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Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Football season never ends: The Premier League is booming, but its clubs are feeling the strain
If you did not follow this summer's expanded Club World Cup, you missed some decent games, a few upsets and a surprise win for Chelsea. Independence Day 2025 Modi signals new push for tech independence with local chips Before Trump, British used tariffs to kill Indian textile Bank of Azad Hind: When Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose gave India its own currency It was fine, and fine was good enough to ensure that the event will happen again in four years' time -- perhaps sooner. And that means you also possibly missed the beginning of the end of soccer as most of us know it. With the new Premier League season starting this weekend, many of the world's best players will embark on an 11-month season that will finish at next summer's World Cup, the old-fashioned one but with 48 teams and 104 games, not 32 teams and 64 games, as in recent editions. This is less than five weeks after Chelsea beat Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final in New York, but only two weeks after Manchester United drew with Everton to clinch the Premier League's very own American showcase event, the Summer Series. It is not just the world's best players who are now locked into an endless content-creation cycle. The first round of Champions League qualifying took place on July 8, the same day Chelsea beat Fluminense in the semifinal of the Club World Cup, a tournament that neither brought the curtain down on 2024-25 nor raised it for 2025-26. Live Events There is no curtain anymore. The lower leagues in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and elsewhere in northern Europe were always early starters, but England's Leagues One and Two began their new campaigns on Aug. 1. In fact, League Two's Barnet and Newport County had already played each other in an EFL Cup preliminary round on July 29 -- in other words, before most of their fans had gone on their summer holidays, let alone taken some time off to enjoy the cricket season, a music festival, a summer fete, anything other than soccer, basically. The English Football League had no choice but to start so early, as it was the only way to ensure there was room in the schedule to include the record nine Premier League teams that have qualified for European soccer this season when they join the competition in the third round. What else could the EFL do when UEFA added a third European competition, the Conference League, in 2021, and then expanded all three of its club competitions in 2024, adding extra games and teams? The Champions League leaped from 125 to 189 games last season; once that happened, every new edition of the EFL Cup is a minor miracle. The EFL could just stop scheduling it, but Premier League clubs appear to like winning it, as do their fans. Newcastle United's certainly did. It also makes up a big chunk of the EFL's broadcast revenues, and the Premier League's participation in the competition is one of the least painful contributions the top flight makes to the rest of the professional pyramid. Take that away, and Premier League boss Richard Masters would have an even harder time trying to persuade his shareholders to send more money down the pipe before the new independent football regulator makes them. But that is not his only headache. Masters has been talking for several years now about the fact that the Premier League has been the same size and shape for more than three decades: 20 teams, 380 games. He was at it again earlier this month, when the BBC asked him why the Premier League does not just shrink to 18 teams. After all, that was the original idea back in 1992, when the Football Association encouraged the top clubs to break away from the EFL, its ancient rival, and form the Premier League. The clubs were only half-listening, though, and having cut the top division from 22 teams to 20 decided to stop there. "I don't think we should be forced into that decision," Masters said. "I am all for the growth of the game and the exciting competitions our clubs can participate in, but not at the expense of domestic football." FIFA and UEFA have been dropping not-so-subtle hints that 18-team leagues, with a maximum of 306 games, is where everyone should have arrived by now. They have shown the big clubs the value of international competition, and the clubs want more of it, which means less time for domestic chores. Would England's aristocrats vote to cut the Premier League? Maybe, maybe not. Unlike their European peers, they can still see the benefit of domestic soccer in their profit and loss accounts, as the Premier League, for a variety of reasons, has become the closest thing to a European Super League since the Big Six briefly conspired with Barcelona, Juventus , Real Madrid and Co. to create a more regular and lucrative place to get together than the Champions League. That abomination collapsed