FIFA International Match Calendar: Proposed Changes & General Discussion

The new set up/format of the CL actually got rid of the cruise control mode for the top teams into the ko stage. They now actually have to deliver every match they play or else face elimination or having to go through a ko stage to get into the last 16 round. One goal less can cost millions, as it may determine on what spot in the table you end up with financial bonuses but also deciding which opponent you meet afterwards.
This week is the final matchday and there's a big chance superclubs don't make the final cut or have to go into the elimination round.

 

yep. 16 of the 18 matches tomorrow have something on the line, and 25 of the 36 teams do. Obviously, that's not counting seeding, just avoiding elimination or fighting for top 8:

• 9 teams will be battling to avoid the 3 remaining elimination positions.
• 16 teams will battle for the 6 remaining top 8 places.

 

Liverpool resting 9 players because it doesn't matter if they finish first or second. UEFA may want to think about that.

 

Can't blame them for that and they do have a good squad. They have a much more important (in terms of progression) Cup match next week.

 

In the old set up they might be doing that after matchday 3 in the group stage with 3 to go.

 

I think Liverpool could have done it against Lille as well. Over time teams will learn what the rough threshold is for a top 8 place.

 

It's not just being in the top 8, each spot has it's bonuses. It can make the difference to what next opponent your going to have.
And with the number of clubs that in this set up are going to end up with the same amount of points a single goal can make a huge difference, literally millions.
Edit, you can calculate points, but not goals

 

I think it only makes a difference in that the teams that come first and second don't play each other, right? Liverpool probably don't want to play Barcelona but they probably don't want to play Arsenal or Inter either.

 

Right. First or second makes zero difference as far as I can tell (financial winnings, aside). Sure, Liverpool want to avoid Barca but they will avoid them until the final anyway if they finished in 2nd. Then, whether or not they'd play #3 or #4 in the semifinal comes down to a random draw. Similarly, zero difference between finishing #3 or #4, #5 or #6 and so on.

Overall, I tend to agree that finishing top 24 or top 8 are the only two things that matter significantly. Which is why in my post above I wrote that 25 out of the 36 teams have a meaningful match tonight. Though I will just add that since the away-goal rule was taking out, it does make it a bit more important to have the second leg at home since there is a better chance that an extra 30 minutes and a shootout will be required. So, it helps to finish top 4 as opposed to #5 - #8, for example.

 

Reminder the top clubs urge for a superleague was driven by financial wishes. Each higher spot, especially in the top 10 spots, gives a considerable amount of millions in difference. Can't imagine those clubs don't care about those millons a spot difference costs or brings in.

 

I don't believe they get more money for finishing higher in the top 8.

They do get 2.1m euros per win and 700,000 euros per draw.

Correction: Each position in the table is worth €275,000

Which is peanuts for Liverpool and Barca.

 

Yes they do. The system works like this. The last spot gets a point, next one two etc. These numbers are counted together, giving a total of 666.
There's an amount of money in a pot divided by 666.
The numb 36 in the table receives 1/666 part of that prize money, up to number 1 receiving 36/666 of it.
I'm not sure how much 1/666 part was valued but iirc it was at least 2 million. So it's a considerable amount in difference if you're nr 8 or number 1.

 

In other words, each position is worth €275k.

 

No, spot 1 to 8 receive on top of that 2 million, so nr 1 gets (36 x275,000€) + 2 million.
Spot 9-16 receive (..€) + 1 million.

 

This is a common way of distributing prize money in European domestic leagues.

For example in a league of 20 clubs 1+2+3...+20 = 308, so they divide the part of the revenue distributed according to the final league ranking by 308 then multiply it by 20 for the champion, 19 for the vice-champion, 18 for the third-ranked club etc.

 

And as I have been saying for years now a good manager from a National team is going to know when to push his players and when to ease up a bit on minutes and load management.

 

Clubs have little to say when it comes to FIFA approved tournaments though.
It is players and the manager coming to a mutual decision.

 

They could have been involved in the discussion but that is speculation on your behalf and not being reported.

 

In the case of Pulisic, Copa America was the only summer tournament he's played in since 2019. He played in Nations League finals, but those were in regular worldwide 2-match windows.

 

I would not give Gold Cup too much credit as a WC prep stage, though.

Throughout his career, Pulisic attended GC once: 2019, at 20 years of age. GC is so poor in rival quality that it is best used as a sandbox for newer USMNT pieces, not for WC prep.

So, if Pulisic wants to protect himself from either summer fatigue or political overexposure, then it is fair for him to take a sabbatical.

Just like Copa America, Gold Cup is not a good indicator of WC readiness. Just look at COL for example, finalist of 2024 CA, still struggling in WC qualifiers.

 

In US media "and his team" usually refers to his agent and associated staff.