This week on: The Champions League
The CHAMPIONS league is back in action this week, and I feel as though we must address one of the top critiques and comments we get when trying to get people to watch soccer. Yes, it is true that between national league games (Ligue 1, La Liga, Premier League etc), Champions League (teams from all those) and international play (countries, involving leagues and World Cup qualifiers) all happening in the same time frame, it is a bit annoying to keep up. Like every week feels like “Previously on The Champions League…” So, quick recap, right now we’re doing group stages which means no eliminations yet.
Paris vs Man City 2-0
The game we were all waiting for, mostly because this is a rematch of the semi-final last year and also because Paris LOST 2-0 to lil ol Bruges in the last Champions week of play (despite having the best 3 attacking players in the world). PSG came away with the W (2-0) but I would note that they are having the same issue as the French national team: three of the GOAT forwards of all time and yet struggle to move up the field and score??? The highlight of this game was of course, Messi’s first goal with PSG (at home no less) which caused the stand to ERUPT in cheers. Commentators were up in arms about the poor refereeing which in the spirit of journalistic integrity, I shouldn’t comment on because I only listened to the game and didn’t watch, but f*** that, REF THAT WAS BULLSHIT IL Y A FAUTE !!
Just a couple of bros with their pants falling off!
Sheriff vs Real Madrid 2-1
If you’re an avid blog follower, you’ll remember that Sheriff was literally founded by 2 ex KGB agents in a semi-autonomous quasi-Soviet part of Moldova (and yes, they’re far from the first club to have sketchy pasts, cough madrid cough franco but still) but the media keeps treating them like an adorable lil communist underdog. Sheriff shocked them all this week with their 2-0 win over Madrid (not convinced it wasn’t rigged !) and I am HERE for this storyline. Seems like it could be a good plotline for this season; to be developed in further episodes.
Other results:
Barcelona fell 3-0 to Benefica, and if you’re hearing of that club for the first time, girl, same. I was sitting there like is this French or is it Italian? Perhaps Fretalian? (jokes for the 90s kids! also just rewatched that commercial and it’s kinda xenophobic?) Jk it is Portuguese club but it’s weird they beat Barça, though the club is still in mourning for Messi (bb come back). Club Brugge continues to baffle us all as they beat Red Bull Leipzig 2-1. These Flemish fellas are a puzzle! In more expected results, Liverpool crushed Porto (5-1), Bayern destroyed Dynamo Kyiv 5-0 (kick ass name though!)and Atletico Madrid, Ajax and Man U all won. I know we have some all Yung Boys stans in the crowd, so it is my sad duty to report that they were defeated (0-1) by Atalanta. But we are only on match day 2 of 6 so there’s still hope for the Swiss lads!
In BAD soccer news (you guessed it IS going to be about the ladies as always), The Athletic broke a story about a serial sexual harassment/abuse scandal in the NWSL (Women’s US national pro league) involving a former Portland Thorns coach. The coach is accused of sexual coercion by former players at the Thorns, who apparently raised these concerns at the time. The Thorns did investitage this, he was fired… only to take a job immediately after at the North Carolina Courage. Players claim that the NWSL knew about the allegations and did nothing to support players or address the issue, and now a BUNCH of NWSL players / the players association (including big names like Alex Morgan)are coming out to confirm the story. (Homegirl has receipts.)
One big issue that has come out of this is how the women players are consistently forced to put up with harassment, poor attendance, terrible playing fields, no funding and on and on, and don’t want to complain for fear that the league will collapse. (this has happened before). This is why it’s important to watch women’s sports and support our ladies!
That’s all for this week. Tune in next week for …. not a new episode of Champions, sorry, that will be in two weeks. Some sort of soccer anyways!
