November 21, 2002

Beat Report: Champion's League and UEFA Cup.
Not much action this past week in either the Champion's League or UEFA Cup, so I thought I'd follow last week's post about the Champion's League draw with the draw for the draw for the next round of the UEFA Cup. before the games get underway next week. Liverpool, rudely bounced from the Champion's league last week by upstart Basle, have to look here to keep there European cup hopes alive. Also, Celtic struck a blow for the Scottish Premier league last week by elimating a representative to the better regarded league just south, Blackburn.

But how important is Europe's other cup? The Guardian hasn't even updated its page on it from last year. Is this a European version of the NIT basketball tournament, or something that really means something to fans?

posted by trox to soccer at 12:47 PM - 10 comments

I think the UEFA Cup is just as important. And they should also change the Champions League to just the champions of leagues! Not 3-4 teams from some countries and only one from others.

posted by StarFucker at 01:23 PM on November 21, 2002

StarFucker, I could seriously agree with that. And it would increase the importance of the UEFA Cup. My question came from my admitted 'merican ignorance, as I've only recently began to follow the UEFA Cup (even though I've been following and watching the Champion's League for years).

posted by trox at 01:49 PM on November 21, 2002

You guys gotta remember that I live in Chicago... I just happen to be a big fan of the only sport that matters.

posted by StarFucker at 02:18 PM on November 21, 2002

When Liverpool won the eufa cup a couple of years ago it was very important to them. It has been devalued by the expansion of the Champions league as teams that would have been in the eufa cup are now in the other one, till they get knocked out anyway. Leaving aside the fact that the Champions league is anything but, it is a joke that those who fail in it should be allowed into the eufa cup as a consolation. The whole game has become nothing but a cash cow.

posted by Fat Buddha at 03:58 PM on November 21, 2002

Oooh, I didn't know that BBC had video highlights of the Celtic match. Thanks Trox!

posted by eckeric at 05:24 PM on November 21, 2002

The Liverpool vs. Alavez final a year ago was one of the best football matches I have ever seen. (4-3, golden own-goal in extra time). There are rumours that they're trying to replace the UEFA cup with a North-Atlantic cup, where US, Canadian, and Caribbean teams all get to play, but I think this is mostly just wishful thinking.

posted by BigCalm at 04:03 AM on November 22, 2002

They better NOT do that bigcalml... I could see it now...they will have commercials during the games otherwise the US won't play or some crap...

posted by StarFucker at 07:59 AM on November 22, 2002

Don't worry, it's unlikely to happen in the immediate future.

posted by BigCalm at 08:56 AM on November 22, 2002

A North-Atlantic cup would be great for the US, I think, even if our teams got hammered. But, yeah, it dosen't look like it will happen any time soon.

posted by eckeric at 10:19 AM on November 22, 2002

It'd be cool for the sole purpose that we could host it here every once in a while, or at least get some games. When else are you going to see a team of that caliber play in the States?

posted by Ufez Jones at 10:21 AM on November 22, 2002

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