Urawa Red Diamonds (N) | CWC Semi-Final | Pre-Match Thread

[skillman]

Not sure if I'm in the minority here but I think this is important and not some Mickey Mouse cup. It's the chance to be recognised as the best team in football and not just in your own country/continent.

 

[Gorton_Tubster]

Not sure if I'm in the minority here but I think this is important and not some Mickey Mouse cup. It's the chance to be recognised as the best team in football and not just in your own country/continent.

Recognised by whom?

For me though this is a chance for us to actually be the Best Club in the World and all the Land.

The media will ignore it (unless it adversely affects our PL campaign). Opposition fans will deride it. But it will be there on the record books forever and ever. If we do it.

Cmon blues!

 

[BamberBridgeBlue]

You’ll never sing that!
You’ll never sing thaaaaaat!
World Club Cup Champions!
You’ll never sing that!

Hard to get a few thousand getting that right.

I reckon those at the top of the club will take this seriously. It’s all about getting the brand out globally. Whatever we think, my cash is on it being prioritised.

 

[jrb]

“City, City, the best club in the land of all the world”

 

[skillman]

Recognised by whom?

For me though this is a chance for us to actually be the Best Club in the World and all the Land.

The media will ignore it (unless it adversely affects our PL campaign). Opposition fans will deride it. But it will be there on the record books forever and ever. If we do it.

Cmon blues!

It's not taken seriously here but from what I can gather, it is elsewhere. And rightly so.

 

[M18CTID]

This.
Personally think when this is expanded, this could leave the champions league in the dust.

To be honest, I think that is FIFA's intention.

I think you could be right. It's the equivalent of the World Cup but for clubs rather than countries. The current incarnation that we'll be playing in is a bit of a mish-mash with us and the South American champions being parachuted into the semis and both playing teams that - without trying to be disrespectful - are not close to being on the same level as ourselves or Fluminense. Sure, there's a chance that either or both of us could get knocked out of the semis but it's far more likely that we'll be playing each other in the final. The expanded version in 2025 will be far better and fairer to boot, and like the World Cup itself there will be plenty of opportunities for upsets regardless of the inevitable seeding system.

On the face of it, I think it's a great idea as it will feel like a proper football tournament. The only significant negative for me is that it's even more football for the players and yet another summer - sandwiched in between the 2024 Euros and the 2026 World Cup - where they don't get a proper rest.

 

[ancoats]

The Prize of World Champions and the only English club to win 5 of the major titles in a calendar year
Forget what the Media think, Forget what other clubs and their fans think, We all KNOW Manchester City is a Special Team and Club with outstanding support home and away.

#TOGETHER

 

[bigtire]

Seems like I’m in the minority too. Flying out next week - would love to win this. It’s easy to say it’s small or irrelevant when you’re not in it. Very interested to see teams from around the world & it’ll be nice if we can get 1 before the format changes & count it as being equivalent to the new format like many a club do with the old European cup ;)

 

[John Wayne]

Top clubs can compete for seven possible trophies (counting UEFA Super Cup and Community Shield). If we win this tournament then we will have won the lot, and also done so just in Pep's time with the club. KDB won't play but is in the squad because he can pick up the one medal missing from his club collection. He can complete the journey and complete the set. Yes, we know that this isn't the biggest prize on offer (yet), but there is something rather nice about the thought of going into Christmas as world champions and finishing the best year in the club's history with yet another trophy. Winning this can give us that moment to stop, reflect, and realise we will have truly seen it all. And to do it in the same week of the 25th anniversary of our away match at York, when we sunk to our lowest ever league placing. Sacking off the Carabao Cup is totally worth it if we win this trophy.

 

[cleavers]

Think you missed a joke about whipping.

Haha, yeah I did.