A long look at the abyss that Barcelona and the world of football currently is.
Some news I find interesting -
1. FC Barcelona gets thumped in the Round of 16.
2. Koeman has found a system that's both fluid and solid.
3. Lionel Messi has kicked up again and is far ahead of everyone else.
4. Pedri is still a sensation, but overworked.
5. De Jong has seen a resurgence.
6. Kimmich is not the best midfielder anymore. Not because he has degraded, just that a certain Belgian has stepped on the paddle.
7. Man City are apparently beasts again.
8. I kinda dig Haaland now.
9. Well the biggest 48 hours of 'em all.
10. PSG are good, certainly better than last year, and apparently still not good enough to win Ligue 1.
11. Barca are favourites to win La Liga.
12. UEFA are the absolute epitome of hypocrisy.
13. Puig and Collado are still underappreciated, while Moriba is getting the chances he deserves.
14. Busquets tho
15. Juve need a haul.
16. LEEDS are still my favourite side to watch in PL.
17. Mbappe has already become as selective as Ronaldo became at 34 and Messi still hasn't become. Told you, not the same.
So European Super League huh? That is a problem, not a new one, but a problem. Let us dive into this sea and swim to the ocean. FC Barcelona, Real Madrid CF, Liverpool FC, Manchester United FC, Juventus FC, FC Internazionale Milano, AC Milan, Chelsea FC, Arsenal FC, Club Atletico De Madrid, S.A.D., Tottenham FC and Manchester City FC. 12 Clubs, 1 reason. Money. Obviously, for some, like Barcelona and Real Madrid, it was a need more than a want, but it was dangerous to football nonetheless. I know, for a fact, that, unlike the Glazers, Perez or Laporta wouldn't have taken the club's money for their personal benefit, they just want the best for their club, football as a whole? I am not so sure. Perez definitely thinks he does, but we all know if he could make Real Madrid win every Champion's League, he would. The same for Laporta, for Barcelona. Which is very different, and at least in my eyes, better than just craving monetary benefits, like the PL clubs have succumbed to. Now that that's out of the way, let's get straight to the most obvious thing. It was a wrong decision. All football fans knew, deep down, that football is not the same. It has become commercial beyond their imagination and they would be better off by just focusing on what happens on the pitch. The clubs, however, weren't satisfied, they wanted to tear and toy the supporters, make them feel embarrassed for supporting a club with this weak a pillar and it was just awful. Petr Cech, though, wasn't having any of it. Yes, I was smiling when I saw that too.
Photo by Jp Valery on Unsplash
How did we get here? Money was invented as a tool for the exchange of commodities. Football is a recreational game with millions of fans there for the hundreds of income streams they could generate. It is just too logical to miss out on. That does not mean it was the right thing. It has too much potential for a businessman to pass up on, and that's what happened. They took their opportunity and year by year, commercialised the heck out of the sport we knew and loved. The governing body? it is supposed to regulate the sport, as a non-profit driven institution. Well, as it happens to be, UEFA isn't non-profit, nor is it an 'institution' it is a company and dare I say it is not even governing. Apart from the name dropping and a few 'decisions' here and there, and except those 48 hours, UEFA is a quiet, quiet company, more like Facebook than Nomatic or dbrand. FIFA, although a bit more institutional, isn't too far off, just take Qatar for example. Not one fan ever wanted to change the way domestic leagues work, even if their favourite club is constantly on the brink of relegation. That is a rare, beautiful and exciting prospect for a neutral. That is how it should work and there is no need for it to be perfect. I even like the away goal system, if the fans are in. And the UCL? It is almost perfect.
Photo by Janosch Diggelmann on Unsplash
What really needs to be done is obvious. We need to overthrow the governance of people that aren't passionate about football. That might seem obvious and most owners are passionate, the thing is we need the owner to be fans. Football clubs should be more of an organisation, than a company. All profits should go to the club itself, to fund players and stadium maintenance, and salary to be distributed equally. Yes that sounds like socialism and theodemocracy, and I am aware of that, but you'd be fooling yourself if you did not find that prospect impressive. I would have even suggested a fixed amount of (fake)money given to every club and then players could be bought in that budget. It sounds like a game, and I am in love with it, but I figured it is a step too far. This would guarantee a few things.
Anyway, let me know