http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,14546,-4099933,00.html If Barcelona get a point from their last match, Real Madrid are almost certain to finish third, meaning they would have to play a Champions League qualifier in mid-August. That could force them to cancel a lucrative tour of Asia and the United States that was expected to bring in as much as 30 million euros ($36 million) in revenue. Bad timing, since MLS just announced some schedule changes to accomodate the new all-star date.
and here is more from espn, no where mentions of a USA tour http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=300861&cc=5901 If Real do not finish second to champions Valencia, it will also disrupt their plans for a pre-season tour of Asia as they will have to play a Champions League qualifier in August. Valdano admitted that if they did lose out to Barcelona in the race for second place, then they would have to make alternative arrangements that could have negative effects on next season. "We can play games in Europe, which will be just as profitable as Asia, but we would like to go there because there are many fans there who are keen to see Real Madrid once a year. "It is going to be more uncomfortable if we have to play a qualifier and have to shorten the holidays of the players and that will be a problem for next season."
I posted on another thread that all madrid had to do was beat a pair of lowly clubs to secure 2nd and come to the states to take on our all-stars. but beat by murcia, a relegated club? time for real madrid to hide their heads in shame for the summer, off-load some of their "galacticos" (sp), and mls, let's find a new opponent, per chance one of the european clubs already coming stateside this summer. how cool would a match vs manchester united with timmy howard in the nets be? add to that the possibility of the young yanks (cooper and spector) in the line-up and we have an all american soccer fest.
PLUS, the MLS just changed the All-Star game, postponing it for a week, so I doubt this game will happen. MLS should stop announcing things that won't happen.
if it's chelski, I wonder if they'll buy an american while they're here? any chelski needs that an american could help?
Not likely. I'm sure ChampionsWorld has an exclusive with those clubs and as I understand it, MLS and CW don't get along well. But there are plenty of big Euro clubs who aren't part of CW, such as Arsenal, Barcelona, Rangers, etc.
Hopefully one of them has no plans for late July/early August. Here's what Garber had to say last week on the possibility that it all might fall apart:
Aside from checking the schedule, I believe that CL qualifiers start on Aug 11 (or at least the leg Real would start). That pretty much rules out the match versus Galaxy (damn it!) but I would still think that the All-Start game might be on.
MLS looks bad here, eventhough it's not their fault. It makes the league look so minor league, that they can't even get their all-star game straight. They should chuck the all star game from here on out and just play through the season.
I always chuckle at this. Minor league to whom, exactly? People to whom it's already minor league? WTF makes you think you're ever going to change what they think? More or less minor league than Dragon Stadium? More or less minor league than Cardinal Stadium? More or less minor league than Rollerball numbers on Chlorophyll Green jerseys with a mutant bat on them? More or less minor league than Tour de France-looking Kappa jersies? More or less minor league than 6,000 people in a 70,000-seat stadium? More or less minor league than allocation rules? Not getting your all-star game straight is pretty far down on the list of Things That Make You Look Minor League.
Kenn, you need to take a course in reading comprehension. I didn't write that MLS was minor league, I said that the unfortunate turn of events that may force Real Madrid to drop out makes it appear that MLS is minor league, particularly with its detractors. Unless they can get another established team, such as Arsenal or chelsea, the ESPN boys et. al will have a good yuk yuk over this. So spare me your "more minor league than ..." dribble.
That should be "drivel," sir. You need to take a course in written English. And I knew exactly what you were saying - you need the reading comprehension course. Nowhere did I say that you said MLS was minor league. Did I have to write "Would not getting their All-Star Game together make MLS appear more or less minor league than...." before each one of those things? Would that have made it a little easier for you to grasp?
If Real Madrid bows out, I hope they get Arsenal. They're a better and more exciting team than Chelski.