Association Football 2023/2024 Discussion Thread

[NewYorkExpress]

Big upcoming International window for the United States, as we have a home game against Mexico in Cincinnati, followed by a road game against Jamaica. We need at least four points from this window (though I wouldn't be too disappointed with losing to Mexico and beating Jamaica.)

[parochial boy]

Jorginho can take all the penalties he wants oh my lol

[NewYorkExpress]

U.S beats Mexico 2-0 behind goals in the final 25 minutes by Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie.

I'm not convinced Gerardo Martino is going to be the manager much longer for Mexico, especially with three losses to the United States this year (Nations League Finals, Gold Cup finals, and now World Cup Qualifying) a an albatross around his neck.

[Alcibiades]

As unsavoury as Serbia are, and as incomplete a World Cup without Ronaldo would be (although he would probably end up going home after the Round of 16 as usual), that was an incredibly exciting match, and one cannot help but feel a little Schadenfreude at Ronny’s predicament.

[Mike88]

As unsavoury as Serbia are, and as incomplete a World Cup without Ronaldo would be (although he would probably end up going home after the Round of 16 as usual), that was an incredibly exciting match, and one cannot help but feel a little Schadenfreude at Ronny’s predicament.

Portugal has been a joke for some time now. The match with Ireland was already, well, no comments, and this one had, like you said, an unsavoury Serbia dominating Portugal.

[NewYorkExpress]

Disappointing to only get a draw with Jamaica, after beating Mexico last time, but getting points on the road is always nice.

Next up for the United States is a friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina next month, which will be tricky, but as the match is during the club season in Europe and outside an international  window, it's not like Miralem Pjanic or Saed Kolsanic will be playing. Of course, we'll be without Christian Pulisic and Giovanni Reyna, but I like our chances on home soil.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

Great to see Canada beat Mexico as well, loved the snow.

[JGibson]

NBC keeps the Premier League broadcast rights until 2028.

Awful Announcing:

After plenty of discussion over the last two months about where the U.S. rights to the Premier League would go (NBC, CBS, ESPN and WarnerMedia were all reportedly interested, with the first three advancing to a second round of bidding) and if the package would be split or not, those rights negotiations concluded by maintaining the status quo in terms of network. The league announced Thursday they’ve reached a six-year extension with current rightsholder NBCUniversal, which covers both English-language and Spanish-language (Telemundo) coverage until 2028.

[JGibson]

Former Manchester City legend Sergio Agüero, who currently plays for Barcelona, will retire due to heart issues.


https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/1462094743068893191

[NewYorkExpress]

Former Manchester City legend Sergio Agüero, who currently plays for Barcelona, will retire due to heart issues.


https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/I1462094743068893191

I think it's safe to say that Barcelona will not be playing in Europe next year.

[Santander]

Former Manchester City legend Sergio Agüero, who currently plays for Barcelona, will retire due to heart issues.


https://twitter.com/FabrizioRomano/status/I1462094743068893191

I think it's safe to say that Barcelona will not be playing in Europe next year.

They might well be able to send some teenagers to play on a Thursday night in Szczecin or something.

[NewYorkExpress]

Following a 4-1 loss to Watford, Manchester United is expected to sack Ole Gunnar Soleskjaer any day now.

I'm not sure a coaching change helps Manchester United much. As long as the Glazers own the team, they aren't going to be better than Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea or arguably Leicester City. The best they can do is probably the Europa League, or the Europa Conference League, barring an ownership change.

[Lechasseur]

Yeah I agree with NewYorkExpress, I don't think Barcelona will be playing European football next year

[Mike88]

One more nail in the coffin of Barcelona....

[Mike88]

Major scandal in Portugal as Belenenses SAD was forced to play with Benfica after 17 players of their team contracted Covid:

https://twitter.com/SkySports/status/1464890055504404483?cxt=HHwWhoC9ldDvqtQoAAA...

