Bundesliga dominates

[Fk_Pitt]

So much for being a farmers league.

Bundesliga nets extra place in Champions League

The Bundesliga will have five teams in the Champions League next season after Borussia Dortmund's win over Paris Saint-Germain.

www.espn.com

 

[Allan McMurray]

So much for being a farmers league.

Bundesliga nets extra place in Champions League

The Bundesliga will have five teams in the Champions League next season after Borussia Dortmund's win over Paris Saint-Germain.

www.espn.com

I like the bundesliga. Better than the other 3, la liga, ligue 1 and serie a

 

[brdst11]

So much for being a farmers league.

Bundesliga nets extra place in Champions League

The Bundesliga will have five teams in the Champions League next season after Borussia Dortmund's win over Paris Saint-Germain.

www.espn.com

Leverkusen is the best story in Europe this year, and it's great that the Bundesliga is getting their due.

I do think the way these spots are given out puts too much weight on performance in Europa and Conference games.

 

[121rum]

I am really hoping for a der klassiker final. I have a huge soft spot for Dortmund and the Bundesliga fan ownership policy should be celebrated

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I am really hoping for a der klassiker final. I have a huge soft spot for Dortmund and the Bundesliga fan ownership policy should be celebrated

I’d be willing to bet yellow wall fan trumps steeler fan X 20?

A typical American sports fan who has nothing good to say about soccer, I bet 80% of them would have a completely different opinion if they went to a game at Dortmund or Anfield. And really most places in Europe… The fans in Europe truly know how to do sports. I was listening to Mark Madden on the DVE morning show a couple of weeks ago after he came back from the Liverpool versus Chelsea league cup final at Wembley, and the guys on The Morning Show were asking Madden the difference between football there and football here and it was really really fascinating to hear Madden talk about it and honestly just reconfirm for me the difference between the experience. There really is no comparison.

 

[121rum]

I’d be willing to bet yellow wall fan trumps steeler fan X 20?

A typical American sports fan who has nothing good to say about soccer, I bet 80% of them would have a completely different opinion if they went to a game at Dortmund or Anfield. And really most places in Europe… The fans in Europe truly know how to do sports. I was listening to Mark Madden on the DVE morning show a couple of weeks ago after he came back from the Liverpool versus Chelsea league cup final at Wembley, and the guys on The Morning Show were asking Madden the difference between football there and football here and it was really really fascinating to hear Madden talk about it and honestly just reconfirm for me the difference between the experience. There really is no comparison.

I'm going to Spain in September and I'm desperate to get to a match. I've soured a bit on American sports since I've gotten into European soccer, the passion and grass routes feel of it is so amazing. Pro American sports just feel so sanitized in comparison. A reporter once asked Jokic if it was tough to play in Philly where he was booed a bunch and he just responded by saying "Brother, I played in Serbia." College sports is really the only thing that comes close here.

 

[mike412]

Some advice on going to a game in Spain: If you can go to a match in a place like Bilbao or San Sebastián, those are the places I have had the best time, even wearing Barcelona gear in San Sebastián. The Basque fans are great and the experience in Bilbao was unmatched even by a 3-1 Champions League victory in Barcelona against PSG in 2013 (before the famous 6-1 victory with Messi, Neymar and Suarez).

Under no circumstances buy tickets in the fanatics sections, which are always behind the goals. They do not welcome outsiders. That is especially true of all of the Madrid teams.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

So much for being a farmers league.

Bundesliga nets extra place in Champions League

The Bundesliga will have five teams in the Champions League next season after Borussia Dortmund's win over Paris Saint-Germain.

www.espn.com

I really got into the Bundesliga during Covid when they were one of the first sports leagues in the world to start playing again. They were on regular ESPN and ESPN2 but the next year or year after they moved them to ESPN+ and though I had ESPN+ for most of that time, the extra clicks it took to watch it wasnt worth it for me. I watch most things on delay so it was easier to pull up games on YTTV. ESPN+ frequently makes me verify my account and all that and its too big of a pain.