inside 72 hours, but instead of being punished for their treachery, the big clubs were rewarded with an expanded Champions League and a revamped Club World Cup. With the Premier League's overseas media rights still rising in value, its stadiums full (and growing) and almost half its clubs playing in Europe this season, the status quo looks pretty good right now. But Masters can see the writing on the wall. Entirely fed up with FIFA grabbing bigger chunks of the calendar, the Premier League has teamed up with Europe's other domestic leagues and the Continent's players' unions to lodge a formal complaint against the global governing body at the European Commission. By bringing European Union competition law into soccer's fixture squabbles, the leagues and players are telling FIFA that they believe the game has reached a saturation point, the players are exhausted, and there are no more cup replays to scrap. To be honest, questions could be asked as to why the leagues and players did not combine to resist UEFA's expansionism, but the European confederation at least invites representatives from the leagues and unions to its meetings before telling them it is going to create new competitions, grab more exclusive midweek slots, and maybe pinch a weekend or two. The Premier League knows it cannot get too argumentative with an organization that provides at least a third of its shareholders with large checks each season, not to mention the fact that the race for European berths is a vital part of the Premier League's annual narrative. FIFA, on the other hand, consults via news release and photo opportunity, as FIFPro, the global players' union, has been pointing out of late. And, unlike UEFA, its president, Gianni Infantino, is not trying to defend a dominant position; he is attempting to disrupt it, globalize it and own it. He took a step toward that with the Club World Cup. "Since 1994, the Premier League has been 380 matches, 20 clubs," Masters told the BBC. "We haven't changed shape at all. Now we are starting to redesign our domestic calendar at the altar of European and global expansion. "We are asking the players to play in more matches. There has to be, at the top of the game, a proper dialogue between FIFA and all the stakeholders about how these things go forward. That has been sadly missing." Yep, and now the only dialogue is going to be a row about whether the Club World Cup should go to 48 teams in 2029, with more spots for Masters' shareholders, or maybe we should just let FIFA do it every two years, floating from summer to winter as it crosses the globe. If that happens, and there is no question that FIFA wants that to happen -- ideally in rotation with a biennial men's World Cup -- we can forget 18-team domestic top flights, with deep professional pyramids and historic national cup competitions. We will be lucky to find time for a 16-team domestic league, and when that happens, we will all realize that fixture congestion was never just a problem for a handful of stars. So, enjoy this season. Cherish it, even. Because there might not be many like it left.
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Business Standard
6 hours ago
- Business Standard
La Liga 2025-26: Top 5 teams to look forward to in Spanish Premier League
With the 2025–26 La Liga season kicking off this weekend, last season's top four, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Athletic Bilbao, find themselves at different stages of readiness. A hectic calendar packed with domestic and continental fixtures, plus preparations for next summer's FIFA World Cup, has left little time to rest or reset. Here are the top 5 teams in the Spanish Premier League to look forward to in the new season - FC Barcelona: Barcelona enter the new season as the reigning La Liga and Copa del Rey champions, but their summer has been overshadowed by financial constraints. Though they've signed striker Marcus Rashford and goalkeeper Joan Garcia, the club has yet to register them, nor Gerard Martin or Wojciech Szczesny, due to Spain's stringent financial fair play rules. As a result, Inaki Peña is the only first-team goalkeeper currently available. To reduce wage commitments, Barcelona made the surprise call to let Inigo Martinez join Al Nassr on a free transfer. In a controversial move, the club has also reportedly urged Marc-André ter Stegen to sign off on a medical document declaring a five-month absence, which would free up 80% of his wages to help with new registrations. Despite the turmoil, Barcelona had a strong pre-season tour in Asia. Standouts like Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, and Pedri remain crucial, and if they stay injury-free, the Catalans could still be the team to beat. Real Madrid: Real Madrid begin the season under new manager Xabi Alonso, who brings fresh energy and tactical ideas. Summer recruits include defenders Dean Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, and Álvaro Carreras, with Huijsen impressing at the Club World Cup. However, Madrid face a tight turnaround. Their