Football (Soccer) Thread

[Duque de Bragança]

Checking the table that's surprising. You'd think they'd want their title at least. Shows how much they've fallen I guess.

I don't think PSG care at all about the French title.

I think it's sort of similar with City's owners (the fans are famously more ambivalent) not particularly being bothered by another domestic win but really wanting to do well in Europe - or am I way off?

Here it feels like there is a lot of desire to finish the season no matter what, even if it's just played behind closed doors as a sort of mini-tournament. To me that feels right - partly because I think by June/July people will want some sporting entertainment.

PSG has such a lead, this does not change much. More suspense than for Liverpool or rather less certainty.  Nobody seriously denies the title to PSG.
It's a big problem however for badly ranked Lyon, Jean-Michel Aulas the former elitist, being at a lowly 7th position or so wants a play-off to get a direct access to the Champion's League.
Remember the game when Juventus lost vs Olympique Lyonnais in Lyon ? Well, that was one of the main events leading to the pandemic.
Merci, Jean-Michel Hélas...

[Josquius]

Checking the table that's surprising. You'd think they'd want their title at least. Shows how much they've fallen I guess.

Dutch Eredivisie de facto cancelled by the government, no matches until September. Suck it, UEFA.

Pfff. Sucks to be alkmaar. Should at least give them a playoff with ajax for the title.

Current league standings will count for European placement, but there will be no leaugue champion this year. Also, no relegations.
Seems reasonably fair, under the circumstances.

AZ don't seem to be too upset about it, at least not publicly.
Cambuur, who won the First Division and won't be promoted, are seething and seeking legal action. Not the best course of action from a PR point of view.

That's surprising. Its been a decade since they last won right?
I had the impression that in the Netherlands anyone other than the big 3 winning the title was somewhat akin to  anyone outside of the old firm in Scotland doing it, and considered a big deal?

[Maladict]

That's surprising. Its been a decade since they last won right?
I had the impression that in the Netherlands anyone other than the big 3 winning the title was somewhat akin to  anyone outside of the old firm in Scotland doing it, and considered a big deal?

Yeah, over a decade ago. They are still mulling over an appeal, as it turns out.
The decision to not have any more matches was taken by the government and is final, the only thing they can appeal is the way European tickets are handed out. They don't have much of a claim to first place, even if they're tied on points.

[Josquius]

The water creeps ever higher

https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/52679614?at_custom3=Match+of+the+Day&at_custom1=%5Bpost+type%5D&at_custom4=CE736188-96B0-11EA-BF47-44103A982C1E&at_campaign=64&at_custom2=facebook_page&at_medium=custom7&fbclid=IwAR0wgu-RVN1y5gxeMRNDZmd2VZzeaq8-O3jjkhZOUah_w4BG9sBrUTAZO3I

League Two clubs vote to end season, but League One teams fail to decide

League Two's season has been brought to an early conclusion following discussions between clubs and the English Football League on Friday.

The EFL said clubs "unanimously indicated" they wished to end the season via a "framework" that included tables being decided on points per game and the play-offs remaining as planned.

Any move still needs to be ratified by the EFL and Football Association.

But League One sides face further talks after failing to come to an agreement.

Six third-tier clubs had said prior to the meeting that they were determined to complete their remaining fixtures - and are now set to meet again on Monday in an attempt to find a resolution.

Peterborough United, Oxford United, Sunderland, Fleetwood, Portsmouth and Ipswich Town released a joint statement saying they had "no desire for voiding the season, points-per-game scenarios or letting a computer decide our footballing fate".

Follow updates from Friday's League One and League Two meetings
Could Stevenage avoid relegation?
Although it is understood some League Two sides wanted to use a weighted points-per-game system to finalise the table, the EFL has confirmed an unweighted points-per-game system was agreed upon.

Both of those methods would have seen Stevenage stay bottom - yet clubs have also requested that relegation from the fourth tier is removed this season.

"Clubs asked for consideration to be given to suspending relegation to the National League for 2019-20 as a result of circumstances created where fixtures cannot be completed," said the EFL in a statement.

"No commitments were made in this respect and the board will now consider the implications of the division's preferred approach at their next meeting."

Stevenage owner Phil Wallace told BBC Sport: "My preference is to finish the league so we have the opportunity to play our way out of trouble.