The thing about the Bundesliga is their "base" domestic players are better than any other leagues because your average German is better than your average English, Italian, or Spanish player. They just dont have the star power.

 

[brdst11]

I really got into the Bundesliga during Covid when they were one of the first sports leagues in the world to start playing again. They were on regular ESPN and ESPN2 but the next year or year after they moved them to ESPN+ and though I had ESPN+ for most of that time, the extra clicks it took to watch it wasnt worth it for me. I watch most things on delay so it was easier to pull up games on YTTV. ESPN+ frequently makes me verify my account and all that and its too big of a pain.

The thing about the Bundesliga is their "base" domestic players are better than any other leagues because your average German is better than your average English, Italian, or Spanish player. They just dont have the star power.

They have Harry Kane now and have had Haaland and Bellingham in recent years as well as Lewandowski.

If Florian Wirtz was doing what he's done this year on an undefeated EPL team you'd hear a lot about him too.

I think it's a combination of Bundesliga not getting the publicity that EPL and La Liga get and the Bundesliga teams struggling to keep top players, in part due to 50 plus 1.

 

[121rum]

They have Harry Kane now and have had Haaland and Bellingham in recent years as well as Lewandowski.

If Florian Wirtz was doing what he's done this year on an undefeated EPL team you'd hear a lot about him too.

I think it's a combination of Bundesliga not getting the publicity that EPL and La Liga get and the Bundesliga teams struggling to keep top players, in part due to 50 plus 1.

I was talking to my friends, but if Leverkusen wins Europa while staying unbeated in the BL, plus Germany makes a deep run at the euros, I could see Wirtz being very close to a Ballon D'ors. Of course its a French award and they notoriously hate German footballers haha, so that could be difficult.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

I was talking to my friends, but if Leverkusen wins Europa while staying unbeated in the BL, plus Germany makes a deep run at the euros, I could see Wirtz being very close to a Ballon D'ors. Of course its a French award and they notoriously hate German footballers haha, so that could be difficult.

Maybe Leverkusen is more deserving of FIFA Club World Cup bid than Red Bull Salzburg. When you think of the giants of European football, you definitely think of Salzburg though.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

They have Harry Kane now and have had Haaland and Bellingham in recent years as well as Lewandowski.

If Florian Wirtz was doing what he's done this year on an undefeated EPL team you'd hear a lot about him too.

I think it's a combination of Bundesliga not getting the publicity that EPL and La Liga get and the Bundesliga teams struggling to keep top players, in part due to 50 plus 1.

Bundesliga has a language problem. That has to be the biggest issue right?

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I was talking to my friends, but if Leverkusen wins Europa while staying unbeated in the BL, plus Germany makes a deep run at the euros, I could see Wirtz being very close to a Ballon D'ors. Of course its a French award and they notoriously hate German footballers haha, so that could be difficult.

How long before Wirtz is playing for Man City and taking over for KDB?

 

[brdst11]

Bundesliga has a language problem. That has to be the biggest issue right?

It definitely is. Fox tried to promote them and failed and I think language was a big part of the problem.

EPL has the built in advantage of language, as does La Liga (really the big 2) for Spanish speakers in the US

I listen to an English language Bundesliga podcast, which helps but it's still difficult to understand some of their pronunciations.

 

[brdst11]

How long before Wirtz is playing for Man City and taking over for KDB?

He'll be playing in England sooner rather than later and we'll hear what a revelation he is, as if he'd never played for a big league before.

 

[brdst11]

I was talking to my friends, but if Leverkusen wins Europa while staying unbeated in the BL, plus Germany makes a deep run at the euros, I could see Wirtz being very close to a Ballon D'ors. Of course its a French award and they notoriously hate German footballers haha, so that could be difficult.

Don't forget they also have the Pokal, where they play a Kaiserslautern team that's towards the bottom of the 2 Bundesliga. It's be funny if that's the team they lose to this year.

 

[Sean Miller Fan]

It definitely is. Fox tried to promote them and failed and I think language was a big part of the problem.