Farce, ridiculous, chaotic, this is how the media is portraying the Belenenese-Benffica match last evening in Lisbon. 17 players of Belenenses team are infected with Covid and instead of postponing the game, the Portuguese league forced the match and Belenenses presented 9 players, with 2 goalkeepers and just one player from the main team. The game had to end at minute 48, because Belenenses ran out of players to put on the field and the final score was Benfica 7, Belenenses 0.

The Portuguese League authorities are being trashed for forcing the game and there are already calls for the resignation of the whole League leadership.

[JGibson]

2021 Ballon d'Or winners:

Ballon d'Or: Lionel Messi, Barcelona/PSG [ARG]
Ballon d'Or Féminin: Alexia  Putellas, Barcelona [ESP]
Kopa Trophy/Trophée Kopa: Pedri, Barcelona [ESP]
Yashin Trophy/Trophée Yachine: Gianluigi Donnarumma, AC Milan/PSG [ITA]

[NewYorkExpress]

FIFA under fire for scheduling Oceania World Cup qualifiers outside of an international window.

New Zealand coach Danny Hay has criticised FIFA for scheduling part of Oceania's World Cup qualifying tournament outside the international window, saying it would not happen to any other region.

The nine-team tournament will be staged in Qatar from March 14-30 to decide which team advances to a playoff against the fourth-placed side from CONCACAF, which features nations from North and Central America and the Caribbean.

I think FIFA would have been better off canceling Oceania's qualifying altogether and allowing the fourth place team in CONCACAF to advance without a playoff.

[NewYorkExpress]

Watching the Arab Cup, and watching Tunisia slaughter Mauritania, with matches later today being Iraq vs Oman, Qatar vs Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates vs Syria.

[Santander]

FIFA under fire for scheduling Oceania World Cup qualifiers outside of an international window.

New Zealand coach Danny Hay has criticised FIFA for scheduling part of Oceania's World Cup qualifying tournament outside the international window, saying it would not happen to any other region.

The nine-team tournament will be staged in Qatar from March 14-30 to decide which team advances to a playoff against the fourth-placed side from CONCACAF, which features nations from North and Central America and the Caribbean.

I think FIFA would have been better off canceling Oceania's qualifying altogether and allowing the fourth place team in CONCACAF to advance without a playoff.

... it's called a World Cup. Even for a useless region, you have to give them a path.

[Lechasseur]

Barca lost again

[Santander]

Moyes is doing a great job. Good to see him established at a club again.

[NewYorkExpress]

Struggling RB Leipzig fires Jesse Marsch.

RB Leipzig is really underperforming, currently sitting eleventh in the Bundesliga, and it doesn't really get easier for them. They have a Champions League match with Manchester City next, and they need a result (either a win or draw) and Club Brugge loss to Paris Saint German, or for both themselves and Club Brugge to lose or win, just to ensure that they make the Europa League.

They also have to get really hot to give themselves a shot at Germany's Europa Conference League place right now too, and they haven't playing well lately, with their last three Bundesliga games being losses to Hoffenheim, Bayer Leverkusen and Union Berlin.

[JGibson]

Arsenal cough up yet another 1-nil lead, lose to Everton 2-1. That's 6 points thrown away these past two games. Those 6 could come in handy if we miss out on Top 4, St. Totteringham's, and/or even European play.

[NewYorkExpress]

So, Groups A, B, C and D are done in the UEFA Champions League.

Advancing to the Round of Sixteen are Manchester City, Paris Saint German, Liverpool, Athletico Madrid, Ajax, Sporting Lisbon, Real Madrid and Inter Milan.

Heading to the Europa League are RB Leipzig, Porto, Borussia Dortmund and Sheriff Tiraspol.

Eliminated from Europe are Club Brugge, AC Milan, Bestikas and Shaktar Donetsk.

[NewYorkExpress]

Apparently the Atalanta/Villareal game has been postponed due to heavy snow in Bergamo, leaving the fate of Group F up in the air.