CONCACAF was going this route. Teams know what must be done to host a final.
     
  2. STR1

    STR1 Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    May 29, 2010
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Sticking with the subject of AFC Champions League it got me thinking on how CONCACAF and Conmebol can work together. AFC has 3 club tournaments similar to UEFA. Conmebol already has 2 and CONCACAF has one. If only they can merge and create the 3 club tournaments.
     
  3. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    #728 Nico Limmat, May 4, 2025
    Last edited: May 4, 2025
    Look, I acknowledge there is a "system" in place to determine the host. I just think at six matches it's left vulnerable to a lucky draw and/or break.

    It sounds like we generally agree, but you worry about the optics of complaining. Silence will not effect change. During the 2022 CAF Champions League the "neutral" final venue was awarded as late as the semifinal stage. The only remaining bidder at that point was Casablanca, home of semifinalist Wydad AC. Wydad ended up beating Cairo's Al Ahly in the final but the uproar was so significant in Egypt that CAF immediately switched back to home and away the following year. Next year's AFC "final eight" is once again scheduled in Saudi Arabia. I sure hope all the East Asian clubs complain in a very public fashion about this severe disadvantage against the already high-spending PIF clubs.

    Circling back to the CCC, from a Whitecaps perspective, had they won the away leg 2:1 in Monterrey they would have finished in the "hosting table" with 12 points and a goal difference of +5. Identical to Cruz Azul. What's the next tiebreaker you ask? Goals scored, where the Whitecaps would have had 11 compared to Cruz Azul's 8. In summary, that 97th minute penalty awarded to Monterrey had a very material impact on the tournament. Cruz Azul would have had to beat Tigres by a goal difference of two on Thursday.
     
  4. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    Unless Concacaf decides on a whim to move the final to a neutral site.
     
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  5. STR1

    STR1 Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    May 29, 2010
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    I think that was the idea but you need specific teams to pull that off. Only America, Chivas and Miami with Messi can pull it off anywhere in the US.
     
  6. STR1

    STR1 Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    May 29, 2010
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    I have and many MLS fans have complained over the years about CCC not being fair due to scheduling. Always were told to stop with excuses. I guess that's why you don't see much complaining from MLS fans about the hosting rights.

    If Vancouver pull it off it will be even better since they will be doing it with all odds stacked against them.
     
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  7. ArsenalMetro

    ArsenalMetro Member+

    United States
    Aug 5, 2008
    Chicago, IL
    Club:
    Arsenal FC
    But if we’re speaking to teams “knowing what they have to do to host” and the sporting integrity of the competition, you can’t just discard that.

    Cruz Azul could’ve won all 6 of their matches and had their hosting rights “revoked” because their opponent draws a big crowd. It’s farcical that it’s even a possibility.
     
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  8. STR1

    STR1 Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    May 29, 2010
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    Yes of course it's a possibility. It's CONCACAF. Or what's the argument? That it isn't fair that it is not played in neutral ground to help Vancouver out?
     
  9. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
  10. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    Cruz Azul got eliminated in the Clausura semis and are now idle until the CCC final.

    Whitecaps Schedule
    May 20 - @Valour
    May 24 - @RSL
    May 28 - Minnesota
    Jun 1 - @CruzAzul
     
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  11. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So MLS moved a midweek game before LAFC's CWC playoff against America, but not the midweek game before Vancouver's CCC final against Cruz Azul? Interesting...
     
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  12. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Maybe Vancouver were given the choice.

    Check that

    Major League Soccer confirmed on Wednesday (May 7) that the Vancouver Whitecaps FC MLS regular season home match against Portland Timbers originally planned for Saturday, May 31 at BC Place has been rescheduled to Wednesday, September 24 at 7:30 p.m. PT.

    The new date is due to the 'Caps progression to the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup Final, which is set to take place on Sunday, June 1 against LIGA MX side Cruz Azul at Estadio Olímpico Universitario in Mexico City,
     
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  13. JasonMa

    JasonMa Member+

    Mar 20, 2000
    Arvada, CO
    Club:
    Colorado Rapids
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    So they rescheduled the conflicting game, obviously, but not the midweek game to allow them to rest, unlike what they did for LAFC.

    Now, like you said, maybe they were given the option and chose not to reschedule but that seems an odd decision.
     
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  14. wantmlsphilly

    wantmlsphilly Member+

    Aug 2, 2006
    Philadelphia, Pa.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    IMG_20250519_171107.jpg
    They couldn't finance the final in 1978, so they declared three champions.
     
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  15. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    #740 Nico Limmat, May 19, 2025
    Last edited: May 19, 2025
    The Wiki entry cites “administrative problems and disagreements on the dates”. Whatever the ultimate reason, it’s definitely a quirky aspect of CCC history.

    While on the subject, a Cruz Azul win would equalise Club America’s record seven titles. But of course Club America still has that Giants Cup in their trophy case and (more importantly) two Copa Interamericana titles to strengthen the claim of most successful Concacaf club ever.

    18 out of the last 20 titles have been won by Liga MX. The two that weren’t have a common loser - Pumas UNAM. Something that Pumas fans get to hear very often. :D
     
  16. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    LAFC definitely getting all the help they can get with that CWC playoff. Also with the unearned privilege of hosting the match.
     
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  17. AZUL GALAXY

    AZUL GALAXY Member

    Aug 28, 2009
    Los Angeles
    Club:
    CDSC Cruz Azul
    How about 23 of the last 30, that sounds less impressive.
     
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  18. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    Suit yourself, but the CWC era (played regularly since 2005) is probably more relevant when it comes to Mexican motivation in the CCC.
     
  19. jaykoz3

    jaykoz3 Member+

    Dec 25, 2010
    Conshohocken, PA
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    The Canadian Championship ties are two legs, so Vancouver potentially has fewer midweek dates available. It's also possible that BC Place isn't available on certain dates that would be good for a reschedule as well.

    Maybe Minnesota declined the reschedule due to it falling during an international break?
     
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  20. STR1

    STR1 Member+

    Atlanta United
    United States
    May 29, 2010
    Club:
    Real Madrid
    I've seen this before....
     
  21. jared9999

    jared9999 Member+

    Jan 3, 2005
    Naucalpan Estado de Mex
    Club:
    Club América
    Nat'l Team:
    Mexico
    Fair to say America is still favorites?
     
  22. Paul Berry

    Paul Berry Member+

    Notts County and NYCFC
    United States
    Apr 18, 2015
    Nr Kingston NY
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    High scoring draw, settled by penalties.

    Screenshot_20250521_102817_Chrome.jpg

    Screenshot_20250521_102710_Chrome.jpg
     
  23. Nico Limmat

    Nico Limmat Member+

    Oct 24, 1999
    Dubai, UAE
    Club:
    Grasshopper Club Zürich
    Nat'l Team:
    Switzerland
    On paper? - Yes. But they are playing away, and the tricampeón (soon to be tetracampeón?) just can’t seem to get it done in international play. It’s been nine years since the last CCC title. Add in an intense series against Toluca (with the second leg at the “Bombonera”), while LAFC just had their schedule alleviated, and I expect a close match.
     
  24. wantmlsphilly

    wantmlsphilly Member+

    Aug 2, 2006
    Philadelphia, Pa.
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    I guess Liga MX just doesn't take this tournament seriously.
     
  25. crookeddy

    crookeddy Member+

    Apr 27, 2004
    Nobody is going to complain about this in concacaf because corruption is the norm and is fully expected and accepted.
     
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