EPL has the built in advantage of language, as does La Liga (really the big 2) for Spanish speakers in the US

I listen to an English language Bundesliga podcast, which helps but it's still difficult to understand some of their pronunciations.

The ones I watch have English announcers doing the games so I don't know why that's an issue.

 

[brdst11]

The ones I watch have English announcers doing the games so I don't know why that's an issue.

Ya if all you want to do is watch the games on TV or the commentary in between games that's in English. But others would like to learn the fans' chants, read articles, listen to podcasts, etc. That's not impossible but it is more difficult than following a league with a language you understand.

Also despite the fact that we have a decent number of Germans here, they don't have much in the way of supporters groups. There were a couple of Stuttgart fans who drove in from Ohio on Saturday to the same bar where the Bayern fans watch and there was also a Gladbach fan watching, which was cool, I just don't see much of that usually.

 

[brdst11]

Dortmund win, meaning the 5th place team in the Bundesliga are going to play in the Champions League Final

 

[King Of All Message Boards]

Anyone watch Bayern get one of the biggest hose jobs ever today?

 

[brdst11]

Anyone watch Bayern get one of the biggest hose jobs ever today?

Horrible call but I blame Bayern for bringing in Harry Kane and his trophy curse.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Anyone watch Bayern get one of the biggest hose jobs ever today?

I had friends text me about it. I was working. But reading twitter I guess there were other calls that went Bayern’s way earlier. So I don’t know.

But the Xg for the match was :
RM -3.30
BM- 0.30

So it appears that maybe the better team won?

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Horrible call but I blame Bayern for bringing in Harry Kane and his trophy curse.

Might be the Tottenham trophy curse that rubbed off on Kane, who then took it to Munich.

 

[brdst11]

Might be the Tottenham trophy curse that rubbed off on Kane, who then took it to Munich.

I can understand how one would think that but Spurs won a trophy a few years before his debut and also won Quarters and Semis games in the CL while he was hurt.

He tried to Durant his way to a trophy and couldn't even win the Super Cup.

 

[Joe the Panther Fan]

I had friends text me about it. I was working. But reading twitter I guess there were other calls that went Bayern’s way earlier. So I don’t know.

But the Xg for the match was :
RM -3.30
BM- 0.30

So it appears that maybe the better team won?

The better team might have won, but that doesn't change the fact that that was an awful call.

And I say that as someone who is not sure at all that the play was not offsides. But if you are the assistant, there is simply no way, none at all, that you can justify putting the flag up on a play that close. That is absolutely against what they are told to do on close plays.

 

[burnie1105]

I got into Union Berlin this year because of Aaronson and all of their fun history, the Bundesliga rules.

 

[brdst11]

I got into Union Berlin this year because of Aaronson and all of their fun history, the Bundesliga rules.

Unfortunately you were a year too late. Last year was a lot of fun for their fans.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

I can understand how one would think that but Spurs won a trophy a few years before his debut and also won Quarters and Semis games in the CL while he was hurt.

He tried to Durant his way to a trophy and couldn't even win the Super Cup.

Haha. So maybe it is the Kane curse.

But anytime I can rip Tottenham I’m going to do it. One trophy this century, and it was the League Cup. Granted it was in extra time vs my beloved Chelsea who had Lampard, Drogba, Terry and Cech.

They are a big London club and get 4 cracks every year at a trophy and can’t ever get it done.

The better team might have won, but that doesn't change the fact that that was an awful call.

And I say that as someone who is not sure at all that the play was not offsides. But if you are the assistant, there is simply no way, none at all, that you can justify putting the flag up on a play that close. That is absolutely against what they are told to do on close plays.

it wasn’t even close for me. It was clearly not offside. And to your point, they always let every play play out without raising the flag and blowing the whistle and have been doing so for a couple of years now. Even plays In which my grandmother can see that it’s offside, they still don’t stop play. But this time they did. It does make you think about match fixing. How can you not when stuff like this happens?