"We have 10 games to play and are three points behind, with a game in hand. Why should I think it was not possible to get out of it?

"The League Two clubs cannot decide this. We can only tell the EFL of their indicative position but that is the collective view.

"It would cost us £140,000 for the tests, we would have to bring players out of furlough and comply with a 47-page health and safety document regarding sterilisation of stadiums etc.

"I don't know what this would mean for the National League."

Who would make up the places at the top?
Swindon Town would overtake Crewe Alexandra to claim the title using the points-per-game method, with Plymouth Argyle staying in the third and final automatic promotion spot.

The four teams currently in the play-offs - Exeter City, Cheltenham Town, Colchester United and Northampton Town - would remain there, but Cheltenham would move above Exeter and into fourth.

Why can't they restart?
Attempting to resume the League One and League Two campaigns was always likely to to be more difficult than in the Championship and Premier League, which could begin again in mid-June behind closed doors.

Many clubs in the third and fourth tiers have furloughed their players and, with no crowds allowed into stadiums for the foreseeable future, it would cost them money to stage games.

EFL chairman Rick Parry has also said 1,400 players across the league's three divisions are out of contract on 30 June. The majority of those players are in League One and League Two.

The National League decided to end its three divisions immediately on 22 April but they were waiting on the EFL to announce an outcome before deciding on promotion and relegation.

Timeline: How did we get to this point?
10 March - Last games played in Leagues One & Two
13 March - EFL suspended until at least 3 April
19 March - Suspension extended until end of April
26 March - All football below National League expunged
9 April - Season 'can be finished in 56 days'
22 April - National League clubs vote to end regular season
23 April - Clubs write to EFL over salary cap introduction
5 May - EFL clubs face '£200m hole' by September
15 May - League Two season ended, League One undecided

[Duque de Bragança]

Portuguese League is supposed to resume June 4th, behind doors and in 6 stadia only. There are already Coronavirus cases in teams such as Benfica (one case only), Guimarães, Famalicão and Moreirense, so this leaves me skeptical. Porto is ahead of Benfica by one point, having won their two games against Benfica precisely.

There is a still the Portuguese Cup Final to play between those two as well and that should have been enough.

[Sheilbh]

Weird to think I'd be this excited to watch German football matches played in empty stadiums. And yet, here we are 

[celedhring]

I don't think I had watched a Bundesliga game since the 1990s.

[Duque de Bragança]

Bundesliga is still the third League in Europe so it's not like watching Belarus Liga games during the lockdown. 

I lived in Germany, so my last viewing is much later than the '90s, or at the very least the Sportschau on Saturday.

[celedhring]

Bundesliga is still the third League in Europe so it's not like watching Belarus Liga games during the lockdown. 

I lived in Germany, so my last viewing is much later than the '90s, or at the very least the Sportschau on Saturday.

It's just that every time there's a Bundesliga game on, there's usually something in England/Spain/Italy I'd rather watch. I don't have much of an emotional attachment to German club football.

[Maladict]

The entire world is watching Dortmund - Schalke 

[Duque de Bragança]

Bundesliga is still the third League in Europe so it's not like watching Belarus Liga games during the lockdown. 

I lived in Germany, so my last viewing is much later than the '90s, or at the very least the Sportschau on Saturday.

It's just that every time there's a Bundesliga game on, there's usually something in England/Spain/Italy I'd rather watch. I don't have much of an emotional attachment to German club football.

I understand the attachment argument. For me, that's the problem with English club football.
I can't say I have a club I follow in Germany though.

[FunkMonk]

The entire world is watching Dortmund - Schalke 

Dortmund just made a billion new fans 

[Duque de Bragança]

The entire world is watching Dortmund - Schalke 

Dortmund just made a billion new fans 

Schalke 04 abysmal season is now also more infamous than ever I'd say.
Dortmund is already pretty well-known.

[Josquius]

Ah Japa... Err.... Korea.

https://www.sportbible.com/football/weird-fc-seoul-have-placed-creepy-looking-plastic-dolls-in-the-stands-20200517.amp.html

[Duque de Bragança]

I would like Oglekvinde's opinion on this matter. Desu dolls would probably be brought into the debate.