European Leagues Thread 2012-2026

[Winston Smith]

I reckon most people would love that TBH.

Of course you are going to have your modern day Soccer AM watching, Jeff Stelling listening, Football Manager playing, possession stat quoting kids who would have a meltdown over not getting their fortnightly fix of Gary Neville telling them how the boring group stage is going to go, but on the whole I think people would love it.

[Sanguine]

I reckon most people would love that TBH.

Of course you are going to have your modern day Soccer AM watching, Jeff Stelling listening, Football Manager playing, possession stat quoting kids who would have a meltdown over not getting their fortnightly fix of Gary Neville telling them how the boring group stage is going to go, but on the whole I think people would love it.

After a first round 13-0 aggregate hammering to Barcelona, I think Viktoria Pilzen would be longing for a six game group stage, and the financial benefits that go with it.

[Winston Smith]

I reckon most people would love that TBH.

Of course you are going to have your modern day Soccer AM watching, Jeff Stelling listening, Football Manager playing, possession stat quoting kids who would have a meltdown over not getting their fortnightly fix of Gary Neville telling them how the boring group stage is going to go, but on the whole I think people would love it.

After a first round 13-0 aggregate hammering to Barcelona, I think Viktoria Pilzen would be longing for a six game group stage, and the financial benefits that go with it.

They actually played each other 5 years back and Plzen only lost 2-0 in Barcelona

[Winston Smith]

Oliver Burke puts the cross in for the winning goal on his debut as Leipzig beat Dortmund.

Dortmund fans protested against Leipzig by not travelling to the away game and going to watch their reserve team instead.

[double d]

Oliver Burke puts the cross in for the winning goal on his debut as Leipzig beat Dortmund.

Dortmund fans protested against Leipzig by not travelling to the away game and going to watch their reserve team instead.

Why did they protest?

[Winston Smith]

Oliver Burke puts the cross in for the winning goal on his debut as Leipzig beat Dortmund.

Dortmund fans protested against Leipzig by not travelling to the away game and going to watch their reserve team instead.

Why did they protest?

Because of Redbull's ownership of Leipzig.

[sandman]

Barcelona lose 1-2 at home to newly promoted Alaves who won with 24% possession. Hopefully jaap Stam was watching .

[Winston Smith]

Not a great debut for Joe Hart (or John Hart as Torino named him on their teamsheet)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnWZow_fllk

[Winston Smith]

early days but potential for the French league to be more interesting than it has been for a few years. PSG have won 2 of their opening games, drew with ASSE at the weekend and have by all reports looked really poor.

Monaco are top. Nice go 2nd with 2 goals from Balotelli

[Winston Smith]

Fenerbahce lose 2 and draw 1 of their opening 3 games.

[LUX]

early days but potential for the French league to be more interesting than it has been for a few years. PSG have won 2 of their opening games, drew with ASSE at the weekend and have by all reports looked really poor.

Monaco are top. Nice go 2nd with 2 goals from Balotelli

Metz third

(a few seasons ago they were top in September, and ended up releg8ed, so I am prudent)

[Winston Smith]

Ancelotti's first 5 games at Bayern - 5 wins, scored 20, conceded 0.

[Winston Smith]

Francesco Totti scored the winner at the weekend. He turns 40 next week.

[Winston Smith]

17 minutes in and every tackle in the Sevilla Vs Betis match ('el Gran Derby') is met with confrontations and arguments. It's already kicked off in the managers area too with players steaming in

I have money on this. Not sure that was so sensible. Should have bet on a red card by the looks of it!

[stealthpapes]

Champions League changing from 2018-19.

Top 4 leagues will be guaranteed 4 clubs in the group stage. So Spain, Germany, England and Italy will have 4 teams guaranteed assuming today's co-efficient ranking. Thats half the group stage from just four countries.

European super league through the back passage. YES!

I mean

no

[stealthpapes]

Not to discredit any team that does (recall Liverpool doing it when they won v AC Milan on penalties) but they finished 4th the season before and won it. A pure Champions League with like the top 16 Champions would be Epic, 2 to 5th or whatever from the leagues could play another tourny.

Let's call it, oh, the UEFA cup.

And put the domestic cup winners in another one, the cup winners cup?

Plan?

[stealthpapes]

Oliver Burke puts the cross in for the winning goal on his debut as Leipzig beat Dortmund.

Dortmund fans protested against Leipzig by not travelling to the away game and going to watch their reserve team instead.

Why did they protest?

Because of Redbull's ownership of Leipzig.

I can't see why anyone would have a problem with RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V ...

I did wiki this, admittedly, but:

The club was founded in 2009 by initiative of energy drink-maker Red Bull GmbH who purchased the playing right of the fifth division side SSV Markranstädt with the intention of advancing the new club to the top-flight Bundesliga within eight years.

That's a bit of a shift - 5th division in Germany is quite ... rural.

[double d]

Why did they protest?

Because of Redbull's ownership of Leipzig.

I can't see why anyone would have a problem with RasenBallsport Leipzig e.V ...

I did wiki this, admittedly, but:

The club was founded in 2009 by initiative of energy drink-maker Red Bull GmbH who purchased the playing right of the fifth division side SSV Markranstädt with the intention of advancing the new club to the top-flight Bundesliga within eight years.

That's a bit of a shift - 5th division in Germany is quite ... rural.

What a random team to buy? Although they have pretty much done what they achieved haven't they and gone up in 7 years 4 promotions.

Doesn't German football spread out into hundreds of leagues in the 3rd division and below?

[Winston Smith]

ignoring the business/commercial model I have read some positive things about how they are doing things. Apparently their aim is very much on buying young players (that scottish Forest winger is apparently typical) and coaching them to their potential. Apparently they have some decent coaches there.

[Stranded]

The main issue people have with Leipzig is not so much that Red Bull own the club but that they are circumventing the 50+1 membership rule that clubs must have.

They have purposely made it very hard to nye on impossible to become a member so there are only 8 or so members, all of whom are linked to Red Bull. To join, you need to pay a fee and be voted in by the existing members. In short, new membership doesn't happen. The way they are set up is within the rules but not the spirit - hence a lot of the anger.

Double D - yes the German league spreads out after the 3rd division. Below that you have the Regionalliga, 6 leagues, where only the Champions can get promoted. They play off for the 3 available promotion spots.

The 5th level is the Oberliga which are local leagues run within each state. There are 14 leagues at this level.

Clubs B teams can play in any division up to the 3rd Division but not in the same division as the A side.