 

[burnie1105]

Unfortunately you were a year too late. Last year was a lot of fun for their fans.

I've still enjoyed following them - their fan culture is pretty unique (I'm pretty sure the main supporters group openly states that trashing the players/team is verboten), so it's easy to get on board. It's looking like they'll stay up this year, so hopefully they can get back to mid-table form next year.

 

[121rum]

I've still enjoyed following them - their fan culture is pretty unique (I'm pretty sure the main supporters group openly states that trashing the players/team is verboten), so it's easy to get on board. It's looking like they'll stay up this year, so hopefully they can get back to mid-table form next year.

I assume you've seen this then, but its a great watch

 

[Fk_Pitt]

What do you guys think about the coefficient data for European qualification? It has to be flawed right??

I had a blast watching my team this weekend put themselves in contention for a Europa bid. Still a tough climb though for my Chelsea. Tottenham has to lose both remaining games (one is likely a loss vs Man City) but one match is vs Sheffield United and Spurs can’t lose that one I assume. And Chelsea would have to win both. I believe the other way is if Man U wins the FA Cup but that’s unlikely too.

But my point is it sucks looking at things and seeing Bundesliga and Serie A both with 5 Champions League qualifications and then the 6th place team qualifies for Europa.

I try not to sound like those arrogant English pricks who constantly put down other leagues as being trash…but finishing in the top 4 in England is absolutely brutal compared to the other leagues. Right? Chelsea has an outside chance at 5th but will likely finish 6th or 7th and play in the Conference League. I shouldn’t complain though. I assume winning the conference League qualifies for Europa the following year? So they just need to go out and win it.

 

[brdst11]

What do you guys think about the coefficient data for European qualification? It has to be flawed right??

I had a blast watching my team this weekend put themselves in contention for a Europa bid. Still a tough climb though for my Chelsea. Tottenham has to lose both remaining games (one is likely a loss vs Man City) but one match is vs Sheffield United and Spurs can’t lose that one I assume. And Chelsea would have to win both. I believe the other way is if Man U wins the FA Cup but that’s unlikely too.

But my point is it sucks looking at things and seeing Bundesliga and Serie A both with 5 Champions League qualifications and then the 6th place team qualifies for Europa.

I try not to sound like those arrogant English pricks who constantly put down other leagues as being trash…but finishing in the top 4 in England is absolutely brutal compared to the other leagues. Right? Chelsea has an outside chance at 5th but will likely finish 6th or 7th and play in the Conference League. I shouldn’t complain though. I assume winning the conference League qualifies for Europa the following year? So they just need to go out and win it.

Would have to look at the exact criteria but my initial reaction was that the formula overvalues success in Europa and the Conference.

Then again they're treated with way more respect in Europe than I think they deserve. To me they're like the NIT but that's not how they're seen over there.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Would have to look at the exact criteria but my initial reaction was that the formula overvalues success in Europa and the Conference.

Then again they're treated with way more respect in Europe than I think they deserve. To me they're like the NIT but that's not how they're seen over there.

Not sure what you mean by your second comment. If you’re saying Europa is an NIT and conference league is like the CBI, then yeah I agree. Lol.


But for as much as I enjoy the EPL, it’s really become a crap league. I mean, when you have Real Madrid in the Champions League, who are the biggest club in the world, putting 11 players behind the ball like they did vs Man City…what is that saying for the other 19 clubs in the Premier league? City are going to win the EPL for like the 7th time in 8 years…so you have like 5 other huge money clubs vying for only 3 Champions league spots. Then once New Castle puts it completely together and starts spending that oil money, you’ll have 7 big money clubs vying for 6 total European spots. And for me, there’s something very wrong about a huge money team like Man United, Chelsea or Liverpool competing against small clubs in the Conference League.

If you’re a fan of a mid table team in Germany or Italy, you have to feel like you have a chance every year to qualify for Europe, even Champions League. If you’re a fan of a mid table club in England, outside of an occasional Aston Villa or Leicester, well, I guess there’s the cup competitions and occasional relegation battles to keep things interesting.