pre-season commitments in the U.S. lasted until mid-July, leaving Alonso with only two weeks of preparation before their opener against Osasuna. Midfield maestro Jude Bellingham is sidelined for the early games after undergoing shoulder surgery. Alonso must also decide whether to deploy a back four or a three-defender system with wing-backs, an approach that might better suit Alexander-Arnold. Expect an emphasis on high pressing from attacking stars Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr., who, if they click, could fire Madrid into the title race. Atletico Madrid have been active in the transfer market, bringing in Johnny Cardoso, Thiago Almada, Álex Baena, Matteo Ruggeri, and David Hancko to bolster their squad. The club retains its lethal strike force of Alexander Sørloth and Julián Álvarez, who combined for 37 league goals last term. Despite the signings, Atletico's Club World Cup participation left them with limited preparation time. Much will depend on whether Diego Simeone leans into the attacking potential of his squad or reverts to his more cautious, defensive tendencies. If Simeone gives his creative players the freedom to express themselves, Atletico are well-positioned to mount a serious title challenge. Athletic Bilbao: Under Ernesto Valverde, Athletic Bilbao punched above their weight last season to secure a fourth-place finish. Their biggest summer success was fending off interest in star winger Nico Williams, reportedly targeted by Barcelona. New additions Robert Navarro and Jesús Areso add depth, but Bilbao's preparations were disrupted. Defender Yeray Álvarez was suspended after testing positive for a hair-loss treatment substance, while fellow defender Unai Egiluz suffered a season-ending knee injury. Bilbao are reportedly trying to bring back Aymeric Laporte from Saudi Arabia. His arrival could solidify the backline and make Athletic particularly formidable at their iconic San Mamés stadium. Villarreal: Often flying under the radar, but Opta simulations give them a solid fighting chance for top-four placement, backed by a rising star in attacking midfield standout Alberto Moleiro As La Liga prepares to kick off, Barcelona's off-field issues, Madrid's short pre-season, Atletico's attacking reinforcements, and Bilbao's defensive concerns all offer storylines to watch. With each top-four team dealing with unique challenges, the 2025–26 season promises to be fiercely competitive and unpredictable.
News18
10 hours ago
- News18
David Coote's EPL Return 'Very Difficult' After Ban For Comments On Jurgen Klopp, Says Howard Webb
The controversial referee had gone on an abusive rant against the former Liverpool boss and was suspended in November 2024 for an aggravated breach of the FA guidelines. Former referee Howard Webb has given a strong verdict against David Coote, claiming the disgraced referee would find it extremely difficult to come back to the list of English Premier League officials. Webb even raised doubts about Coote ever officiating at the elite level again after he was handed a suspension for making derogatory comments about former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp. In a video filmed during lockdown and leaked online in November 2024, Coote had gone on an abusive rant against Klopp and was criticised widely, before being suspended for an 'aggravated breach" of Football Association guidelines. Even though the referee expressed 'deep remorse" and accepted that his remarks on the German tactician were 'crass and inappropriate", he was barred from officiating in matches. In a double whammy, Coote was then also sacked from the Premier League referees' body, the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), when another controversial video caught the body's attention, where he appears to be sniffing white powder during Euro 2024. UEFA banned Coote from referee duties at European competitions in February for a suspension period lasting until June 30, 2026. 'I think it'd be really difficult for David to come back, I'm afraid to say," said Webb, as quoted by The Guardian. 'He is somebody that we stay in contact with, somebody who was part of our refereeing family for a long time and served the game as well for a long period of time and I've known him personally for many years. So it's sad what happened with David, but I would think it would be a challenging thing for him to come back." 'It became apparent that David had made some bad choices away from the football field. He was an employee of ours. So obviously we had to care for him and we had to try to understand why he made some of those choices and where they connected to the job that he had. 'We spoke to all of our officials as well other officials and said: 'How are you feeling about all of this?' And there was some feedback that came back from them about the support that they think they need. And then it was a good time for us to reflect on the services that we do provide within our own staff expertise." view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
