Conmebol: The door is open for MLS teams to play in Copa Libertadores

So we get stomped for a decade or two... ultimately this is the way to go. Plus I'm sure CONMEBOL would appreciate the access to the U.S. market.

 

"Hoy, precisamente, es el New York Red Bulls de Henry y Márquez el que lidera el campeonato de fútbol de los Estados Unidos, seguido muy de cerca por el Columbus Credel argentino Guillermo Barros Schelotto."

Looks like the article's author only looked at the Eastern conference standings... "Today, it's the New York Red Bulls of Henry and Marquez that lead the championship, followed very closely by Scheloto's Crew."

 

Interesting.... but IMO MLS teams arent ready yet. Close.... but not yet ready.

 

It's a fantastic thing to hear that CONMEBOL is seeing the improvements from MLS. While it's a great sign that they would invite MLS sides to the Copa Libertadores, I think right now MLS should eliminate the SuperLiga and give the four clubs that won't go to the CONCACAF Champions League to the Copa SudAmericana.

I think right now that's more of a realistic tournament for MLS sides to compete in than the Libertadores, but that doesn't mean I'm against the Libertadores. I think at this time SudAmericana is realistic.

But that means both CONCACAF & CONMEBOL needs to sit down with each other and work on the calendar together to make sure it works for both confederations.

 

Yeah, but nobody gives a rat's ass about the Club World Cup. The Libertadores is a far more prestigious tournament.

 

You're crazy.
How in the world do you figure that the Sudamericana fits better? Too many teams have fixture congestion in the second half of the season, and now you want to make it even worse? A spring tournament like the Libertadores fits far better for MLS than the Sudamericana.

 

that would be sick! but I think in all honesty, MLS isn't quite ready for that. I think that in two years or so, they will be pretty competetive. But If they somehow started next Libertadores cup, I wouldn't complain!

 

No MLS team has won a competitive game in Mexico, but one has won in South America.

Kansas City beat Barcelona on September 12th, 2001 (wearing black armbands, I'm not sure how they got home with air traffic halted) from one goal by Rocket Roy Lassiter and a brace from downtown Chris Brown.

 

mls teams wood suck in Libertadores as when the Libertadores start we are in the off season so mls teams wood not be in game shape.

 

Before I neg rep you for this, a couple honest questions:

1) Is English your first language?

2) Do you have a learning disability?

 

I loved the U. Catolica-D.C. United series a few years back in Copa Sud.

That was competitive, open, attacking.

Nobody who saw those games can say that the competition wouldn't be entertaining or that MLS teams couldn't at least compete.

I'd rather watch that 1,000 times more than U.S. Open Cup matches, but I know I'm not allowed to say that around here.

 

I just don't see how MLS can compete in Conmebol without MLSHQ providing a coupld of charter planes for all the teams competing to alleviate some of the travel problems. The distances to travel to the games is just too extreme.

 

Why not?

 

This is my main issue. I mean imagine the NY Red Bulls flying to Chile to play Colo Colo for a midweek fixture, that air travel is nuts!

I just can't see MLS teams flying to South America every couple of week during the season, with parity the way it is, I see it being the kiss of death to their domestic form.

 

The travelling makes it too hard. But I do think a unified Copa America would be great, once every four years as now.. 2011, 2015, etc.

 

Because people treat the USOC like it is a relevant trophy here

 

How about pay attention to what I said and finish the entire quote. All you know is the name of the tournament and not when the match days are. Let's get the calendar out for the 2010 tournament shall we.

Goal Aggregate first stage matches for 3rd thru 5th place sides in all leagues in South American countries.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2010_Copa_Libertadores

First Stage: First leg January 26 thru 28th, Second Leg is February 2nd thru 7th. Winners advance to the second stage and join those who got automatic bids in eight groups.

Second Stage: Group stage matches are from Feb 9th till April 22nd whenever those dates are penciled in.

(MLS Started their Regular Season on March 27th)

Knockout stages are all goal aggregate rounds with Away Goals Rule

Third Stage: Round of 16 and the two Mexican Inter-liga winners begins at this stage. First Leg is April 27-29th, Second Leg is May 4th thru 6th

Quarterfinals: First Leg May 12th, Second Leg May 20th
Semi-Finals: First Leg July 28th, Second Leg August 4th
Finals: First Leg August 11th, Second Leg August 18th

Now tell me genious when are MLS sides going to be fully fit and ready to play in the Libertadores or those who qualified for it. Where are they going to be during 1 1/2 months of pre-season training? Why is it the league in Mexico have Apertura & Clausura seasons and have that Inter-liga tourney in between to qualify for two spots in Libertadores.

Think a little before you assume someone is wrong. When will MLS Sides qualify for it and of course CONCACAF will be upset if they don't play in our proper Champions League no matter how pathetic the Confederation is.

Thank you. But at the same time with the SudAmericana the fixture congestion problem could be taken away if an MLS sides get eliminated early. Libertadores has the group stage early in the year. Our sides won't be fit enough to play. At least SudAmericana is all Goal Aggregate matches with the Away Goals Rule and our MLS sides are in form and ready to play.

Draw on April 28th
Goal Aggregate first stage, second stage, Round of 16, Quarters, Semis & Final. Not that hard to get involved with in my opinion and it all starts in August. Those clubs not involved with CONCACAF Champions League and would be in that Superliga tournament would instead go to SudAmericana.

 

I've been waiting for this for a longgggg time. I know we're not in the same category with either the Mexican or the South American teams yet, but it would really be fantastic. Like a previous poster said, I would eliminate the Super Liga and add the Libertadores. We're not at their level yet, but we're only getting better by playing the Mexicans in the CCL.

I don't know how the Mexicans do it, but the CCL teams aren't usually in the Libertadores if I recall correctly. I think I've only seen them overlap once. It's an awesome opportunity. In the Champions league, you have lower level teams competing with the Barca's of the world, it would be an amazing experience and would only help us grow and improve our futbol level.

It really would be amazing!!! I'm all for it, I know we'd lose most of the games, however, you'd never get anywhere if you don't try...

I say let's do it...

 

I do. You don't? Sad.

 

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=10DpZwuz8b8"]YouTube - universidad catolica vs dc united sudamericana 2005[/ame]

 

I suggest you start reading the Brazilian newspapers in December, especially the Porto Alegre ones. The CWC has also done wonders for Asia and Africa. The AFC Champions League now has prize money of USD 14 million while CAF has managed to increase its to nearly USD 6 million.