Maybe MLB should add a couple cup competitions. As a pirate fan maybe that would bring occasion hope beyond Memorial Day every summer. But 162 games is enough. Lol

 

[brdst11]

Not sure what you mean by your second comment. If you’re saying Europa is an NIT and conference league is like the CBI, then yeah I agree. Lol.


But for as much as I enjoy the EPL, it’s really become a crap league. I mean, when you have Real Madrid in the Champions League, who are the biggest club in the world, putting 11 players behind the ball like they did vs Man City…what is that saying for the other 19 clubs in the Premier league? City are going to win the EPL for like the 7th time in 8 years…so you have like 5 other huge money clubs vying for only 3 Champions league spots. Then once New Castle puts it completely together and starts spending that oil money, you’ll have 7 big money clubs vying for 6 total European spots. And for me, there’s something very wrong about a huge money team like Man United, Chelsea or Liverpool competing against small clubs in the Conference League.

If you’re a fan of a mid table team in Germany or Italy, you have to feel like you have a chance every year to qualify for Europe, even Champions League. If you’re a fan of a mid table club in England, outside of an occasional Aston Villa or Leicester, well, I guess there’s the cup competitions and occasional relegation battles to keep things interesting.

Maybe MLB should add a couple cup competitions. As a pirate fan maybe that would bring occasion hope beyond Memorial Day every summer. But 162 games is enough. Lol

Yes, I equate them to the NIT.

And what you're describing is true but that's how the EPL is set up.


It'll continue to be that way absent the implementation of American style financial constraints, which no one seems to want. Yet another reason to follow the Bundesliga I guess.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

Yes, I equate them to the NIT.

And what you're describing is true but that's how the EPL is set up.


It'll continue to be that way absent the implementation of American style financial constraints, which no one seems to want. Yet another reason to follow the Bundesliga I guess.

For as much as I want to rip people in pirate threads on this site for being duped by pirate ownership over and over again and/or having an interest in the most boring sport on earth that has huge economic disparities on top of it…I remind myself that I’m a fan of the English premier league.

But at least my team is Englands version of the LA Dodgers. So huge payrolls, championship expectations and massively underachieving is something I embrace. Lol.

 

[mike412]

It’s funny, but I have never been a fan of just one EPL team. Chelsea would have been logical because I love that part of London, but I couldn’t support them when Abramovich owned them and certainly can’t support them with the current ownership. I like Aston Villa but I’m not passionate about them. I used to like Tottenham but now I pull for Arsenal in the North London Derby. I’ve never liked Man U or Liverpool.

Most of the teams I used to really admire no longer are in the EPL. Nottingham Forest is hanging on…barely. Same with Everton. Leicester was a miracle but you knew it was a short term thing.

In France, I was an Olympique fan but then Frank McCourt bought the team and I now despise them and PSG.

In Italy, I have always liked Fiorentina but they never are in the running. I liked Inter Milan when Van Basten played for them but not since. I love the way Atatlanta play but can’t name a player on the team.

My only two constants have been loving Barcelona and hating Real Madrid.

 

[Fk_Pitt]

It’s funny, but I have never been a fan of just one EPL team. Chelsea would have been logical because I love that part of London, but I couldn’t support them when Abramovich owned them and certainly can’t support them with the current ownership. I like Aston Villa but I’m not passionate about them. I used to like Tottenham but now I pull for Arsenal in the North London Derby. I’ve never liked Man U or Liverpool.

Most of the teams I used to really admire no longer are in the EPL. Nottingham Forest is hanging on…barely. Same with Everton. Leicester was a miracle but you knew it was a short term thing.

In France, I was an Olympique fan but then Frank McCourt bought the team and I now despise them and PSG.

In Italy, I have always liked Fiorentina but they never are in the running. I liked Inter Milan when Van Basten played for them but not since. I love the way Atatlanta play but can’t name a player on the team.

My only two constants have been loving Barcelona and hating Real Madrid.

Well said. !