. . .
Real Madrid’s not so super season
There's a way of looking at what's happening with Real Madrid as the eventual pause button on any serious consideration of a European Super League. Everybody in that league can't win, creating a problem for clubs where winning is crucial to their identity. Like say, the 5th-place team in La Liga. Real Madrid is 10 points out of 1st-place, a spot held by their old friends Barcelona. Their city . . .
Playing through the winter break
Though it might not last for much longer, English soccer's insistence on not taking a winter break will be one of those things we miss when it's gone. The Premier League and the lower divisions not only play through, they load up on games around the holidays. Even if the weather isn't accommodating, the games continue. There's no stop-start to the season, resetting in January when the transfer . . .
Villarreal in Nebraska
By Clemente Lisi – NEW YORK, NY (Dec 24, 2018) US Soccer Players – There have been lots of high-profile European clubs who have set up shop in this country. Bayern Munich has an office in New York. Barcelona and Arsenal have established youth academies. The annual International Champions Cup happens each summer in NFL stadiums. Soccer’s growth has also established several demographic surprises. . . .
Real Madrid picks its moment
By J Hutcherson (Oct 30, 2018) US Soccer Players - Julen Lopetegui out as Real Madrid coach after ten games is now the super club story. Following their 5-1 loss at Barcelona on Sunday, Real Madrid is 9th in La Liga and in 1st-place in Champions League Group G on a tiebreaker. That mixes the results, but La Liga struggles and a demoralizing loss to Barcelona drew a line that means a new coach in . . .
Do things really change in European soccer?
By J Hutcherson (Oct 9, 2018) US Soccer Players - Call it the panic of the super clubs, with the 2018-19 season already turning into something few expected. Check the league standings in Spain and England and that tells the story. Sevilla is top of the table in La Liga, with the usual suspects slotting in at 2nd through 4th. It's Real Madrid in 4th-place, losing for the second time over the . . .
La Liga, FIFA, and playing home games at home
Tuesday's soccer news starts with the latest in Spain's La Liga attempting to play a game that counts in the United States as soon as this January. La Liga has a deal in place, but received pushback from the Spanish federation, the Spanish players' union, and now FIFA itself. ESPN's Adriana Garcia has a statement from FIFA president Gianni Infantino. He isn't exactly thrilled with the idea of . . .
One team leagues in Europe
The soccer news starts with the other elite European leagues trying to compete with the Premier League. Though few would claim parity in the Premier League, they do have more super clubs that could potentially win the title than anywhere else in European soccer. That's a clear advantage in an era where three of the top five leagues have one dominant club. UEFA's coefficient now rules the . . .
La Liga and Serie A start their seasons
La Liga begins their 2018-19 season later today and Serie A starts on Saturday, with two more of Europe's big leagues debuting. In La Liga, it's a similar story with the big three. Barcelona is defending champions with last year's 2nd-place finisher Atletico and 3rd-place Real Madrid trying to change that. As many have pointed out since Wednesday, Atletico's Super Cup win over Real Madrid seems . . .
La Liga in America
The soccer news starts with the announcement that Spain's La Liga will play games that count in North America. The league announced a deal on Thursday with Relevant Sports to stage La Liga games in the US and Canada over the next 15 years. Various outlets are reporting that the first game could happen this season, possibly in Miami. Relevant Sports promotes the International Champions Cup and . . .
